Ian Olvera & The Sleepwalkers

CD Review - Ian Olvera and the Sleepwalkers The Reckless Kind

By TJ
January 3, 2011
This album is great but I should mention that I have seen Ian Olvera and the Sleepwalkers play live in Green Bay a handful of times in the past couple of years and they were always a solid show. They always put on a good performance with solid rocking songs, but at each show they always seemed to be overshadowed by the other bands of the evening. Maybe it was their laid-back and mellow approach or the fact that the band members had not completely solidified, nonetheless it was always a good show. I always felt in the back of my mind that there was something to this band I just wasn't getting, something mysterious and my intuition was confirmed when I ran into Ian at the Eagles room during an unrelated show and he slipped me his new album "The Reckless Kind."

After a few good listens that night I realized the something that I had been feeling all along. Ian Olvera is sitting on a lot of extremely amazing talent. Not only is he a very accomplished singer and songwriter, he also plays guitar and keyboard / synth on most of the album. The further I researched this band, it is astonishing at what they have accomplished over the years and the dedication that went into what has become "The Reckless Kind." Before I go into the details of this album I would like to note that this is without a doubt one of the best full length records to come out of Northeast Wisconsin that I have ever heard. Ian worked with one of the most talented producers in the area, Justin Carl Perkins, and it shows with the quality of this production. I have listened to this record far more than any other record I have reviewed thus far and the main reason is, because I keep hearing new things with every listen.

When I first took a look at the album packaging it was rather inconspicuous for the music it contained. The photography art was simple with a hat being the main focus of the cover all done in black and white. The Reckless Kind is packed with a ton of energy right off the bat. The overtone of the album digs a little deeper than power pop by infusing a mid western folk country sound with dynamic rock and roll. All of the songs have great dynamics that require a tight performance. The attention to detail in layering instruments is superb. Ian puts a huge emphasis on rhythm and structure. The guitar tones are impressive and the overdrive is perfect and warm. All songs on The Reckless Kind are well placed and paced with a few brief slower release songs from what is largely an upbeat collection. Overall the album carries great song structure, bridges changes, use of rhythm variation, and break downs. Ian's vocal style is unique with a hint of raspyness but it is a deeper warmer tone, a little rough but in perfect character for this style of music. Ian's songwriting seems to focus on the fallout of relationships, while not being depressing as it is mostly reflective and universal.

With The Reckless Kind taking almost a year to write and record in three different locations with eleven musicians contributing with Ian orchestrating every little detail, the end result is brilliance. The album opens with an upbeat rocking song, "Darkest Weather," that flows with a feeling of resolution. Track two "Sophie Lives Here" is a pop upbeat song, defiantly a feel good song. Track 3 "Don't wanna talk about It" opens with an awesome guitar riff before the band joins, Ian has great expressive vocals. This song switches from a rock beat to a Motown beat with expressive rhythm on the piano and guitar. The 4th Track dials it back a bit with "Is This It," probably my favorite song on the album and one the most country influenced sounding songs on the album. I am a sucker for a pedal steel guitar. Track 5 "Wasting Time" just makes you want to go to a tavern and drink a few beers because I can identify with being accused of wasting time. This song almost has a bit of a western swing feel and is another one of the more notable songs on the record. Track 6 "Laundry & Cigarettes" marks the first real slow down on the album. The song builds incredibly from just vocals, piano, and pedal steel; it embraces a mellow, sad, and defeated mood. Track 7 "I won't let You Down" kicks it up a notch as a straight forward folk/country rock song. Track 8 "Nuclear Winter" is a bit mysterious and has an upbeat shuffle rhythm as jangly guitars scrape the background. Track 9 "Ain't Nobody As Lonely As You" is a straight forward rock and roll dynamic and upbeat with over driven guitars and expressive vocals. Track 10 is what I would call a send off track because it's somber and soulful starting off with Ian's vocals, his acoustic guitar, and keys. The song carries a feeling of discernment and sorrow that plays in your head a few minutes after it has stopped. I think that what Ian Olvera and the Sleep Walkers created and captured here is wonderful, a ton of midwestern energy, you know, the reckless kind. You can keep up to date with Ian Olvera and the Sleepwalkers by visiting their facebook page here. There you can sample some of the album "The Reckless Kind" and check out more info. You can also catch Ian Olvera and the Sleepwalkers live at HEAT in Green Bay on Wednesday, January 5th, It should be a great show. I see nothing but great things for the artist/musician Ian Olvera. His hard work and humble approach create some seriously valid midwestern rock. Photos by Adam Roskom

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