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I've listened to Armor For Sleep's "Dream To Make Believe" quite a few times by now, and I know I like it. I am, however, having trouble putting my finger on exactly what aspect of the music has grabbed my attention, and managed to entertain me for this album's 39 minute duration on multiple occasions. Maybe it's the fact that Armor For Sleep construct mid-paced, melody-driven indie rock songs that manage to be catchy without sacrificing their dynamic nature and unpredictability. Or, maybe its the mildly unpolished vocals that give this band a unique feeling. Maybe this is just good music. Whatever the case may be, I can make one conclusion: Armor For Sleep is a good band.
We've all noticed Equal Vision Records expanding their roster and signing a number of bands that have almost no hardcore in their blood. Personally, I'd rather hear more Converge and The Hope Conspiracy, but Equal Vision isn't going to sign a lackluster indie rock band. "Dream To Make Believe" is no exception to the label's catalog of solid releases, as the band plays an interesting blend of relaxed, emotive indie rock, characterized by oddly-timed guitar riffs, hints of catchiness, and more straightforward, driving choruses, with upbeat power-pop. If Armor For Sleep's vocalist Ben Jorgensen had a more polished, bubbly voice, this music wouldn't retain its genuine, honest feeling as well, but I get this idea that Armor For Sleep isn't simply trying to satisfy the mainstream's taste, but their own. The vocals definitely helped me connect with this album, but the dynamic nature of the music, composed of layers upon layers of precise guitar riffs, subtle, high-string picking, backing vocals, and accurate, mid-paced percussion, really impressed.
It seems that every track has a chorus that will inspire massive crowd sing-alongs, as they are quite catchy, and very well-worded. "Phantoms Now" is one of my personal favorites, as vocalist Ben croons "We won't hurt a thing, we just want to haunt this house, at least for now. Watch us change, kill the light. Phantoms now, dead tonight." With a killer intro to boot, this is one of the disc's strongest songs. Much of "Dream To Make Believe's" lyrical content is loosely based on personal struggle, as much of the writing speaks of sleeping to avoid feeling, escaping reality, and general despair. "All Warm" reflects these feelings quite well, through lines like "You'll never feel the cold, years will all be warm. You'll bury yourself when you've had enough, and the world will think that you've just run off." The general formula of the songs on this disc is broken up at times by some primarily acoustic tracks, but they almost seem unecessary, as every song has a great deal of variety and tempo changes.
There's a lot to say about Armor For Sleep and "Dream To Make Believe," but saying everything in a concise way isn't too simple. Every song is dynamic, and has a lot going on, but the band's musical ability obviously assisted them in putting every part in its appropriate place. The musical performance is very impressive, and the lyrics are well-suited for a dreary day or just dealing with personal problems. Fans of bands like Moneen, Further Seems Forever, or Park should take note of Armor For Sleep. Strong album, indeed.
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