Review Summary: “I hate the reasons and the facts that brought us here”
During his full count of days, Lemmy (R.I.P.) voiced a fair load of thoughtful quotes about the all too different comings and goings of life. His advice to prospective rock stars, in particular, hits the nail on the head about musicians leaving the norms behind, and making a distinct stand for themselves. Lemmy’s words, however, also apply to what fans demand from bands, regarding the actual music and in that aspect, Sleepin Pillow, although an obscure act by large, more than fit the description. Fully justifying their country of origin, a perpetual geographical/cultural interface between three continents, first two albums of these Greek-Thessalonikans, were forged from an involved amalgam consisting of psychedelia, eastern/Greek folk/electronic music, and indie/alt/post/progressive rock incentives.
Sleepin Pillow’s (restrained in volume but rich in merit) back catalogue spans from the late ‘00s to the mid ‘10s, a period in which their homeland exited a 30-year-old illusion of economic euphoria, and entered into the harsh reality of financial recession. The mentioned (and ongoing) transition left its indelible markings on the band’s music. While
Apples In An Orange Tree (2008) was lyrically and musically on par with the abstract teachings of indie rock and psychedeleia,
Superman’s Blues (2010) turned out to be darker musically, while lyrically, it narrated some of the ill-conditioned instances of humans and states, which soar in eras of crisis. By the time
World Is Over, It's Time For A New One... mini album came out, Sleepin Pillow had left their progressive character in the rear opting for a straightforward, heavier style of indie rock, amidst becoming increasingly political (see EP title). All in all, those fondly acquainted with the band, awaited a full length album in vain, as the first relevant news came in late 2016 in an early-to-mid-December release party in Thessaloniki.
The Past Is Already Here, Sleepin Pillow’s third outing, treads further into the path opened by its immediate predecessor, while it sparingly wraps the legacy of the first two albums.
The album title sets the tone for a gloomy experience, yet the overall mood is not a black-or-white matter. Two halves of
The Past…, depend on the placement of seemingly optimistic, up tempo material that leads into some kind of closure in the form of downright dismal elegies, placed at the middle and at the end of the album. The only differentiation comes in the form of the instrumental “Acheron” which reveals a certain affiliation towards soundtrack music. Album opener “That Girl” for example, is a naively cheerful indie rock tune, whose main melody carries a subliminal load of sadness, whereas the two cuts that follow in the same alley, solidly showcase Sleepin Pillow’s knack for blending Greek/middle-eastern folk with the post (metal at instances) side of rock, and electronic music. The difference regarding the previous two full-lengths, lies in the adoption of a less-is-more philosophy, regarding the wealth and span of the arrangements. First half of the album concludes with the explicitly titled “I Hate All Gods”, whereas the second doffs to the album title song. Both cuts are probably the most melancholic (almost doom metal in design, not in sound) stuff ever released by the band.
Repeated listens will reveal that
The Past… is a coherent album that can stand next to Sleepin Pillow’s previous releases, albeit a few steps below, as some songs are too formulaic when compared to their much much better album constituents. This may be attributed to the fact that the
The Past… does not consist of material composed in a single time period. While it can be a bit of a stretch to assume that the fiscal crisis had everything to do with it, it is a partially plausible assertion, as apart from the drainage of financial resources, economic downsides tend to corrupt the human moral. Nomik’s melancholic vocals flesh this condition on every occasion. In the light of the above, the release of this album can be seen as a small victory for Sleepin Pillow, a band originating from a state in which a restrained number of social groups still work copiously to maintain the country to its fallible past, for their own collective interests.
