Posted on: July 1, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The opening track to “Green City” is called “Vanity”, and the approach done by the lead singer is something that has as its predecessor the over the top singing styles of fifties musicals. At the same time, the instrumentation that is present in this opening track has much more in common with the style of psychedelic rock that acts like The Doors were known for in the late sixties. To say that there is a culture clash with these two styles on this track is to only state the obvious. This blend of style is actually par for the course on “Green City”.

This means that by the time that “The More Loving One” starts up, the newness associated with this style begins to wear off. “Long Distance Swimmer” continues along the same path. K. Page and Sleepwalker Parade is an interesting band, if not for the diverse array of styles and approaches that they may incorporate into their music, but for how right the music sounds all put together. Perhaps the best shift in K. Page and Sleepwalker Parade’s sound comes in the much more somber sound of “If I Were A Soldier”. The rest of the approach of the band is the same as is the case in other tracks, but the arrangements are just qualitatively different from anything else that is on the disc.

“Green City” is an expansive album, but this is an expansiveness that is aided by the cohesive sound of the band. The band even has time during “Green City” to include their current feelings about the war in Iraq. While it is hard to hear exactly what is being said during this track (but this is where the included liner notes help), the emotional content is so fitting and so pointed that individuals know K. Page’s feelings about the war regardless of however many words they can decipher. There is enough obscured during this album that individuals will be able to listen to the disc continually and still not have a firm grasp on what it is that K. Page and Sleepwalker Parade are attempting to do. When one is finally able to figure out what their purpose is with this album, chances are good that they will already have their newest album out. For fans of the constituent styles listed of the band.

Top Tracks: Green City, If I Were A Soldier

Rating: 6.0/10

K.Page and Sleepwalker Parade – Green City / 2006 RealPolitik Rekords / 10 Tracks / http://www.sleepwalkersparade.com / Reviewed 07 November 2006

[JMcQ]

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