This is one band that I'm happy to keep as a guilty pleasure.
"Off Switch" is the debut album from the intriguingly named Smell My Pillow, a rock quartet from Minneapolis, Minnesota USA. Not a band that can be easily categorised, the songs range from pop-punk to prog to soft rock, fusing the musical influences of each member. Despite the variety of genres covered on this collection, nothing feels out of place; each song runs smoothly into the next, with no abruptness or surprises. The entire album is full of energy and the majority of songs are up-tempo, making it impossible to resist bopping along.
Each track on "Off Switch" tells a story, such the quest for independence portrayed in opening song 'Free', giving the listener an insight into the curious world of this obscure band. Definitely one that's more likely to be appreciated by teenagers, Smell My Pillow has the addictive, rebellious nature of bands such as Green Day and Jimmy Eat World so you can imagine my surprise when I googled the band and found photos of its members looking double the age I had expected! It doesn't matter how many times I close my eyes and try to visualise these mature musicians performing the music, I always see the stereotypical scruffy teenagers with bright hair I'd imagined when I first played the CD. It just gets more and more bizarre, a criteria I particularly love about original music!
Smell My Pillow produce the perfect music to get you off your arse on those lazy Sunday afternoons, they certainly brightened up a rather dull afternoon for me! However, I am still really struggling to picture what type of audience these guys would attract; I can't imagine teeny boppers rocking out with guys who look old enough to be their dad's, but then I can't imagine mature rockers willingly admitting to being a fan of this music. For me, this is one band that I'm happy to keep as a guilty pleasure, something to rock out to behind closed doors.
Close your eyes, turn up the volume on the CD player and, whatever your age or background or musical tastes, let yourself rock out! Take "Off Switch" for what it is: a great collection of light-hearted songs that could bring a rainbow of colour to the blandest of days.
Smell My Pillow is vocalist Michael Matheson, guitarist Marc KWall Kowalski, bassist Brian LaMere and drummer Troy Berg. To find out more about the band, check out www.smellmypillow.com