Borne from the bones of forgotten nostalgia, Sleepy Jean spent the better part of a decade frequenting tourist traps and hole-in-the-walls alike whilst sneakily sliding her self-penned songs amongst those of her contemporaries and reveries. Her wistful, smoky voice is reminiscent of both Joni Mitchell and Etta James, and is known for that inimitable quality that equally evokes streams of salty tears and bloody bar fights alike. Her first recorded offering, Idle Hands, makes its way into the world midsummer 2021.

Sleepy Jean’s Idle Hands is not just a collection of songs, it’s a collection of musical traditions. Ranging from haunting folk (“By the Oceanside”), to vocal jazz styles (“Moonshine” and “Downer”), and even embracing some more rock elements (“How’s It All Gonna End?”), this EP displays Sleepy’s versatility, artistry, and appreciation for many sides of classic music.

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The first track off the EP “Moonshine” is heavily influenced by vocal jazz styles of the ’50s. Described as a “love letter to Billie Holiday,” (Sleepy) this track is a beautiful song describing life before and during love. Featuring a guitar intro, full-band stops, bomb-dropping drums, a walking bass, and muted trumpets, this song is undeniable in both its charming lyrics and lighthearted approach.

The second track, “Hungry”, introduces a folkier side of Sleepy and was “written on a day where everyone needed something” (Sleepy). With a bouncy feel to the guitar, relaxing mallets, and background vocals acting as pads, the overall feel of this track interacts really well with the lyricism. The lyrics have a slightly offsetting cannibalistic quality to them when read separately, but the comfort the track offers in its arrangement takes off the edge and creates a relatable tale of giving too much.

Clearing the end of the second song we are introduced to the single promoting the EP release, “By the Oceanside”. This song features a new distinctive feel in this project, the haunting ambiance coupled with abstract lyrics makes this tune have a very special and timeless quality. With the sound of the ocean, haunting melodies, simple (yet eventually explosive) acoustic guitar, mellow trumpet, and drums introduced halfway through, this song feels like the deepest cultivation of folk tradition on the EP.

Entering the fourth track of the EP we are immediately greeted by a stark juxtaposition. “Downer”, with its fast tempo and reintroduction of vocal jazz elements, this song contradicts its upbeat instrumentation with lyrics filled with “existential dread” (Sleepy). The two most notable elements in this track are the virtuosic piano and Sleepy’s vocals. In this song the expressiveness of her voice goes a little deeper than the others, she shifts from whispering, yelling, crying, and truly singing. This expressive style adds a lot to the performance of this song that is already a little wild.

The fifth song, “Smaller” feels like the most intimate and personal of all the tracks on this EP so far. In contrast to the big energy of many of the other tracks this one, fittingly, seems to have one of the smallest. With drums, trumpet, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and supportive bass, this song continues to prove how versatile Sleepy is. She has created so many distinctive songs with nearly the same instrumentation through deliberate choices in songwriting and the incorporation of so many influences. As we feel Sleepy’s confidence deflated in this track it pushes us forward to the last two tracks to see how she ties up this collection.

“I Don’t Belong“ is the second to last track on this EP. This song quickly takes the place of the last track as the most personal. The production consists of just vocals and acoustic guitar. This track seems to pick up a little on the existential themes of “Downer”. On the surface, it is about not knowing her place and proves to be an excellent calm before the storm.

Arriving at the seventh and final track of the EP we are greeted by the fitting title “How’s It All Gonna End?”. Explosive in energy this track embraces many of the same instruments with the impactful addition of a rock-style guitar part and drum groove. Coming out of the last two songs this is an excellent way to cap the EP with the energy it holds. The question in the track title also seems to pull some new meaning from every other track on the project. This final track is undoubtedly a finale worthy of its positioning in such a thought-out and polished project.

Idle Hands is undoubtedly a project worthy of praise. Every element in this EP, from lyrics to individual instruments, feels intentional and meaningful. A very interesting aspect of this project is there is a song for nearly any occasion. So whether you need some music for driving, boosting the energy of a room, or laying on your bedroom floor looking at the ceiling, Sleepy Jean might have just what you need.

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Feature: Sleepy Jean’s EP Idle Hands

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