Sleep on It - Pride and Disaster EP Review
Review by Alicia Dittman
Sleep On It is a pop-punk from Chicago, Illinois. Sleep On It consists of Zech Pluister (Vocals), Jake Marquis (screams and rhythm guitar), Teddy Horansky (backup vocals, and lead guitar), Luka Fischman (drums). They first caught my radar in 2017 on the “Okay” USA tour with Grayscale, Roam and headliners As It Is. I wasn’t immediately sold, but after seeing them a few times, I realized just how talented this band actually is. Zech has one of the most unique voices in the scene right now. His vocal range is insane and always gives me chills when hearing one of his many note-changes. I have been anxiously anticipating the arrival of their second LP “Pride and Disaster,” and it does not disappoint at all.
The album starts strong with “Racing Towards a Red Light,” this song immediately caught my attention with the beat and Zech’s vocals and backup vocals from Teddy and Jake. This is a feel good, windows down, type of song. Choosing this song for the opening song on the album was a great idea, as it sets the tone for the entire album. “Hold Your Breath” was the second single that fans heard from the album and caught everyone’s attention immediately. We get “Overexposed” vibes from this song, and I am a huge fan personally of group sing-a-longs and that is what this song is. It will definitely be something to behold live, and I can’t wait to see just that. “Babe Ruth” is a nostalgic type song, bringing back pop punk from the early 2000s into the scene today, ex: early Fall Out Boy, Every Avenue, etc.
The band released the next song on the album as their first single in mid-July called “Under The Moment” and it instantly drew fans in. They released it in the wake of their summer co-headliner with Like Pacific, giving fans a new song to sing along to during their set. I got to experience it live in Pittsburgh and it really hit. The floor of the venue was shaking and it was unreal. “Under The Moment,” tackles issues about mental health, something that singer Pluister is not afraid of speaking on in a public manner.
“After Tonight,” was released out of nowhere on September 9th as the last single before album release and I have to say that it’s my favorite song on this album. It has everything that I personally need to tie in the front half of the album with the back half. It’s catchy, upbeat and just begs the question “Tell me what you’re after, after tonight.”
“Take Me Back” is a song that we can all expect to come from Sleep On It, and this song is where we see the title of the album in the chorus. Again, we see Pluister, Horanky and Marquis with their clean vocals and harmonies. “The Cycle Of Always Leaving,” is my personal second favorite on this album, it reminds me a lot of “See You Around,” which is on the “Lost Along The Way” EP and one of the more known Sleep On It songs.
“Logan Square,” pays homage to where the band comes from, and speaks of the Blue Line and many other things that you can find in Chicago. “Lost and Found” rounds out the album and closes it in a really exceptional way, this song is also the closest we get to any kind of ballad on this album.
This album for me is honestly perfect for a second studio album, Sleep On It is showing us what they can do and where they will be going in the future and I do believe they are destined for only greatness.
They are embarking on a tour with Don Broco very soon and quite a few of the dates are already sold out.
Stream “Pride and Disaster” wherever you stream music 9/13/19.