Album: Team Sleep
Released: 2005
As a huge Deftones fan myself, I am surprised more than anyone else that it has taken me so long to pay any attention to Chino Moreno's shoegaze-influenced side project Team Sleep. They've only released one album, so it seemed like a good opportunity to catch up. The rest of the band is comprised of guitarist Tom Wilkinson and DJ Crook, although there are many contributors to this record, so they can't really be pinned down as a band.
In the essence of Deftones' music, it appears that Chino is the component of the group that provides an ethereal vibe to their songs, which gives them a more individual sound when compared with their 90's cohorts such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, having been tossed in under the nu-metal tag. Team Sleep was a chance for Moreno to expand his horizons and work in an environment that thrives on post-rock sounds, with elements of dream pop and more ambient music. Substituting his screaming for Morrissey-style crooning, I'm expecting Moreno to prove why he is one of my favourite vocalists.
Out of the first few tracks, the one song that stands out the most is Princeton Review, with Rob Crow leading the line on vocals. It could easily be a Smashing Pumpkins number, or even a Radiohead B-side in the style of Talk Show Host, so anyone who knows me knows that this is right up my street. Blvd. Nights could be mistaken for a pure Deftones song, so this album will still appeal to those who enjoy the heavier side of Deftones' music. Our Ride To The Rectory is your sort of soul-searching walk music - it's strangely uplifting for such a sombre number. This segues nicely into Tomb of Liegia, with vocal duties taken by Mary Timony, but it leads nowhere and ends up sounding a little bit too repetitive. I love the trip hop influence on this record, and the use of drum loops, with Staring At The Queen sounding like it could come off Radiohead's Kid A or Amnesiac, but it ends up transitioning into something completely different, with guitar reverb and a distinct lack of percussion until the end; this type of instrumentation is common on Team Sleep. It's a damn shame, for all the brilliant songs on this album, there are also some rather bad ones, as much as it pains me to say; King Diamond is an example, which totally fucked my mind, with loud male vocals (Moreno) doing a back and forth with female talked vocals once again provided by Mary Timony. It didn't do anything for me; I'm not that artsy fartsy. Live From The Stage used to be called Natalie Portman, and I can see why. Because it's hot, that's why! It's also aggressive, although a bit of a slow burner. Album closer 11/11 is alright, but not as strong as a climax as I would've expected from an experimental act that have the chance to delve into so many different sounds.
I had some hope for this album, and it delivers on about 8 or 9 tracks, but there are some songs here that are ultimately forgettable. However, the songs that do shine, shine very brightly. If you're a Deftones fan, I urge you to check this out. Also if you're into that shoegaze thing, or any of the stuff Radiohead released when they went through their "non-rock" phase. There are rumours of a new Team Sleep record coming out this year, and will I give it a listen? Based on this album, yes, but I hope they keep the numbers of tracks a little lower than the 15 they have on this effort.
Rating: 7/10
Recommended: Princeton Review, Blvd. Nights
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