A Bad Think – Sleep (Album Review)

Recently we were contacted about reviewing a band called A Bad Think. I was a little hesitant to review at first (more on that in a bit), but after several listens, I feel there are some of our readers who could really enjoy the album.

The band consists of only one member, Michael Marquart. That’s where my hesitance lies. There are no tour dates, just music. There are many bands looking for help, so I felt I was almost doing a disservice to those out there touring. Yet I digress, here we are.

Michael Marquart owns Windmark Recording in Los Angeles, so he knows his way around the console. Which is exactly why I decided to do this review, the production. Michael owns and uses Les Paul’s own personal 2″, 16-Track analog tape machine. So that warmth and depth is clearly present and makes for an enjoyable audible experience.

If I have to pin down the sound of A Bad Think, I’d describe the sound in this way; If Steely Dan and Pink Floyd were to write an album, then have Steely Dan handle production and then had Ian Thornley (Big Wreck/Thornley) track all the vocals, you’d have something very close to A Bad Think.

The songs touch upon the full gamut of emotions, creating an atmospheric voyage that, depending upon your mood or mindset, is either terrific or depressing. The music is very cinematic in it’s approach. Coming off as artsy, but rooted in deep melodies and strong structure.

While I find myself enjoying the album, I do have a tendency for my attention to drift from the album. I think that is tied to the somewhat similar vocal stylings across the the album. That’s a personal preference though, as I have that same issue with a lot of Pink Floyd.

Overall, the album is very solid and will find a home with quite a few of our readers, but for the masses, this one will be a tough pill to swallow.

Highlights for me are the opener Don’t Leave Me Out, On and On, Loyalty and the mesmerizing Where Do I Go From Here.

Unsung Melody Score: 6.5 out of 10

Preview or purchase Sleep below:

Give it a listen and see what you think!