Customer Reviews

Sleep Is the Enemy

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To start, I have this and I have "Born A Lion," which I bought before this album, and I gotta say, the sound hasn't really changed at all. Sure, its a little punkier than before (a bit more buzzsawing this time around), but its still Danko carving out a lot of awesome, heavy riffs while his bass player follows Danko on his bass (which is always distorted and fuzzed out, which I totally LOVE!!!) and his drummer tightly playing basic rock 'n' roll beats not unlike Phill Rudd from AC/DC (both drumers play barely ANY fills). In short it rocks. It rocks hard.

BUT

I gotta say, as awesome as "Born A Lion" is, "Sleep Is The Enemy" is, in my opinion, much better. Heres why:

First off: Its about a million times catchier than "Born A Lion." Danko apparently hit the hook goldmine when writing this album, because I can't play it even once without about three of four of the songs getting stuck in my head the whole day. Which songs? All of them! Even my least favorite song, "When Will I See You," still finds its way into my brain on occasion. But the awesome songs? Oh man, they won't leave you after you hear them! "First Date" "She's Drugs" "Don't Fall In Love" all ten times catchier than ANYTHING on "Born A Lion" and "Born A Lion" was an AWESOME album.

Secondly: Unlike "Born A Lion," some of these songs actually have a certain amount of emotional resonance. Sure, all the songs still basically adhere to his unchanging theme of love, sex, and agression, but there are a few tracks here that come from a very human perspective and can really hit the listener.

Take "Choose Me" for example. On the surface it sounds like Motorhead, but lyrically is about seeing the person you want with someone else. Conceptually its nothing radical, but they way Danko sings lines like "I'll wait for the day, but it might be to late, if the world comes crashing down, I'll be the loudest mouth in the crowd. And if that day comes, choose MEEEEEEE!!!", you really get the feeling like he's been there, like he's seen the woman of his dreams walking around with a man thats not him, and he really knows how much it hurts when you realize you can't really do anything about it. That song really hit me straight in the heart, as I'm going through exactly that situation right now. Danko nails those feelings of frustration perfectly.

Or "Invisible" where Danko screams all these crazy masochistic things he'd do to himself if it would only mean this girl would give the time of day. Its over the top, sure, but what guy hasn't had that intense frustration over somenone who just doesn't seem to notice him?

I think it helps that he's a little more vulnerable on this album too. He's not getting every woman ever on this album, the women he's looking at don't notice him, aren't available, aren't fully devoted to him, etc. He's not the towering, unbeatable colossus of testosterone that he was on "Born A Lion." On "Born A Lion" he was angry and bitter. On "Sleep Is The Enemy" he's also sad, yearning, frustrated, in general just more human.

Danko may not be saying anything new, and he isn't saying anything complicated, but there's a certain truth in the simplicity that, along with his performances, make the sentiments come across as very sincere.

Overall, in my book, a big improvement on his already winning forumla.

Not that it matters, though. In the end, people like Danko because he rocks.

Meaning that in the end, whats important isn't that its better Danko Jones, its that its MORE Danko Jones.

Because something tells me that (just like all his musial influences Motorhead, AC/DC, and the Ramones) he'll keep finding new ways to do the exact same thing, and like the bands just mentioned, give us dozens upon dozens of great rock 'n' roll songs in the process.

So pick up "Sleep Is The Enemy," because Danko Jones should be this generations AC/DC.

Seriously, he's that good.

I thought maybe their last LP was just a one time deal. But they keep the energy going with this hard line rock and roll with this LP. I hope this CD puts them on the map, they need to be noticed because they are the saviors right now of Rock'n'roll. They remind of the AC'DC days with Bon Scott which the songs of Dirty Deeds, T'n'T, and Highway to Hell. Yes, they are that dam good. The guitar riffs are amazing and the lead vocalist has a voice that can screetch.

If punk ever rock 'n' rolled this is how it would sound! For the love God it's about time this hard workin', hard rockin' band got their due. The opening track "sticky situtation" charges like a GTO on fire with the devil behind the wheel. And just when I was pickin' up my d**k outta the dirt the mango kid enlists ex-Kyuss howler John Garcia on back-up vocals for the song "Invisible", brilliant. Danko is in full bad-boy swagger too, you can just see him lickin' his lips and eyein' the pretty girls in the front row as he tears through a tasteful solo. Compared to AC/DC, Motley Crue, and Kiss (and I'm sure he's not losing any sleep over those comparisons, after all it is the enemy) this album does not stop for ballads or pedestrians and Danko's soulful voice growls like the hounds of hell on amyl nitrate. See them live. Buy the record and rock s**t hot!

After hearing Born A lion and We Sweat Blood, i was really looking forward to this album. I loved the balls out approach and simplicity matched with the over the top lyrics. On Sleep is The Enemy, he seems to have toned it down alot and went for more melodic vocals and guiar work. Its okay, but lacks the raw energy of the previous albums. I suspect they are trying to reach a larger fanbase and keep their old fans at the same time, which is why you have hard hitting songs like The Finger, and then more radio friendly ones like Baby Hates Me or First Date. The 3-4 hard hitting ones are great, and the rest is pretty average stuff.

"Sleep is the enemy" is an album of energy driven rock. The tongue in cheek delivery of most of the lyrics only adds to the straightforward rock delivered by this album.

The Good
How Danko doesn't stumble on the tongue-twisting chorus of "Sticky Situation" is beyond me. His musical back drop is layered with simple yet effective power chords. "Baby Hates Me" treads AC/DC territory with its biting riffs and lamentations of love. Danko is more melodic and soulful on the mic than Bon Scott and Brian Johnson ever were. Jones comparison between the addictive qualities of a fine woman and a controlled substance are fairly close on the rapid-fire track "She's Drugs."

There's no doubt that the repetitive hooks of "The Finger" will become a Danko live set anthem, complete with audience participation. The lyrics of "First Date" are sure to connect with single listeners, and the memorable chorus will reel in everyone else. As cool a rock song as "Invisible" is, sorry Danko, I just don't believe that any guy will rip his nuts off for any one. Powerful drum work and fuzzy guitars dominate "Time Heals Nothing." The album's title track "Sleep is the Enemy" barrels along like a collage freshman jacked up on No-Doz.

The Bad
A full album should be more than 34 minutes. I want more Danko! Plus, Europe has had this album for months.

The Verdict
Danko Jones really knows how to craft simple hard rock songs, and make them infectious enough to burn in your head forever. Sleep is the Enemy is a perfect example of that.

When Danko Jones released We Sweat Blood it seemed than Born a Lion was going to be the definite Danko. We Sweat Blood was Danko struggling to make a proper follow-up and failed. Sleep is the Enemy finds Danko back in form. He even manages to progress a little. On Sleep he infuses choruses without losing any of his raw power. His music is still pure macho R&R. Political correct he ain't. This is Rock Hard. Danko is often compared with AC/DC. This album proves he can play in the big league. Not only that, it proves he can out-rock the big league. AC/DC seem like pussies next to this bad boy.

When Danko Jones released We Sweat Blood it seemed than Born a Lion was going to be the definite Danko. We Sweat Blood was Danko struggling to make a proper follow-up and failed. Sleep is the Enemy finds Danko back in form. He even manages to progress a little. On Sleep he infuses choruses without losing any of his raw power. His music is still pure macho R&R. Political correct he ain't. This is Rock Hard. Danko is often compared with AC/DC. This album proves he can play in the big league. Not only that, it proves he can out-rock the big league. AC/DC seem like pussies next to this bad boy. This album was released in Europe months ago. It's time for America to wake up. Sleep is your enemy', don't miss this, get the album and better yet see him live and experience pure Rock Power.

I've been a fan of Danko since I got the c.d. Alive and on fire, but it wasn't until they released Born a Lion that I became a hardcore fan. That c.d. has yet to be beaten out by their newer releases. We sweat blood was a notch below Born a Lion and Sleep is the enemy is a notch below We Sweat Blood. When I first heard the single sticky situation on the radio I thought boy this c.d. is gonna rock. Instead the c.d. quickly becomes boring and almost 'poppy'. The first two tracks on the disc are excellent as well as two other tracks on the c.d., Invisible and Time Heals Nothing. But tracks like Don't fall in love, the finger and first date, those are just ridiculous. I don't know if they're losing their harder edge to appeal to a larger fan base or what. If you're just getting into Danko, check out Born a Lion before you wander into his other stuff.