“Northern Virginia nostalgic indie rock for middle-aged dads. From the brain of Ethan Davis (with help from friends).”
I get why Sleep Donaji is describing his music as nostalgic; straight off the bat, I am getting 2000s vibes, mainly because of that chorus-y guitar sound. There is also a slight punk rock element here, I think, and I also was happy to hear brass parts as it adds some extra flavour. Still, the guitar parts, which are the main component of the overall sound, are pretty creative, and it’s not just the same old strumming. To some extent, the way the bass, drum and guitar parts are arranged reminds me quite a lot of progressive rock and a little bit of Red Hot Chilli Peppers; without the style being similar at all, though, it is primarily the choice of sounds and riffs.
‘The Kickin’ Mule’ is my favourite track; I don’t know if it is just me, but sometimes it seems that the track that is left for last in an album is a bit more free of forms and norms. As the artist (also myself guilty as charged!) usually thinks the album or ep should be memorable, the songs that are the least “poppy” find themselves at the bottom of the tracklist.
In any case, if this is for middle-aged dads, they can definitely bond over it with their young ones, as this style is making a comeback!
Written by Spiros Maus
