Friday, October 19, 2018

Dreampop trio Sleepspent, led by 22-year-old Austin North, shares first music video from Chris Common (Minus The Bear)-produced EP.

El Paso trio presents its “perfect soundtrack” (All Things Go) single “Come Smile With Me” as inevitable demise of a house party at Popdust.

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Sleepspent (L-R): Grant Gonzalez, Austin North, Josh Mendoza. Photo credit: Jesse Maynes.

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Check out “Come Smile With Me” by Sleepspent at All Things Go and see the video at Popdust (or at the links below!)



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Sleepspent – In The Press

“Hypnotically bittersweet.” — The Big Takeover

“Deep, focused vocals seem to glide effortlessly through a dense fog. This may be the perfect soundtrack to the morning.” — All Things Go

“The young Texans walk a difficult tightrope between technical craft and earnest emotionality.” — The Joy of Violent Movement

“Full to the brim with musical talent, great production and tons of emotion.” — Higher Plain Music

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‘Come Smile With Me’ started out being written while I was in still in San Diego,” says 22-year-old songwriter and guitarist, Austin North of the song (hear it at All Things Go), the latest single from his band Sleepspent’s debut EP, out now via El Paso-based Slow Start Records. “It’s mostly about miscommunication and how people don’t think before they speak, or don’t care about the impact their words have.”

Sleepspent recently shared the music video for the song with Popdust (see it here). North explains, “The video involves me kicking people out of a party. It kind of replicates the contrast that the song has. Sonically, it makes sense to soundtrack a house party, but lyrically it is much more introspective and contemplative than a stereotypical party track. The lyrics involve sleep and silence, and so it feels appropriate to showcase the song with the end of a party, when one is exhausted and just wants to rest.”

North began performing as a UC San Diego student before eventually returning to his hometown of El Paso to form Sleepspent. The band, now a trio including Grant Gonzalez on bass and Josh Mendoza on drums, released its Chris Common (Minus The Bear, Chelsea Wolfe, Le Butcherettes)-produced debut “It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think earlier this year.  

North’s knack for creating music that is bathed in atmosphere (think Slowdive mixed with a more reverb-y Radiohead, led by a guitarist with an effects pedal fetish) that doesn’t lean away from authentic lyricism and captivating vocal performances (think Jeff Buckley) is proven on “It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think”.

“We’re also definitely inspired by shoegaze and dreampop,” North says, elaborating on Sleepspent’s sound. “That can be heard in the alternate tunings used throughout our music as well as the melodic chord progressions and melodies.”

And though he’s young, North also takes influence from future hall-of-famers like The Cure and The Smiths – two more acts with definitive “sounds” that have never sacrificed art for artifice. North’s formative years studying jazz guitar wraps it all up in a solid technical foundation, too, but ultimately, Sleepspent songs exist to make you feel.

Sleepspent has already been nominated as a ‘Best Band in the City’ by The City Magazine in El Paso, who called the trio “completely captivating, live and through your speakers.” As Sleepspent’s local following has grown, the group has become a go-to local act to support nationally touring artists, in addition to beginning to hit the road itself.

“It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think,” the debut EP by Sleepspent, is out now via Slow Start Records. Austin North is available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic for more information.

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Sleepspent – Live

10/21/2018: El Paso, TX @ The Lowbrow Palace
10/22/2018: El Paso, TX @ Neon Rose Bar
10/27/2018: Sunland Park, NM @ Ardovinos Desert Crossing (Tribute to Jeff Buckley, performing Grace in its entirety)
11/02/2018: Marfa, TX @ Lost Horse Saloon
11/03/2018: Austin, TX @ Hole In The Wall (w/ Mylets)

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Sleepspent
“It’s Better If You Don’t Speak Or Think” EP
(Slow Start Records)
Out Now
  

Track Listing:

01. Something (LISTEN | MP3)         
02. Roots
03. Come Smile With Me (LISTEN | MP3 | VIDEO)
04. Stars
05. Cracking
06. What's The Rush?

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Sleepspent Links


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Contact Josh Bloom at Fanatic Promotion



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