Sleeper Agent
Celebrasion
Mom+Pop Records
Thinking it
sounded like a
great name for
a rowdy rock
band, Sleeper
Agent got the
idea for their
moniker from
an episode of
Battlestar Galactica. And
rowdy rock is a perfect descriptor for the
deliciously raunchy tunes this Bowling
Green, Kentucky, band of six is churning
out. The band’s debut full-length release,
Celebrasion, celebrates hook-heavy,
riff-laden, garage rock and had already
enjoyed a wealth of critical acclaim prior
to hitting the shelves a few weeks ago.
The band comprises Alex Kandel
(vocals), Tony Smith (vocals/guitar),
Josh Martin (guitar), Lee Williams
(bass), Justin Wilson (drums), and Scott
Gardner (keyboards). Smith and Kandel
share vocal duties equally throughout
the album with seamless, back-and-forth
exchanges on each tune. “Get It
Daddy”—the fist-bumping anthem that’s
the first single on the record—is a ferocious
and perfect example of Sleeper
Agent’s dual-vocal-style over fuzz-filled
riffage. With it’s energy, pace, and interesting
time change at the bridge, “Get It
Daddy” is a nice start to this party.
The energy of
Celebrasion remains
fairly constant throughout the 12 fun
and driven tunes, many of which bring
to mind Urge Overkill or early Strokes. A
nice break from the action occurs right in
the middle of the record with “That’s My
Baby”—a dark, country-esque ballad with
plenty of twang and chorus from the guitar
work of Smith and Martin. The song
also showcases the 18-year-old Kandel,
who delivers a delicate crooning beyond
her years.
Sleeper Agent has awoken by delivering
a high-octane debut record with
Celebrasion. If you’re into fast, ferocious,
and happy garage-pop, you can’t go
wrong by giving this some listening time.
Must-hear-track: “Get it daddy”