ASLEEP IN THE DOWNLIGHTS

On this EP Hammock moves to an even more post rock-oriented style than on their previous releases. They also bring a couple of guest vocalists to add to the mix. The songs are centered around soft and clear guitar themes, which while comfortable are not really strong enough to hold everything together. All in all I find pieces of that a sense of uninterest and easy solutions in terms of songwriting that often haunt many artists striving to create something more widely appreciated. The overall sonical world doesn't change that much during the disc's 22-minute length. Even the vocals are a bit too plain, and despite some good lyrics there is little of interest in them. I can't help but see this record as a "bonus track" sort of thing, as Hammock can and have done better. Only the ending dissonance/crescendo in Parker's Chapel shows that the band might be seeking to move to another, a more exciting direction.