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Ghosts | Posted October 08, 2008
Alright, I'll admit it. The cover art is originally what caught my attention and intrigued me to give Sleeping at Last a try. Whoever designed it deserves bonus points because in the process they created a fan in me. While they draw comparisons to bands like Radiohead or Coldplay in sound, they do have their own vibe. Whether or not that vibe is in your range depends on how soft and brooding you like your music. They certainly won't be known for giving you a headache with their combination of pianos and acoustic guitars in the majority of their songs.
If you've heard Cool Hand Luke's recent material you kind of know what you'd be getting into with Ghosts. The main difference is these songs seem to be all cut from the same cloth leaving little variety on the album. Given the soft nature of their music, it could very well put you to sleep. Now that may not sound all that appealing but that's just what is on the surface. If you take the time to appreciate the music and invest in it you will be rewarded. The whole feel of the music is an uplifting one that their secular counterparts can't claim. There are catchy, upbeat tracks as well, like 'Say' and 'Night Must End', that bring distorted guitars aplenty. Every track also seems to have a constant buildup until the vocalist belts out the chorus with passion.
Although the trouble with Ghosts may lie in the formula, it's every bit worth hearing if you enjoy quieter albums where the focus is less on the noise and more on the lyrics and vocals. And in this case, this is one of those albums that I will have to be in the mood for to give it a spin. The good news is that when I do it'll satisfy whatever craving I had when I was in that mood and there's not much more I can ask for. Perhaps at some point in their career they'll pump out a classic that will be remembered, and I believe they have potential for that from what I've heard here, it's just not now.
Gems of this album are: 'Say', 'Ghosts', 'Hurry', 'Currents'
Overall - 8.9/10
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