Album Reviews

Miami’s Sound Sleeper have teamed up with hometown label Limited Fanfare for the release of their debut EP “A Perfect Sea For Drowning”. The name Sound Sleeper might not ring any bells just yet but this is the new band around Alex Martinez, the former frontman for Sunday Driver who is now a chef by day and rocker by night. Along with guitarist Charlie Suarez (formerly of MonstrO), bassist Arnold Nese and drummer Jose Pena, Martinez delivers six tunes that are a little different from what he did with Sunday Driver.

Opener “Celsius vs Fahrenheit” is a slowly shuffling blues stomper that works well with Martinez’ plaintive vocals. ”Let Me” is less overtly bluesy but still goes kinda down the same path. It’s also over before you know it, clocking in at just under 90 seconds. Things pick up with the string-enhanced “Chinese Firedrill Underwater” and the sprightly “Courtesy Wake Up Call” before reaching back to the blues with the throbbing “Mermaid And The Man”.

Martinez has a good thing going here with Sound Sleeper but a little more variety wouldn’t hurt things on future releases because even with just six songs, repetition is already setting in towards the end. Being a chef himself, Martinez should know better than anyone that spicing things up can lead to an even tastier dish.