Salt Lake City-based indie rockers Sunsleeper’s sophomore album While You Can showcases the band’s ability to bring thought-provoking lyrical themes and emotive instrumentals together into songs that belong right at home on fall late night drive playlists. This collection of songs feels cohesive in both sound and theme, as many of the songs touch on relatable themes such as anxiety, exhaustion, and comparison. Taking topics heavily inspired by the events of the past two years and the continued uncertainty around being a creative in a world where that is a delicate and ever-changing luxury, the band speaks to these in a much more universal sense than expected, inspiring anyone to take a lesson and a message away from the music whether directly applicable or not.

Rather than speak directly and explicitly about the pandemic, Sunsleeper takes themes that originate from a world affected by the pandemic and apply them to everyday feelings, situations, and struggles, helping the record feel inspired and timeless. Single “In The Clouds” speaks to the idea that in times of crisis, people’s true colors are shown and we must adjust personal relationships accordingly, sometimes to the extreme of severing ties altogether. “We’ve come far enough to know we won’t get what we want,” sings vocalist Jeffrey Mudgett repeatedly over the course of the soft, acoustic-driven track “Anywhere”, a sentiment that showcases both the uncertainty of the future and the struggle to find fulfillment and success in one’s path. Immediately following this track comes “Quitter”, which directly tackles the topic of being in a touring band as Mudgett cleverly structures his verses to bounce between points of view. The realities and hardships of touring at the level of a young band climbing to success is immediately juxtaposed by a comparison to highly regarded and well established artists, illustrating the stark difference between the two lifestyles as Mudgett wonders if he might find more success or notoriety if he operated or presented as these artists do.

Another particular highlight of this record is the way Sunsleeper utilizes dynamics within the instrumentals to convey emotion. While the vocals often stay in the same register and are delivered with a smooth and sultry performance, the guitars and drums are often the focal point of displaying emotion. “Currents” begins with slamming drums and fuzzed-out bass before opening up into a groove-driven verse and a chorus that straightens out, driving much more straightforward than the surrounding musical sections. The song eventually slows to a near halt, before a particular standout moment in which the vocal performance does begin to push into much more aggressive and upfront territory.  “Way Out” then takes charge with an intimate vocal performance accompanied by a single guitar, before exploding into noisy guitars spastically placed between soft but swift moving segments of the song. These sharp twists continue to build upon each other and create a sense of urgency as the vocals proclaim “got to find a way out” repeatedly, before charging into album closer “Thief”. These changes and shifts are unique and somewhat signature to Sunsleeper’s brand of emo, creating an immersive atmosphere and placing the listener right at the center of the emotion outlined in the lyrics.

With While You Can, Sunsleeper prove themselves once more as an artist to watch, bringing universally relatable themes to light with attentive lyrics, dynamic instrumentation, and a cohesive flow that is sure to keep the listener engaged through the album’s entirety.

7/10