Sunsleeper was halfway through the touring cycle for their debut album when the pandemic halted live music. For the Salt Lake City indie rockers, that pause allowed them to reframe what their journey as musicians and people inspires them to create and say. After forming in 2016 and briskly realizing their Nathan Hussey-produced debut EP Stay the Same, the band entered the studio for their debut album, inking a deal with Rude Records. You Can Miss Something and Not Want it Back dropped in summer 2019, with the band celebrating with runs featuring their collaborators and friends in All Get Out, an Audiotree live session, and most recently, a run with TWIABP and Bent Knee in fall 2021.
While the pandemic still rages on in uncertain terms, Sunsleeper found themselves more solidified than ever writing their sophomore LP, with their road-tested lineup collaborating cohesively and with united goals. The band even found time to use the pandemic’s themes to rework Mac Miller’s “Come Back to Earth,” highlighting the track’s balance of self-reflection and hopelessness. (Sunsleeper on this recording is vocalist/guitarist Jeffery Mudgett, guitarist Matt Mascarenas, guitarist Cody Capener, bassist Jacob Lara, and drummer Scott Schilling.)
Speaking of the band’s grapplings with atmosphere, Sunsleeper envelopes moments with the mist of nostalgia and the power of dreaming. This delicate balance showcases the importance of staying present amid the distraction-heavy ills of modern life. As the band explains, “we hope our songs chronicling instances we struggled with focusing on the present and how we moved past them can inspire others to live and experience more mindful moments.”
