I still don’t get why Armor For Sleep aren’t bigger than they are. While ‘Dream To Make Believe’ was good without being great, ‘What To Do When You Are Dead’, in my opinion, is a genre-defining classic. It’s one of those records bands should go back and reference as an influence. A clever concept record that was commercial and non-commercial in equal measure, it hit all the right notes with me and was one of 2006’s best records. It also got them a major label deal…
And this brings us to the present day and the follow up, ‘Smile For Them’. Except you wouldn’t really know it’s actually come out. Maybe I live under a rock, but I haven’t seen any promo for this record at all. I wouldn’t even know it had come out if I hadn’t seen it listed in Alternative Press. So much for major label promo budgets… Ben Jorgensen is a very, very talented man and this record follows on very nicely from the highs of the last album. Arguably catchier than their previous work, the songs are consistently catchy. The subject matter is as scathing and socially aware as ever, juxtaposing the band’s melodies and harmonies really well. ‘Smile For The Camera’ and ‘Williamsburg’ are two very instant songs that will immediately hook you in.
What I’ve always enjoyed about AFS is their ability to mix it up a bit and the slow songs sound just as great when sat alongside the faster, more aggressive numbers. ‘Run Right Back In’ builds up realy, really nicely, followed up by the slower, almost 30 Seconds To Mars-esque ‘Snow Globe’. While this record probably isn’t as good as ‘What To Do…’ it still cements my opinion that Armor For Sleep are a very, very good band and hideously underrated. Hopefully the label will start to give them the push they deserve.