Wintersleep: "New Inheritors" at first listen and a little bit of "Untitled"

Wintersleep holds a simplicity that not many other bands do. Not too many lyrics in a song, not too many instruments to handle, not too much noise. When I first heard the band, I was on the 8-hour bus ride from home back to school. +81 had made me a Back To School Pack of music to listen to.
I had listened to a few other bands, and as soon as Wintersleep's "Untitled" started playing, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I noticed the album was already over, but I felt relaxed and searched for the album so that I could listen consciously.
Ultimately, I think this is my favourite band of all of the ones +81 sent to me. I can listen to it while I’m doing homework, or sleeping, or cleaning my room… it just happens to fit a lot of my daily activities.
I usually listened to the album as a whole, not giving much thought to each individual song, but “Listen[Listen, Listen]” caught my eye one day when I was sitting in front of my computer. The lyrics are simple, like I said, and there aren’t many of them, but I can never get some of them out of my head…

Of all of the songs to choose, of course Sugar picks the cheesy one. This song is just different to me. I am always telling people that they’re beautiful or attractive, I think everyone has something amazing about them. Once, someone told me how ugly they were and all I wanted to tell her was that I couldn’t stop looking at her because she was so beautiful. She told me the light was tricking me, that if she turned it off, I would think differently.
She turned off the light.
She was still gorgeous.
So I’m sure you can see now why I so easily identified with the speaker in this particular song.

New Inheritors was different for me.
I was expecting another simple album, something I could grasp at first listen.
I’m afraid this will need a few more listens before I can truly make a decision, but I felt some of the songs were a bit repetitive, mostly "Encyclopedia," and some of the songs were too loud.
I like the vocals overall, but I have to literally sit down and listen to the album as a whole.
So far, I don't know if I'm too impressed.

I dont know the band but i feel this is your best write-up yet.

Thank you. [=
I spent a lot more time on this one, I felt it was important for me to edit.

Ah, sweet, sweet, romantic Sugar! :love: I can see why you would identify with the singer in "Listen Listen Listen," which I agree is a simple, non-flashy song. How lucky your friends are to have you lifting them up when they're beating themselves down.

Since you at first slept through the New Inheritors album and then critiqued it as being too repetitive, I don't feel so motivated to listen to the whole thing. Even "Listen" feels kind of repetitive and methodical to me. Also, I guess I just prefer other singers' voices to this singer's voice, which sounds too whispery for my tastes. But I like it that *you* like the song! And, as always, I like reading your reviews. :)

Hey, Erica!
Thanks for reading. =]

I just editted my post, "Untitled" was the one I fell asleep to at first.
I didn't fall asleep because it was bad, I fell asleep because it was comfortable to fall asleep to.
The "New Inheritors" album did seem a tad repetitive at first listen. I'm going to listen to it again and see what I think this time, maybe on a drive to work or something like that.
The singer's voice of Wintersleep isn't always that whispery, it's just the soft song on the album. I can link another song to you, if you'd like.

Your editing clarified the situation for me, and yes, please do link another song for me. I'd like that! Thank you for suggesting it, AwwesomeSugar. I'm always willing to listen to any song once.

Erica, it won't let me embed this specific song, but I really like it, so I figured I'd link you anyway.

"Danse Macabre"
YouTube - WINTERSLEEP - Danse Macabre

And for those who are a fan of live performances instead:

"A Long Flight" (Live)

Those were both good songs, AwwSugar. I like the anguish and intensity of "Danse macabre"...the metal music sound of it, and the simple lyrics that are memorable for me, such as, "All my friends are skeletons. Oh you had such big big plans. Swallowed all your vitamins." Actually, I think those lines would be a very good post mortem description of me, because I realized early on that I was just a skeleton, and I could say of my life that I had big big plans and swallowed all my vitamins, trying to lengthen it and do what's right to live a long and happy life.

Do they often sing about death? I suppose a group called "Wintersleep" might! ;)

The "A Long Flight" is a sad song. I loved the electric guitar...especially the jewel-like reverb effect that emerged near the end around 3:36. Sugar, I think I'll play this song for my child, because after I read stories to him tonight and lay down next to him to help him fall asleep, he was feeling lonely and sad...sad that one of his friends moved away last year. He was thinking tonight about how he'll probably never see that friend again, ever, and he was crying about that.

I realized his feelings of loss are getting stronger and more mature. I hadn't been aware that he has been missing this friend for a year...a long time, when one is so young. As we were discussing his feelings, I offered to tell him of friends I missed, which seemed to help him, and we agreed to make arrangements to see some of his school friends he is missing during summer. I told him that it *is* very hard when we lose someone, and I hope talking about it helps a little. This situation tonight reminded me that young people can and do have big, big issues they are concerned about.

I suspect the true emotional impact of the meaning of death will hit him soon. Maybe a sad song like "A Long Flight" will help him feel not so alone, since it reminds you that you are not alone in dealing with sadness over loss of others and eventually yourself. I mention all this because of the subject of loss, which I know you and I are both sensitive to.

Hey, Erica! I'm sorry I never answered. I thought I had, but I can't imagine it having gone this long without approval.

Did you ever get a chance to play "A Long Flight" for your son?

Yet another "get your cheating ass back" song.
Generic.

This isn't only "let me get your ass back." This is "I'm going to haunt you. You're never going to live this down."
Generic.

Why do I like this song?
It’s angry, it's sexy, it's a "girl's night out" kind of song, and I can respect that.

The lyrics are simple, and cliché. Talking about the other girl, asking about the other girl. But the simile between the man and a ghost is haunting.
“Just like a ghost, you were never there. So like a ghost, babe, I’ll disappear.”

I can’t quite explain the feeling I get when I hear this song. It’s dark, but catchy. It’s repetitive and cliché, but Fefe Dobson adds a craze to the music I feel like I never see anymore. She makes me believe she’ll be as haunting as she says she’ll be.

The only gift that you ever gave
Was that you let me just get away
I hope I haunt you in every dream
And you feel a little misery

About the video:

She’s not a very good actor and she’s not a very good dancer.
But the video’s crazy, and I think it fits perfectly with the song.
She basically makes him feel like he’s a nutcase, because she’s appearing and disappearing at unexpected times.

Some of Fefe’s other songs aren’t so good, I was a bit disappointed.
But I’m going to listen some more and really get a good opinion of her as an artist.
This song is pop. It’s creepy, it’s hot, it’s fun. There’s so much going on, and it made me want to share my opinion.

Bring it.

Heh heh...yes, I did, Amandria. So much for guessing one's child's tastes! He authorized me to report that he disliked A Long Flight "more than heck." I asked him what kind of music he likes, and he bellowed, "ROCK MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"...and he told me to use lots of exclamation points...YEAH! (He's here right now editing what I write!)

I just said he could conclude this post with his own comment by picking a smiley. Unfortunately, since I'm the one typing this, he chose:

:stupid:

Aww haha, what a charmer, Erica.
Let him know that Wintersleep can be considered rock!
And that it's a very good song.
Tell him that I frowned and I almost cried, I really thought he'd like the song!

Well, i think you may have already been aware that I don't like the last song you posted very much. :p

But i do like how you continue to make your entries more personal and concentrate more on how the music makes you feel and any kind of affect it has had on you.

Still think your writing is continuing to get better.

Hehe, I know you don't like it.
Thank you for commenting on the writing itself, though, it means a lot.
I think writing reviews is really going to help me with writing in general, since I have to write interestingly enough for people to read, but stay true to my opinion.

I like the part where he's scratching and scratching his arm. I thought maybe she had given him fleas! I also like the part where she's standing, bat-like, on the ceiling.

Like Mojo, I can't say this is my favorite song (too dancy for my tastes), but I did feel Fefe sang it well, Amandria. And it's sort of pleasurable to imagine a two-timing significant other can't get over you, ruining all his future relationships. But in reality, that's quite an awful thing if it happens, and it would be nice if she cared enough about the person to wish him well and encourage him to be honest next time about his feelings *before* he gets physical with someone else.

Is it just me, or do you and Fefe look a little alike? :)

Oh, he can be very charming...just like me! :D But he has his rough edges, too, the little whippersnapper. We both have strong opinions and don't hesitate to share them.

He was wondering if you'd respond to his comments, so was glad to see that you did. I really think he likes mostly HARD rock, Amandria...grinding, fast-paced, rough. I hadn't expected such strong and distinct musical preferences in one so young...but that's how it is! Maybe post your favorite hard rock music video, and he'll give it a good review.

As nice as it would have been for her to encourage him, I would never do it myself. A person who would do something like that to me is someone I would wish very bad things upon.
Ahaha, thanks for the compliment, I think she's gorgeous.

Ahaha, I'll think of something for him to hear. Tell him I hope he likes it, and I'm glad he wanted me to respond!
I can definitely imagine kids his age getting strong opinions in music.
I think maybe because it's coolest to like "Hard Rock" more young kids will want to hear that, whether they really like it or not.
And I'm definitely not saying that about your son, I've just seen this while working with kids. Like one little girl liking Justin Bieber because it was cool in her grade, even though she didn't know any of the songs.

Why yes, she is gorgeous!

:D

And as for her song, AwwSugar...I guess I can't be too judgemental of the guy, because I once did essentially what he did when I was young and a little more foolish than now. My significant other and I were able to salvage the friendship portion of our relationship partly because of his generous spirit, unlike Fefe's in the song.

I'll tell him! He hears hard rock in some video car game we have that he likes to play because it makes him feel big and strong and powerful, he says. But it's true what you say about kids and following their peers. My child wanted school folders with the Jonas brothers on them, even though he didn't know any of their songs...just that they are popular and he knows of them and so he likes them!

I suppose so. I guess at this age, I would react the same as Fefe did in the video. I don't know how young you were but I would have reacted the same way to you, I think. I hate to say it, but it's trye.

Your Jonas brothers story is a perfect example of what I meant!
Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for a song he might like.