Location:
USA, CA

Category:
Rock / Electronic

Try if you like:
Aphex Twin, Muse, Radiohead, The Shins

Jack Conte is another crazy artist that has requested a review of his album and again, I'm glad I had the opportunity to be exposed to his music. Even if you just get a chance to listen to the opening track, "Hollywood Endings" you will be better off. It sounds like your CD player or MP3 player is maybe skipping a bit but when the vocals enter you can tell that this is all by design. From what I can tell the San Francisco native has been doing video mashups on Youtube and gaining quite a following.  (See the Radiohead / Chopin mashup of Exit Music.) 

Well, that's the sort of flavor that Jack brings to his debut EP Sleep In Color, a mashup of his own sort. What does that entail? Things are a little scattered but but rest assured Sleep In Color is highly listenable. It is the sort of thing you want to share with all your friends or keep to yourself. Conte pulls in all sorts of instruments and electronics into the mix and creates a huge sound, which I assume is all bedroom recorded making this blend all that more impressive. Jack has a impressive voice that is portrayed on all the songs but especially "The Greatest Hoax". 

I would imagine Mr. Conte wants to throw everything into a song and to me it feels like it works. Many listeners may get overwhelmed with the sheer intensity of this sort of music but give it a chance. The only track I couldn't appreciate was "Carousel Waltz". Other than that, Sleep In Color is a great foray into his original material. Hope to see much more in the future.