UMass Lowell Connector Logo

Sleep On It’s debut album is anything but ‘Overexposed’

Formed in 2012, Sleep On It is a band based in Chicago, Illinois. (Courtesy of Equal Vision Records)

Emily Toomey
Connector Staff

Sleep On It finally released their first studio album, “Overexposed.” Their first album is definitely a success as they stick to their traditional pop-punk roots and even have a song featuring the lead singer of the band State Champs. Although they are new to the music scene, their debut showcases their true talent as musicians. The album features 12 tracks that certainly do not disappoint.

The second single to be released, “Window,” is one of the most emotional tracks on the record despite the upbeat instrumentals. The lyrics are about watching someone close experiencing a death in their life. The first verse plays on the concept of being preoccupied with one’s own problems. The lyrics start off very direct, “always feeling better when I carry less,” and continue the theme to the end when he sings softly, “you can be the hook I wish I never bit. While I’m caught up in a fist fight on a sinking ship.”

The instrumentals are slow in the first verse, but pick up drastically in the chorus. The chorus has a much deeper emotional attachment to them. He sings passionately, “you were a window I saw it all differently through you.” These lyrics are about the concept of losing someone so important that they change the way one looks at the world.

The album’s 10th track “A Brighter Shade of Blue,” the slowest and most beautiful track on the album, keeps the theme of relationships lyrically while introducing the concept of depression.  The second verse features just an acoustic guitar and a hint of piano which allows the sadness of the track to come to life. The lyrics, “You hold the past over your head, drowning in your self regret. I’ll never be enough for what you wanted,” highlight the vocalist’s despair.

The lack of instrumentals takes the listener on an emotional journey throughout the track. The chorus of the track has the most depressing lyrics, but also the most superb instrumentals to give the track a sense of diversity: “Chorus, I’ll never know what’s good for me. So, go ahead tear me down ‘cause I am weaker than I seem.” It shows a more vulnerable side to the vocalist. The track stands out as something so raw on the album because of the powerful lyrics over the simple instrumentals.

The album’s final track, “Autumn (I Wish I Was Better),” sticks to the theme of change in a relationship by using the seasons as a metaphor for change. “I feel my soul come alive when I watch the leaves die” is a concept for feeling alive when they change. The pre-chorus lyrics, “I’ve been trying to find the words to get you back around,” are a result of them losing the one they love most.

Verse two becomes a bit more somber as he sings “You felt your heart come alive as you watched our love die, and now I’m left feeling cold in the void that you left in my life.” The instrumentals alone in this track tell the story. The first verse and pre-chorus start off slow as a way of searching for acceptance, but the rest of the song has a faster pace to signify coming to terms with their faith.  The ending lyrics, “get hurt, people that I let in. I want to be something you still miss. I kind of wish that I was better than this,” keep the theme of darkness going throughout the track.

Overall, Sleep On It have definitely made a name for themselves with their debut. Their album flourishes with its pop-punk vibe and lyrical flare. Each track has a different take on their musical style to showcase their diversity. This album definitely earns the hype.

Rating: A

Related posts