Sleeping Bag premiere a first listen to their second album, Women Of Your Life, the follow up to last year's self-titled release. Their story begins in Bloomington, Indiana centered around Dave Segedy's “Whoa Bro Awesome” drum project where his discoveries of guitarist Lewis Rogers and bassist David Woodruff were the bros to both round out the group's sound as a fully realized alternative and awesome triumvirate.
“Say goodbye to the women of your life, alright, say goodbye to the people all around…” Dave, Lewis and David abandon life's comforts to take the high road as a lone trio. “Soda You” is a word play on a “so-do-you” lover's spat with abounding chunky guitar strummed angulars. Their go-it-alone attitudes and alt-effervescent and self-effacing ecstasis is met with the metaphoric “Soccer Ball”; a doormat-punching bag ode to the apathy of “nothing to feel, nothing is real” languor.
The Bloomington bunch kicks up the “roll over me” energy on “Allison Cole”, to the steady, “I think I'm over it” march of emotional ruminations on “In The Pocket”. “Nightmare” is a galloping reflection on childhood indiscretions, while “Saturday Night” is the sound of a weekend pre-party of sorting through plans and a stated mental process of over-thinking everything. “Coco” turns up the grunge and is sure to keep the 90s comparisons flying around in the press as these Indiana-indie rock warriors hit their anthemic stride. The slacker lull on “Still Life” gives an interlude that provides a moment's pause before the closing number provides further thoughts on the potential homages to those previously mentioned independent canons.
Once the opening whistle commences on the closing single, “Walk Home”; you hear Sleeping Bag make a full circle that accumulates more than could ever be traded in influence and musical reference alone. “Keeping all the jewels, running with the thieves, got to take advantage of someone so it seems, keepin' what you owe, people that you know, have to take advantage of something”. Segedy, Rogers and Woodruff create the pop single-power chord equivalent to a cinematic blockbuster's climatic moment that begs the work of art for a sequel.
Sleeping Bag's album Women of Your Life comes out November 27 from Joyful Noise Recordings.
