release date: Jan. 21, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Andreas Ahlenius, Saybia
label: EMI-Medley - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights: 1. "7 Demons" - 2. "Fools Corner" - 3. "The Second You Sleep" (4 / 5) - 4. "Snake Tounged Beast" - 5. "Joy" - 6. "Still Falling" - 7. "The Day After Tomorrow" - 8. "In Spite Of" - 9. "Empty Stairs" - 11. "The One for You"
Studio album debut by Danish quintet Saybia released on Medley Records (since 1992 bought by EMI Records and continued in Denmark as EMI-Medley). Saybia consists of primary songwriter and lead vocalist Søren Huss, lead guitarist Sebastian Sandstrøm, bassist Jeppe Langebek Knudsen, keyboardist Jess Jensen and drummer Palle Sørensen.
The band plays soft rock and pop / rock with obvious jangle pop and chamber pop influences.
The Second You Sleep is filed as the first Danish debut album to top the national chart list and at the Danish Music Awards 2003 Saybia won the prizes for Best Danish Album, Best Danish Band, and Søren Huss was handed the prize for Best Danish Vocalist.
Yes, the national hype around this band was tremendous, but they deserve all the acclaim. It truly is a great and surprisingly solid collection of songs for a debut. The style is not the most original one clearly building on britpop acts like Coldplay, Sleeper, Manic Street Preachers and Travis, but the production and the execution - the instrumental and vocal performances on these 11 songs lack nothing in comparison with their much more renowned British colleagues.
The album was never really a favourite of mine. I think, I tired too much of the musical exposure and also found it a bit too much on the softer side of rock to my liking - but my only regret was that I found it too close to music already made; however, there's no doubt that this is altogether a quite an impressive Danish debut where especially Søren Huss shines brightly as vocalist.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6, SputnikMusic 3,5 / 5 stars ]
