Spiritual Sky

Review by Rodney Gitzel

CDs are far too easy and too cheap to make, it seems. It's becoming depressingly common to hear full-length CDs by bands that should still be in the cheap 4-track stage, bands with little history, bands that have only just begun to develop. Call it 'Nickelback Syndrome': get a few musicians together, record a CD and then start work on becoming an engaging band.

So it seems to be with Sleeve. Spiritual Sky strikes me the same as did the couple times I've seen them play live: they're like a sleepy, indifferent Pearl Jam. Deep-sounding but monotonous guitars plod along under stretched-out, sometimes whiney, vocals. Even when the band picks up the pace, it just doesn't work, there's no spark.

The disc does have its moments: the first (of course) song, "Trust Me," is actually pretty good on its own, perhaps because it does have something driving it, and "Calm Down" comes close. Plus, we get to wonder about being the subject of a love song called "Your Stink," but, beyond that...

Go play some more shows, guys. Blow people away. Then record.

Artist Contact Info: #301 - 1664 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V5N 2S1