EMBRACE

Before reading this review I should warn you that I´m not a psychedelic/space rock specialist. I was always a fan of fine melodies, well done arrangements and general harmonic sounds. Hence my love for symphonic rock. I was raised on a steady diet of classical music thanks to my parents taste. That said I also should point out that I love rock music since my teens and I have a need to explore new grounds in music since then. Sometimes you find great stuff, sometimes you don´t, but you have to try. I chose Sleepy´s Sun first CD to listen to because I liked their name. it sounded quite progressive.

I can´t say I enjoyed the CD too much, though. The group succesfully plays a kind of late 60´s, west cost, blues/country/rock psychedelic music mixed with some modern day garage band sound (specially the white noise, dissonant, guitar parts). It is clear they look for the vintage flavor of San Francisco´s flower Power era (fuzz guitars, sloppy vocals, nice harmonica breaks and tribal drums), with a much better production and the aforementioned new features like some distorted guitar barrages here and there). Sometimes they remind of the Big Brother & The Holding Company (without Janis Joplin, of course): a bit out of control, but energetic and promising. Brett Constantino´s vocals are annoying, but I guess they fit just right in for this style. Rachel Fannan on the other hand has a very fine voice but she is very underused here, a real shame: the few times she sings lead are best sung parts in the whole album. I initially though this group would be a kind of modern Jefferson Airplane, but clearly they are not.

If you´re into this kind of music I think it is worth to check it out. it is only their first and certainly they have the chops to make something more developed. And I hope they come up with better songs next time. The ones here did not move me enough to warrant a 3 star rating. Embrace is definitly to fans of the style and collectors.