ALBUM REVIEW: Completely Fine – Aliceissleeping

The nineties’ rock scene is making a comeback. With the rise of social media apps like TikTok, there has been a boom in streams across the rock genre. ALICEISSLEEPING is one of those artists hoping to hit the jackpot. Coming from the UK, the band consist of Alice Dionis on vocals and bass, Dan Murroni on guitar and Jon Hare-Winton on drums. Their debut album, Completely Fine, follows on from their EP, Space Wanders & Bleeding Hearts. It was released in 2018, ALICEISSLEEPING are proving to be one of the most exciting upcoming bands. Fusing together nineties’ rock with every other genre of rock music under the sun, can their debut album make them hit the jackpot?

The first song on the album is Outsiders. Starting off with some studio chatter that smoothly transitions into a guitar riff, it is a clean start to the album. With a runtime of six minutes and twenty seconds, it’s the longest song on the record and Alice‘s vocals are incredible, bolstered by the production making the vocals clear. Furthermore, the instruments get their time to shine. This includes a guitar solo from Dan and a soft drum beat from Jon during the bridge. Despite the length of the song, it does not feel stretched out. The only unfortunate part of the song is that it sometimes does not let Alice show off her bass playing. Besides that, the song is the perfect opener.

Felix starts off with a funky bass riff. The song is a bit more heavier than the first song. However, the production means that this does not feel jarring to the listener. The lyrics tell a story. The heaviness of the song allows Alice to show off her wide range of vocals. The bass features heavily in the next song, entitled Over and Over Again. The production is smooth. This makes the jump from Over and Over Again to Twilight – a haunting song that is slow and hypnotising – all the more normal. Most bands struggle with genre-hopping. This is due to even the most experienced producers struggling. However, ALICEISSLEEPING have lucked out with the producer for this album.

Scary Mary is the fifth song on the album. it sounds just like a song out of a MEATLOAF or a BON JOVI discography. The guitar riffs are gritty and raw. The vocals are rough, however, this is a deliberate choice. It goes with the tone of the song. The final half of the album goes in a grunge direction (Alien), then jumps to a punk direction (Not Cool and Negotiating Sex), before ending with a heavy rock song (Lost Girls).

In conclusion, despite a slightly rough start, Completely Fine is more than the title suggests. With expert production, smooth transitions, powerful vocals and fantastic instruments, ALICEISSLEEPING are a tender, quirky and cool band. They are definitely a name to watch out for.

Rating; 8/10

Completely Fine is out now via Mandrone Records. 

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