Nerve City – Sleepwalker EP 8.0

Whoa, I never enjoy EPs this much. Music releases in general usually involved some sort of fat to be trimmed, or the expectation that at some point the musician will skimp out on that indefinable quality known as “good”. Here we have one of those few releases.

Right from the get-go, it sounds Lo-Fi. I know that term gets thrown around, like a gimmick for bands to hide behind. Like “Oh, we’re lo-fi, it doesn’t have to be catchy.” Nerve City didn’t get that memo, it sounds like pure infectious pop. As I listen to it, it delivers on the promise bands like The Black Lips guaranteed us, only to give it to us periodically.

“Sleepwalker” is such a sweet, sweet track. It is a great beginning, so great that I wondered whether or not the rest of the EP lived up to that expectation. Would the lyrics be as interesting, or the melodies as infectious? Actually yes would be the answer.  

“Armory” removes some of the dreamy quality for a big stomp with a serious Western twang. Think of an acid cowboy movie soundtrack and you are there (looking at you Jim Jarmusch’s “Dead Man”). And “Runaway” sounds beyond lo-fi, like some re-discovered blues track from the early 30s.

I’m shocked they come from Miami. First Iron & Wine, then Jacuzzi Boys, if I didn’t know better I’d say there’s an undercurrent in music which works against its environment. Rather than take the easy approach and just accept how tacky Florida can be, they look for the authentic. Nerve City do this to a tee. Below is a delightful link to some of their youtube videos. Enjoy!

Nerve City