Ghosts

Description

Ghosts is the sophomore album by the American indie-pop band Sleeping at Last, released on Interscope in 2003. The album was recorded at the band’s home in the Chicago suburbs and at Electrical Audio in Chicago, Illinois; with Bjorn Thorsrud and the band producing. Mixed by Alan Moulder at Townhouse Studios in London, England. Music and lyrics by Ryan O’Neal.

On Ghosts, its debut for Interscope Records, Chicago’s Sleeping at Last nestles its earnest little songs into a lush fold of production wizardry. It’s not a bad choice. The trio has an obvious admiration for the atmospherics of Unforgettable Fire-era U2, and Ryan O’Neal’s quivering vocals mesh well with the sheets of luxurious reverb and yearning strings that haunt the corners of Ghosts… which could have easily become yet another album bleeding emo-inflected tears for the torturous souls of its creators. Instead, it’s a life-size star map flecked with glimmering jewels of melody and the wondering promise of youth. [Johnny Loftus, AMG]

Sleeping At Last are one band who certainly seem to have a lot going for them. Not only are they recently signed to Interscope Records in America, seemingly-regular touring partners of Switchfoot (another band certainly going places) and Billy Corgan (he of Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan fame) endorsed, but they’ve got songs. Songs! What a concept! And not just any old songs either. These are atmospheric, touching, almost ethereal songs, but not in a soft sense. Sleeping At Last certainly know how to rock. See «Say», «All That Is Beautiful» and «Night Must End» for particular evidence of this. Showing aspects of ’90S-era Radiohead, early Smashing Pumpkins, to a lesser extent U2 in their musicality, Sleeping At Last have crafted an album which is more an experience than a collection of songs. Many of the tracks blend together to help create an almost dreamy mood, helped by liberal use of keyboards and string arrangements, despite the aforementioned propensity for rock, leaving this listener feeling uplifted and affected by the melodic sensibility and lyrical poeticism. Definitely an album to search out and a band to look for making big waves in the future. [Haydon Spenceley, Cross Rhythms, March 2004]

«Say» has the Goo Goo Dolls, U2 and Gin Blossoms all rolled into a nice little package. Lead singer Ryan O’Neal is impressive while brother Chad provides one Edge-like fill after another. Travis and lesser-known Canadian band Pilate can be heard on orchestrated arena anthems like «Currents», the lullaby-like «Brightly» and «All That Is Beautiful». What is most surprising about this album is how a deserved buzz hasn’t been made about it. Winding, melodic and winding again sets tunes such as «A Skeleton of Something More» and «Night Must End» above and beyond a lot of the current mainstream radio schlock…this is definitely a band on the rise! [Pop Matters]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/ghosts/1443620847)

CD tracklist:

01. Say – 4:24
02. Currents – 4:32
03. All That Is Beautiful – 3:10
04. Ghosts – 4:03
05. A Skeleton Of Something More – 4:56
06. Hurry – 4:29
07. Everyone – 4:34
08. Brightly – 4:21
09. Slowly, Now – 4:22
10. Night Must End – 3:30
11. Trees (Hallway Of Leaves) – 5:03

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