Tag: Steve Skinner

Review – Sleeperman – The Grass Under My Feet E.P. – by Progradar

Yes pop pickers, it’s that time of the month again. Those cheeky chappies Sleeperman carry on releasing a new track every month and June sees The Grass Under My Feet arrive at Progradar Towers in it’s retro 45RPM single cover.

In a departure from the usual guitar sound from Neil Scott, this song features a really funky pulse guitar style groove that gives the track a more upbeat rhythm and plenty of impetus. As I’m listening to it for the third time, the sun is shining and it’s 22 degrees outside and the music just has that feel-good summertime feel to it.

The lyrics and John’s vocals are as pin sharp as ever and the cultured rhythm section of Sharp and Skinner drive everything along at a fair lick as that vibrato heavy guitar riff gets even more infectious.

“I want to breathe in some clean air and march along to my heart’s beat, give myself some surprises and feel the grass under my feet.”

The honest, pithy lyrics are as refreshing as ever and the band have given us a real breath of North-Eastern fresh air, roll on July!

As befits the 45RPM single idea we have another excellent ‘B’ side to back up the single. The guys return to whimsical humour and clever views of everyday life with The Grass is Always Greener,

“You were born in the drizzle of a Wednesday in the North, you know a donkey is a donkey and you’ll never change its course…”

To me, Sleeperman seem to really resonate with my idea of what music should be all about and long may it continue!

Released 4th June 2018

The Grass Under My Feet is available on all good digital platforms and the CD is available direct from the band, contact via their Facebook page here:

Sleeperman – Facebook Page

Single Review – Sleeperman – You Would Not Be Seen Dead In A Shirt Like That – by Progradar

So, the Sleeperman singles production line has released the second of their ‘new single every month’ releases and I have the pleasure of reviewing it.

This time the East Yorkshire quartet seem to have taken a chill pill with new track ‘You Would Not Be Seen Dead In A Shirt Like That’ and ‘B’ side ‘Black Ice’.

The CD single comes in the usual faux 45rpm vinyl 7″ packaging which is becoming a really nice touch but, much as I’m a sucker for great packaging and album covers, it’s the music that is ‘inside’ that counts!

As is becoming patently obvious with Sleeperman it’s not just the well crafted music that counts, it is also the clever, pithy and pertinent lyrics that make their songs stand out and the wistful, nostalgic grace of ‘You Would Not Be Seen Dead In A Shirt Like That’ is no exception. John Hilton’s wonderfully laconic and laid back vocal delivery once again delivers wry observations that make you smile, his occasionally sardonic voice is a perfect fit for the roots and alt-country inspired guitar playing of Neil Scott and makes the song a wonderfully laid back three minutes of near empathetic perfection.

“The saddest thing I ever saw was an old man alone in the light from a corner shop, his coat was too big, he was crying into his cupped hands…”

The ‘B’ side ‘Black Ice’ is a bit of a departure for the band and takes a different musical direction to what they delivered before. The repetitive, urgent and yet low key guitar intro give a feeling of hesitancy and John’s vocal has a pleading tone. It’s another intelligent three minutes that grabs your attention and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Pared back and minimalist, it almost ghosts across your senses and leaves you in a state of calm bewilderment.

They’re a clever lot Sleeperman and what they are doing is taking us back to the great era of music when the anticipation of newly released singles was almost too much to bear. Not only that, they are delivering on that anticipation big style, this is music for the music lover, music to cherish and not the usual throw away rubbish that seems to assault the charts nowadays. I take my hat off to them and long may it continue!

Released 4th February 2018

Get ‘You Would Not Be Seen Dead In A Shirt Like That’ from iTunes here