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PURE M Magazine
The TreeSleepers
Say Yes To Everything
Review by Dave Simpson
D
eclaring their style as “Rock/Funk/Ska
with a dash of gypsy”, The
TreeSleepers are a five piece musical
troupe native to West Cork. Following four
years of playing live shows and a 2011 debut
EP, the band’s first full album, Say Yes To
Everything, dropped in October 2014. It’s a
record that adopts a somewhat unconventional
approach to making music and makes for an
entertaining listen.
Opening track, “Darker Fate”, commences
with a funky beat, containing some trad hints
buried in its fabric. The vocals are expressive
and smooth, with an overall vibe that’s cool
and collected. A more serious and complex riff
gets “Cold Blooded” off the ground. Its jazzy
melody
is
delivered
amid
exotic
instrumentation. This is followed by an
anticipatory bass line to introduce “21 Hookers
and an Ounce of Coke.” A subtle riff and
reserved vocals soon join in to guide things
towards a bouncy beat that trucks along at a
steady pace.
“Where Have You Gone” is a laid back,
relaxed effort. Its mellow score and vocals
remain solemn throughout. “True Fiction”
turns in a different direction, with an exceution
about which there is something very tongue-incheek. Its offbeat sound is conveyed with a
sense of lightheartedness. “Breaking Tunes” is
another quirky addition, featuring heavy
guitars that burn consistently in the background
without being overpowering. The upbeat vibe
continues into “Shadows”. A more ominous air
briefly sets in for the verse but is quickly
defeated again by a buoyancy that persists to
the end.
“Preacher” is an atomspheric and distinctive
composition. Its infectious introductory riff
unfolds nicely behind a lively melody that
speeds up when the chorus hits. It’s followed
by the flashy “Getting Stupid”, which has quite
a gaudy feel. The irreverency endures into
“Delirium Trembles”, while “Can’t Stop the
Rot” closes things out with a slow burning riff
and verses that are heavy on the bass.
There can be no doubt that The TreeSleepers
have a genuinely good time making their
music. You can feel their enjoyment throughout
this album, which only works to its advantage.
Say Yes To Everything is a sometimes
eccentric, always unorthodox, ethnic rock
album that’s worth sampling, particularly if
you’re looking for a departure from the norm.
Sandra Coffey
Morning Zoo
Review by Sarah Swinburne
Galway born Sandra Coffey’s career has slowly
been gaining momentum in the last few years. A
powerful voice made even more robust due to
classical training as a soprano is the defining feature
of Coffey’s debut album; Morning Zoo. Far from
being a classical singer in the taut uncompromising
sense of the word, Coffey instead dedicates this
album to blending sixties era soul with her larger
than life operatic voice. While this attempt isn’t
entirely successful, it certainly singles out Coffey as
a unique artist in Ireland’s music scene.
Coming in at a brisk 33 minutes, Morning Zoo is
an album that does not need a multitude of songs to
put across its themes and ideas. ‘Baby Leave a Light
on For Me’ is one of the standout tracks on the
album. Dylanesque and a definite toe-tapper,
Coffey’s voice takes on a Buffy Sainte-Marie quality
which marries well with the sixties feel in the bones
of the song. The song builds up to a rollicking
climax with perfect cohesion between string section
and vocals. The resulting sing-a-long effect makes
this song a good addition to any driving playlist.
The other standout track on the record is ‘Hot
Water Bottle’. Despite the slightly cringe-worthy
lyrics (admittedly in keeping with the 60’s mood),
this is the track which allows the true power of
Coffey’s voice to shine through. Slower in pace from
the rest of the album, ‘Hot Water Bottle’ is simple,
elegant and uncomplicated. The listener gets the full
unrushed and uninterrupted quality of Coffey