Whittier, CA's Jamey Price and Chris Kellog offer up 12 safe, energetic rock songs in a Christian vein on their 2009 debut as
Sleep for Sleepers. There's not much sleepy about
The Clearing though, as driving guitars and Price's bright, optimistic vocals mean everything kind of flies by in a rush, save for a few ballads. The duo namecheck
Copeland as a primary influence, but their style isn't as heavy and relies more on studio polish. Indeed many of the songs are overproduced, almost to a point of blandness, making them more appealing to a younger crowd than a more discerning audience. Like
Copeland, the lyrics deal with Christianity in an indirect way, blurring whether or not
Sleep for Sleepers is a "Christian" act. There are plenty of references to God, but just as much time is spent detailing relationships and positive living in general. Like some teen emo version of
Snow Patrol, but sadly without the killer hooks and melodies,
Sleep for Sleepers are able to uplift with their positivity, which isn't a bad thing at all given they seem to be pretty clearly aimed at a younger audience. If ultimately there isn't anything that memorable about
The Clearing, it's at least an upbeat, life-affirming listen while it lasts. ~ Tim DiGravina