The Sleeper Pins

The self-titled debut for The Sleeper Pins was recorded in September of 2003 at Angel Beach Studios (Minneapolis, MN) and Three Fish Studio (Mankato, MN).  At the time, the band was simply a duo featuring guitar and drums.  However, they showed their versatility and penchant for D.I.Y. by handling bass, keys, bells, and other percussion while also wearing engineering and production hats.  The songs on the album are tightly crafted; simple with subtle hooks while managing to be charming and melancholy all at once.  The Sleeper Pins first album caught a duo in transition and laid the foundation for their future work.  It was an important step to finding and defining their unique style and sound, and they invite you to join them on the ground floor.  

Featured on two tracks of this album is cellist Aaron Kerr, who would later officially join The Sleeper Pins and add a crucial texture to their musical landscape and contribute heavily to their next album, "Keep It Coming Like A Miracle." 

The Sleeper Pins second album, released on Emperor Penguin Records, finds the band exploring new sonic territory with their added bandmates on cello and piano.  The songs are heavier and more fleshed out in content and sound, but still retain the simplicity and thoughtfulness characteristic of the songs found on their first album.  With subtle but clever embellishments and visionary production by Midwest Matadors, the album sounds thick and lush.  With mixing by local Minneapolis whiz kid Joe Johnson and mastering by Infrasonic Sound's Pete Lymon (Beck/Circle Jerks/Queens of the Stone Age) in Los Angeles, "Keep It Coming Like A Miracle" is the sound of a band taking a huge step forward in all aspects of their music.