Sleep Good

Sleep Good is Will Patterson, 17-year-old newest member of Sound Team, whose Big Orange label released this self-recorded labor of love. Opener "Dream Tea" recalls the exuberance of Islands' Return to the Sea with eclectic instrumentation and minor bits of experimentation accentuating the summertime pop. The title track and its stripped-down reprise best highlight Patterson's endearing enthusiasm, while closer "Organ Music IV" is simply dreamy. - The Austin Chronicle

Sleep Good's 2007 EP, Far From the Sea, introduced then-17-year-old pop savant and onetime Sound Team member Will Patterson as a dreamer of beaches outside his bedroom. Since then, the project has swelled to a local quintet that's issued a flurry of releases, most recently the cassette-only Jungle Box, and toured extensively. The resulting full-length vinyl, Skyclimber, is a more developed affair, divided evenly between intriguing, near-orchestral instrumentals ("Fractl," "Starbrnt") and light indie pop tunes that sunbathe between Islands and Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele ("Hey Man," "Water Voices"). Like Austin contemporary Bill Baird, Patterson can hear the voices inside Brian Wilson's head, but his approach is more precious and precocious, brimming with squeaky clean harmonies and carefree summer abandon, as in the pool bounce of "Schlitterbahn." Skyclimber's not quite the expected coming-of-age – it's a little too twee at times – but Patterson has demonstrated plenty of growth. - The Austin Chronicle

Sleep Good, a local dreamtown band of four, took an opening stage at Emo’s last Saturday (5/28). The band was originally formed with solo recordings by Will Patterson but has kicked up a few more members since. They released their most recent album, Strange Vacations, in December 2010 and is expecting to record this summer. Lucky for you, their collection of albums were recorded on a ½’’ 8 track tape machine. So pop in the 60s cassettes feel for a happy days in the clouds of jingles and dreams. Lead guitarist Willis McClung, quotes on Saturday, “Don’t mean to be bossy people, but let’s dance!” - The Deli National

Holy shit, Side A is good. Really, really good. Need to hear more from these guys.

kassetteklub:

Sleep Good - Strange Vacations

We are building a proper page to sell these little guys but if you want a tape in the meantime paypal $6.50 (includes shipping) to kassetteklub@gmail.com. Orders are shipping at the end of the week.

edition of 20 with space themed collages and digital download included

Late era Beatlesesque jams on Side A and a long form Zen synth experiment on Side B. Perfect for turning your car into a spaceship. - YVYNYL

Just had the pleasure of contacting the Texas based band Sleep Good, a dreamy Dream Wave band that reminds me a bit of Dr. Dog, a bit of Beach House, a bit of Islands, and of course a bit of everyone’s favorite, the Beach Boys. They’ve already gotten a lot of much-deserved blog love (most notoriously from Altered Zones) so I’m not gonna say too much; just that I’m just happy that they’ve hopped on board with Grooveshark Artists and that they love sharks as much as we do.
Their whole album is available to stream on their website, located here. Alternatively, check out two of my favorite tracks of theirs on this nifty little widget: - Grooveshark

I love it when you encounter a music recommendation and it immediately sticks. Mutual Benefit posted a heads up on the new album from Austin band Sleep Good, Skyclimber - noting that the entire album was recorded analog and never touched a computer throughout production. While that's a fun fact it doesn't necessarily change the appeal of the music - only creates a vague aesthetic. However, the fifteen tracks contained within the record are a harmonious, poppy-and-languid little escapade. If I had to cite similar brethren I'd go with Dr. Dog, Plants and Animals, etc. They certainly aren't copping their sound but they could tour together and it'd be a nice fit. Easily considered $5 well spent for the entirety of the record... go listen. - Yewknee

Sleep Good's, Skyclimber, is filled with upbeat melodies and lyrics with a sense of humor. Sleep Good was originally a solo project for band member, Will Patterson, who, at age fifteen, released his first solo album under the name. For his fourth album, Skyclimber, Sleep Good became a collaborative effort between Will Patterson (guitar, piano, and vocals), Willis McClung (bass and vocals), Marc Miner (synth), Michael Bain (guitar), and John Kolar (drums). Skyclimber was recorded, mixed, and mastered using tape machines, resulting in a vibrant meld of vintage and modern sound. To hear the full album, go to Sleep Good's website. Will Patterson gives his take on the band's style and recording Skyclimber. - Bleach

Sleep Good is mostly the nom-de-plume of one Will Patterson, who has been a consistent force in local motorik-pop outfits Sunset and Sound Team. Now, with a fourth album under his belt (the previous installments have been cassette or CD-R releases) and accompaniment by a regular supporting cast, at the very least it's no longer a "side project." Indeed, the releases of a few years ago (starting roughly when Patterson was a teenager) were ostensibly solo outings, while Skyclimber is more the result of a band and a modicum of regular work.
To relate Sleep Good directly to Sunset from an aesthetic standpoint would be incomplete, considering the rubbery, pared down and sunny disposition that pervades the album, an almost tossed-off feel that is counter to the prog and Van Dyke Parks orchestrations of the latter. That's not to say there aren't direct connections - snatches of anthemic minimalism and Krautrock-y nods occur, such as in pieces like "Starbrnt" and "Fractl," which could be Faust IV outtakes. Also, whereas Sunset is wrought with singular vision, two of the songs here were penned by band members Michael Bain (guitars) and Willis McClung (bass). The latter is the principal instigator towards Skyclimber's lived-in, rock-and-roll legs, and also the group's bassist.
"Hey Man," the set's opener, is a bright island gallop and its whimsical lyrics are closest to Kevin Ayers rendering a Brian Wilson tune (or vice versa). Glockenspiel, mandolin, bass and drums provide a jittery backing for Patterson's crisp, unaffected delivery, with bass and athletic drums giving spry rhythmic relief. A psychedelic kaleidoscope emerges in "Schlittterbahn's" naif analog brilliance and gradual, gauzy and wholly organic lushness. "Showerstreams" (which contains a riff also found in Sunset's "Diamond Studded Castles") hews close to the textures of Joni Mitchell's Hissing of Summer Lawns at the outset before a near-calypso beat emerges.
The tunes are mostly short and, though there are frequently at least one or two notable textural shifts going on, the structure is quite limber and doesn't dwell on grandeur. To put it another way, Sleep Good lives within its means, which isn't to say that the arrangements don't open up a number of possibilities and aesthetic rabbit holes. Even when a driving rhythm section isn't present, the keyboards, guitars, cello and vocals do just fine in keeping a clipped pace while maintaining delicate radiance Skyclimber is a beautiful, affirmative and entirely straightforward record, the likes of which aren't made often enough in contemporary pop music. - Austinist

Sleep Good is mostly the nom-de-plume of one Will Patterson, who has been a consistent force in local motorik-pop outfits Sunset and Sound Team. Now, with a fourth album under his belt (the previous installments have been cassette or CD-R releases) and accompaniment by a regular supporting cast, at the very least it's no longer a "side project." Indeed, the releases of a few years ago (starting roughly when Patterson was a teenager) were ostensibly solo outings, while Skyclimber is more the result of a band and a modicum of regular work.
To relate Sleep Good directly to Sunset from an aesthetic standpoint would be incomplete, considering the rubbery, pared down and sunny disposition that pervades the album, an almost tossed-off feel that is counter to the prog and Van Dyke Parks orchestrations of the latter. That's not to say there aren't direct connections - snatches of anthemic minimalism and Krautrock-y nods occur, such as in pieces like "Starbrnt" and "Fractl," which could be Faust IV outtakes. Also, whereas Sunset is wrought with singular vision, two of the songs here were penned by band members Michael Bain (guitars) and Willis McClung (bass). The latter is the principal instigator towards Skyclimber's lived-in, rock-and-roll legs, and also the group's bassist.
"Hey Man," the set's opener, is a bright island gallop and its whimsical lyrics are closest to Kevin Ayers rendering a Brian Wilson tune (or vice versa). Glockenspiel, mandolin, bass and drums provide a jittery backing for Patterson's crisp, unaffected delivery, with bass and athletic drums giving spry rhythmic relief. A psychedelic kaleidoscope emerges in "Schlittterbahn's" naif analog brilliance and gradual, gauzy and wholly organic lushness. "Showerstreams" (which contains a riff also found in Sunset's "Diamond Studded Castles") hews close to the textures of Joni Mitchell's Hissing of Summer Lawns at the outset before a near-calypso beat emerges.
The tunes are mostly short and, though there are frequently at least one or two notable textural shifts going on, the structure is quite limber and doesn't dwell on grandeur. To put it another way, Sleep Good lives within its means, which isn't to say that the arrangements don't open up a number of possibilities and aesthetic rabbit holes. Even when a driving rhythm section isn't present, the keyboards, guitars, cello and vocals do just fine in keeping a clipped pace while maintaining delicate radiance Skyclimber is a beautiful, affirmative and entirely straightforward record, the likes of which aren't made often enough in contemporary pop music. - Austinist

5. Sleep Good – Skyclimber

Dear Austin, why haven’t you absolutely fallen in love with this band? Skyclimber was one of our favorite local listens, and yet they still seem like a quiet secret best kept to ourselves. Well, we’ve decided to out the band, as this record is truly something remarkable. We hope you’ll take the time out of your lives to spend a great deal of time with it, as we surely did. - Austin Town Hall

From the moment the needle drops on Sleep Good's newest album, Skyclimber, it's a delightful pop journey that sweeps you away and allows you to escape to lush, beautiful landscapes. Every song on the LP is charming from start to finish and feels like a laid back vacation on the seaside, so calling this a perfect summer comedown record just seems right. The folks over at Autobus have given me the great privilege of dropping this short but immensely groovy cut from the album. "Fractl" plays out like a funked out Martian love call that embeds itself into your soul the moment you look away. - Altered Zones