Personality: One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird

The Sleepy Jackson has risen to a higher level new for them

The Sleepy Jackson is an alternative rock group from Perth, Western Australia, formed in 1998 around a talented musician and singer Luke Steele. He comes from a family of musicians, and when the band appeared, his brother became its drummer. Since then, however, The Sleepy Jackson’s lineup has changed several times. The debut album Lovers released in 2003 brought the group the fame of experimenters and was warm welcomed both by the critics and the audience. This July The Sleepy Jackson’s sophomore effort Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) has hit the stores and found itself at the highest positions on the world charts. Luke Steele and drummer Malcolm Clark have recorded the album with the help of producer Scott Horscraft and a number of session musicians to play keyboards, bass and percussion. Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) has a very summery sounding, surprises with a more intensive use of experimentation with the multilayer high tone vocals and a great instrumental background. The Sleepy Jackson has made a grand step forward with their new creation and risen to a higher level new for them.

Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) is a very true-to-life album

Throughout Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird), there doesn’t disappear a strange feeling caused by contrast between the serenity and pleasant simplicity of melodies and the complicated audio effects. This feeling seizes you from the very beginning – on the trembling strings of the opener You Needed More and is gone only when the last sounds of the album have quieted. The backing vocals on Devil Was In My Yard make the song especially elevated, while the single God Leads Your Soul is amazing with its harmonies and an unusual chorus. God Knows is a controversial track on which expressive guitars go hand in hand with a sulky mood, and the most astounding track on the album is I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree for the instrumentation (electric piano, sleigh bells and acoustic guitar) and unbelievable vocals from Steele. Higher Than Hell is a more down-tempo song, stylish and harmonious, whereas Dream On offers a catchy tune and sounds rather like a quality pop track. The album closes with an elegiac monumental composition How Was I Supposed To Know?, refined by trumpets and the most emotional vocals. Symbolizing joyful and tragic events, positive and negative songs follow each other and all together make up a very true-to-life album.

Every single track on the album deserves attention

The Sleepy Jackson has done a great job on their second album which has left its predecessor far behind being much more natural and personal. Playing with the sound and experimenting with laying on the vocal lines, Luke Steele and the others have achieved the most incredible results. Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) is a brilliant record exceeding expectations and demanding more than one listening to catch the tunes and enjoy all the inventions of the original musicians. Echoes and harmonies are as good as contrasts and distortions of the main music lines on the album, leaving an unforgettable impression on the most sophisticated listeners. From the point of view of the lyrics on Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird) it is filled with all the summer attributes: blue-sky thinking, most varied senses, all subtle, surprises and romance. Musically the record is absolutely incomparable and every single track on it deserves attention. Unexpected changes of the basic theme, falsetto backing vocals, great orchestral sounding professional and raw at the same time – all this is only the part of its advantages. The Sleepy Jackson has to work hard if they want their next album to be better than Personality (One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird).