Sleepy Driver
Steady Now
Independent Release 2009

The east coast is not well known for the brand of good ol’ rock and roll that the eighties made classic. Aside from a few obvious crusaders like Sloan, Matt Mays, and the Novaks, the style is mostly defunct in these parts. A relatively new addition to that list of exceptions is Fredericton’s Sleepy Driver, who thrive in the rock and roll environment they have created on their debut album Steady Now. Though seemingly country tinged at times and sort of folky at others, the New Brunswick five piece is mainly a rock band at heart. Their music is nostalgic, interesting, and catchy. Like Blue Rodeo with a bit more kick, Sleepy Driver’s music acts as a fitting backdrop for Peter Hicks’ insightful lyrics. The band is at its best on light, radio friendly tracks like And The Gravedigger Says and Like A Weapon, though almost every track has a clean cut feel. Steady Now also contains a few hidden gems, most notably North Dakota, which sees a softer side of Sleepy Driver. Guest musician Dave Palmer’s pedal steel sets the mood on that track, amidst an rare and unusually heavy emotional tone. After that reflective number though, the band brings the intensity back up to normal. Scars and Where You Are close the album on a strong note which seems to demonstrate that Sleepy Diver can stand on their own two feet. For an everyday person, these tracks might run together a bit too closely. For a true fan of rock and roll, however, Steady Now delivers a baker’s dozen of hearty, enjoyable songs.