Walnut Tree are carving out a nice little reputation which is growing stronger all the time thanks to Tiger Please‘s rapid rise. Viva Sleep‘s new EP may get a little lost as it’s not as instant or as anthemic as some of the label’s previous releases. You could even go as far as saying this is the least accessible record of the label’s life. Not that it makes Viva Sleep a bad band, far from it. Their Hundred Reasons-esque brand of very British influenced rock is actually pleasing on the ear, it’s different from most bands out there and it’s energetic and musically complex. So what’s not to like?
For me, having listened to this EP plenty over the last month or so, everything is good, but it needs something extra to take it to ‘great’ status. ‘Adonis Strike A Pose’ is beautifully arranged and put together and that’s a high point throughout. The band can write a song, layer the instrumentation and make it sound big. But there’s something missing and I can’t quite put my finger on it. There are elements of At the Drive In, not necessarily musically, but certainly in style, and the difference between the two bands is perhaps the energy – ATDI had it by the bucketload. Viva Sleep could almost do with a kick up the bum to improve them more.
If you were to check out one song make it ‘A Bitch Is Worth A Thousand Words’ which hits all the right notes. More of that in the future could spell a brighter future, rather than a sleepy one.