Sonnet to Sleep Flows Through Alternative Themes with Affirmative: Say Nothing

Just when most people are putting the 90s to bed, more and more bands come out with a certain ethos that made that era of music so compelling. That’s what you get with the latest release from Sonnet to Sleep. Their release of “Affirmative: Say Nothing” sounds like something that should’ve received immense praise from music fans in the 90s, and today, sounds just as compelling as ever. In fact, it reminds me of early Tooth and Nail Records bands.

Fans of Cool Hand Luke, Juliana Theory, Pedro the Lion, Starflyer 59, and Fielding will all find this album to be a perfect addition to their collection. It doesn’t start hard, in fact, it starts like a very well put together movie, one that fills the screen with emotional pull. You’ll find it hard not to like the opening track “Promises”, then the follow through with “Only For A Moment”, as there’s just so much here to explore.

The guitar work pulls your heart on “So Beautiful” and the lyrical themes follow through so much that you’ll want to sit back and put this on repeat. It’s heavy, like a Death Cab For Cutie album, but with the alternative swagger that Straylight Run had on their first EP. It’s eclectic, it’s almost befitting worship, but so much more than that. Stavesacre fans will be enthralled with how this delivers like their split with Denison Marrs, and in the end, this is all new and all compelling.

Why Sonnet to Sleep is not signed to Deep Elm or Jade Tree right now baffles me, because this is one of the best independent records along these lines that I’ve heard in a while. I love the way the record plays from slow to mid-levels and never truly tries too hard to stray from their path. The band is really good at positioning themselves within the window of alternative rock, without melting into hardcore, or punk circles. Drawing comparisons becomes easy, but when you hear the way things are layered, you will have a hard time comparing them to others.

“Affirmative: Say Nothing” is an introspective, eclectic rock record that is definitely worth paying attention to. No matter what genre you’re into, there’s something to love here, and I find it worthwhile. Check it out by going to their bandcamp page here, and enjoy what very well may be one of the best indie records to come out in a while.

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