Despite being a genre steeped in history, with loads of groups and sounds ripe for reference, somewhere along the line most current folk musos have decided to all reference the same things.
As a result, we’ve arrived at a musical doldrum where much of the recent folk output sounds identical. Sadly, Sleepy Turtles may be no exception.
When pressing play on their EP Summer, Hither, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d put on Fleet Foxes. The resemblance on first listen is uncanny!
As it turns out Sleepy Turtles don’t have any connection to Fleet Foxes apart from being fans, but the fact this needed clarifying says plenty.
They are clearly also fans of Bon Iver, Bright Eyes and would do their nut over Boy & Bear too.
This aside, Sleepy Turtle’s music, while unabashedly similar to their peers, is quite lovely.
If you’re a fan of the afore mentioned acts you will definitely dig this. Full of folky trademarks, you’ll get into their harmonies, the banjos and the loud, quiet, loud song structures, not to mention the cathedral-like echoing reverb on the title track.
Promisingly though, further along in the release the instruments get plugged in and songs like “Nature’s Hymn” are lent an alt-country twang.
This song, along with “A Reason To Hope”, stands out on the EP simply because it hints at the bands potential to forge their own distinct sound. In a genre brimming with Fleet Foxes protégés, here’s hoping by the next release they do.
