Passion Pit “Sleepyhead”
In a strange coincidence, as I was driving around while running some errands, the song Yeasayer’s “2080″ came on local radio station the Current. For anyone who has spent any time listening to the Current this wouldn’t have come as a surprise, as they’ve been known to play Yeasayer, but it was an interesting occurrence for me. A few nights ago, after a fair amount of whiskey and beer, I was listening to the debut EP from Passion Pit titled Chunk of Change (and yes, I am the one who leaves a party to go home to listen to music in case you were wondering). While the disc hasn’t bowled me over, the final song, “Sleepyhead,” is the type of song that connected with me in a strong way. The song, which starts with some sampled vocals, clicks and swooshes, sounds like it could quickly morph into a J Dilla or DJ Shadow track. When the vocals and drums come in over the samples, it is an incendiary moment that takes the powerful electronic undercurrent and makes something that feels highly alive and emotional. The song, which I put on repeat that night, seemed to course through my veins, not unlike the first time I heard “2080″ by Yeasayer. As I was repeating the sublime “Sleepyhead” over and over, I couldn’t help thinking about how this band, a group making eclectic and genre bending music, reminded me of how I felt about Yeasayer in late 2007. This made me want to go back and check out All Hour Cymbals, the excellent debut album from Yeasayer—little did I know the Current was thinking along the same lines as it played the song the next time I was in the car. Time will tell if Passion Pit make an album on par with All Hour Cymbals and take off like Yeasayer did last year.
Yes! It totally does have that Yeasayer feel- there’s something exactly right about both 2080 and Sleepyhead- thanks for pointing out something I would have otherwise only known unconsciously.
As always, I’m the last to know–had heard this song before just didn’t know who it was. Am definitely interested in hearing a full-length from these guys
I thought the exact same thing the first time I heard it. The Current!? MPLS represent.
what you said about Sleepyhead in reference to a J Dilla track was spot on…i actually heard this song playing on a video that came on my browser via a stupid pop up. i had to instantly pause my itunes and figure out where it was coming from. closing window by window til i found the source. never have I been so grateful for a pop up in my life! simply one of the sickest songs i’ve ever heard.
IM sorry, i hate to be the “annoying voice of realisim” but even mentioning J Dilla in the same article as these guys?? Please. J Dilla was a god, a master of his craft. How somebody could possibly get a two-bit pop song confused with a true genius like dilla is just sad and beyond me. Dilla was and always will be the sound of our beloved Detroit. Love live James Yancey and the miracle that was his music.