The Kissaway Trail – Sleep Mountain

by Jeremy Schaefer on May 25th, 2010

The Kissaway Trail – Sleep Mountain
April 20th, 2010
Bella Union
Score: 6.4

With Sleep Mountain, Danish quintet The Kissaway Trail produce an album that lets you down easily. Every entry in this collection of 12 songs is easy on the ears, the listener’s dilemma derives from the fact that Sleep Mountain wears its influences on its sleeve and never strays far from recreating them. Admittedly, band do an admiral job of capturing the sound of Arcade Fire, however, I wanted to hear them at least take ownership of their inspiration while creating something new. The percussion of Hasse Mydtskov is the star of this album. His beats help thunder through the ethereal landscape of Sleep Mountain and keep the listener from getting off course in the foothills. His kit acts as a steward of evolution during ‘Friendly Fire’ making a varied and interesting song out of what would otherwise be a simple lull halfway through the album. Listening to his increasingly complex patterns is a focal point through the track and much of the album. The first single, ‘SDP’, is a power chord rocker textured with bells and chants. The whole tune is anchored around a deep vocal chorus dedicating itself to family, rising and falling from these vocal lines to create both peaks and valleys in Sleep Mountain. Much of the album unfortunately falls into the same mood, generating something of a symphonic drone. It’s an emotional piece that rarely explores the great variety of emotional expression. The Kissaway Trail excel at the mode they choose, but the album starts to feel stripped of some essential depth by staying so tightly between the lines. Ultimately, this album is a satisfying trip, but its lack of originality and diversity will prevent it from taking the next step.

Jeremy Schaefer

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