I've been stuck with my review to Sleepwalker Sun for some time now. There is so much to describe; yet it is so difficult to put into words what you hear. The haunting violin on "Blindfold" runs in contrast to the hard-rocking bridges that run through it. At 14+ minutes, this song has emotional vocals, power drumming, slower piano interludes, excellent jazz-tinged bass playing, and enough changes to make your head spin. Yet it is right there for you, accessible yet fairly indescribable. The closest description would be if I blended Iona and Kurgan's Bane in some weird scientific experiment.
Luis Alvim is the main writer and plays all the keyboards on this CD. But Marcus Viana's violin steals the show on the opening track and "Jalen's Eyes". There are several guest guitarists on the CD with nicely placed solos. Giana Araujo has the perfect voice for this CD. Her hint of accent makes the vocals unique and she does a great job of singing between the musicians, making her voice a soloing instrument. On "Russian Roulette", the most aggressive of the songs on Sleepwalker Sun, bassist Francisco Falcon shines. Although he is solid throughout, this 8 minute song shows how fluid yet precise the bass can be.
If you are looking for truly progressive, something that is hard to pigeonhole, then Sleepwalker Sun may be perfect for you. A piano led ballad, with Viana's strings, "Jalen's Eyes" is such a change from "Russian Roulette" that you wonder if this is the same band. And all this leads to the 10 minute closer "Nocturnal" which takes every couples fights and blends them into a driving Floyd-ian experience that is completely unique yet amazingly familiar at the same time. At almost 60 minutes, the CD is long, but there is no fill here.
Sleepwalker Sun, although from Brazil, have a very European-prog sound. Sleepwalker Sun is a great CD that walks many boundaries but never falls into any one area fully. If you like female led progressive rock, that has some serious balls behind it's melodies, this CD will be in your changer frequently.
Track Listing
1. Blindfold 14:24
2. Bring'em 7:12
3. Sleepwalker Sun 7:51
4. Dead Flowers 8:12
5. Russian Roulette 8:02
6. Jalen's Eyes 4:40
7. Nocturnal 9:57
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