Kill Hannah's Wake Up the Sleepers is a Sound Wake Up to the Music Industry

D. Gabrielle Jensen
D. Gabrielle Jensen, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 22, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Chicago-based Kill Hannah's fifth full-length album, Wake Up the Sleepers, hits stores across the U. S. on September 29th. But fans of the band have already had several opportunities to get in on the brilliance. Yes, Scott Heisel, I said "brilliance." Kill Hannah has earned the required respect and trust from their fans and from the industry to be given the keys to the studio and turned loose to complete their own mission. That mission? To get the industry back on track. "After more than a year of writing (mostly while touring in Europe) we finally got enough time off the road to start making the album that we've been waiting to make for our entire lives. We knew we wanted complete control of the production, we knew we wanted to make it in Chicago, and we knew what we wanted call it: Wake Up the Sleepers. - statement of affirmation in a music industry that has tragically lost its way." (Mat Devine, artist's statement from Amazon.com)

Fans of the band, both new and old, cannot help but be impressed by the content of the album. It is equal parts Here are the Young Moderns (1997) and Until There's Nothing Left of Us (2006) in terms of the style of the recordings, synth and electronics mixed with real guitars and real voices. From the somber, reflective tracks, Living in Misery (complete with the Chicago Children's Choir in accompaniment) and Snowblind, to the dance pop anthems New York City Speed (which as been playing full blast on my speakers since the Kill Hannah Kollective was made privy to it in mid-July) and Strobe Lights, Wake Up the Sleepers has something for every Kill Hannah fan.

In addition to the Chicago Children's Choir, Wake Up the Sleepers borrows voices from Benji Madden (Good Charlotte), Amanda Palmer (The Dresden Dolls) and Chibi (The Birthday Massacre) as well as a guest guitar solo from Tom Schleiter (Powerspace). The album also includes a bonus track which fans are already intimately familiar with; the previously unreleased Welcome to Chicago. The only thing fans will be missing from this album is guitarist Jonathan Radtke, who left the band earlier this year to pursue other projects. We all wish Jonny the best of luck and eagerly await the first release from his new band, Polar Moon.

Strobe Lights and New York City Speed are currently available for download on iTunes and a preview sample of the entire album is available on Amazon.com. The band is touring this Fall with She Wants Revenge, in support of the new album, and has devoted time before each show on the tour to spend time with their fans in small, intimate meet and greet sessions.

If you are a fan of Kill Hannah, you've had the album on pre-order for a month now. But if you're not, chances are (I speak from experience) you just haven't heard them yet. Wake Up the Sleepers is a phenomenal chance for you to get in on some terrific new (old) music that you haven't heard before.

Published by D. Gabrielle Jensen

Audiophile, writer, friend, reader, sorority chick, card-carrying geek  View profile

Even though they are often mistaken for newcomers on the scene, Kill Hannah recorded their first full-length album, Here are the Young Moderns, in 1997.

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  • Nikole-182[COL-Pennsylvania]11/3/2010

    I couldn't of wrote this better myself. It was like you read my mind. The CD is one of the best CD's I've heard be released in a long time. Kill Hannah always <3

  • D. Gabrielle Jensen3/21/2010

    UPDATE: Kerrang.com is giving away free downloads of the radio version of Strobe Lights (http://www2.kerrang.com/2010/03/free_kill_hannah_download.html) and the band started filming the album's first video, Promise Me, yesterday.

  • renasunflash10/5/2009

    I definitely agree with this review - I was very impressed by Wake Up The Sleepers and I recommend that anyone who hasn't heard it yet go buy it now! It's an excellent album from a unique band.

  • Emily10/4/2009

    It's finally here! There are no words that can express how happy I am with this album. Each song is different, and in a good way - you can see how they draw different influences from different bands. There's no one else like them; they are my absolute favorite.

    So buy it now!

  • Hannah10/3/2009

    Kill Hannah kept us waiting for a looooooong time, but it was well worth the wait. The lyrics on this album are just overwhelming, the music heartbreaking, and the band as lovable as theyve always been :D

  • D. Gabrielle Jensen10/3/2009

    I have to say, I've been listening to this album, pretty much non stop since I wrote this review and every time through I find something new to fall in love with. Be it a lyric or a chord progression. I think I have a new favorite song every day. It just reinforces for me that this is an amazing piece of work.

  • Karen Jewell9/30/2009

    Best album so far, from my most favorite band. The lyrics and the music of all Kill Hannah songs speak to my soul. It's like each song was written just perfect for me (at least some part of it). I wish Kill Hannah had the chance to be heard by a larger group of people. If you haven't heard of them you should give them a chance. I searched all my life for this band and I didn't find them until 3 years ago...and I wish so bad it had been sooner. Please listen and enjoy.

  • dravenreborn9/29/2009

    I am absolutely in love with this album. From the high energy in "New York City Speed" to the quiet sadness in "Promise Me", this album has it all. I can see that Wake Up the Sleepers is going to be on repeat for months. I am absolutely blown away. Kill Hannah have given us all such a gift

  • Emiliecashh9/29/2009

    This is their best album. It is more worth it then you can even imagine. If you can afford it right now, I would highly recommend buying it so that you can hear just exactly what I mean. The mix of dance pop and some other slower balled type songs make the album diverse, but lyrically its a bit heavier and deeper then previous albums.

    Killhannah.com, Best Buy, iTunes, Amazon.com... all those places you are able to buy the album. This will be the album of the year.

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