Artist: The Sungazers
Album: Not This Window of Time

Label: Wounded

Tracks: 20

Length: 01:04:35

Review by: Mike “Power Tower” Leech

 

Think back with me now to your Youth Group days, when all was right in the world.  You had a fun place to go every Wednesday night, as well as an excuse to leave soccer practice early once a week.  You had a million little Youth Group friends to have campfires and go to PG-13 movies with.  You were the kind of spiritually-conscious teenager that any parent would be proud to call their own. 

 

Then one day a few of your church friends started up a band.  They practiced for days and days before finally playing their first show, which you supportively attended.  But from the moment they took the stage it became painfully clear that their handful of practice sessions had been in vain.  These guys were just plain bad.  After the show your friend Josh, the bass player, came up and asked what you thought.  A cold sweat permeated your tightened skin as you nervously searched for the right words to say. 

 

Trying to avoid eye contact, you looked down at the floor and caught a glimpse of your bracelet.  “Just what would Jesus do?” you asked yourself.  Deciding that the Big Guy would probably give a respectful but honest reply, you timidly looked Josh in the eye and said, “You know, there were a few songs I thought were alright, but you guys could probably use a little more practice.”  The hard part was over, and you breathed a sigh of relief.  “At least he didn’t ask how many stars I would have given them out of four.” you reflected.

 

Well folks, sadly, I am not so lucky.  The Sungazers are one of those bands that I hate to cut down.  It’s obvious that they’re intentions are pure.  These guys just want to praise God the best they can, and that’s cool, but on Not This Window of Time they are simply trying a little too hard to change the world.  And unfortunately, at this point in their musical career, this Indiana fivesome lacks the talent it would take to change Delaware. 

 

To be completely respectful and honest, I wouldn’t call the Sungazers “just plain bad.” -- at least not all the time.  Little slivers of creativity will periodically fight their way through the overwhelming layers of monotony.  “At Your Mercy” for instance, boasts a nice little driving rhythm reminiscent of some early Promise Ring.  “All That You Need” is another moderate standout with a slight Interpol feel to it.  Also, the last two minutes of the awkward Talking Heads homage, “Dreams Will Come,” almost make up for the first four. 

 

The rest of the album just serves as an unsightly reminder of how far these kids have to go.  And the sad thing is The Sungazers probably wouldn’t be half-bad if they didn’t seem to take their music so seriously.  At least then we’d be smirking with them, not at them, during the album’s undeniably brittle portions.  But oh well.  If nothing else Not This Window of Time will serve as a learning experience for these guys on how not to make an album.  Keep on smiling, Sungazers.  I just think you could use a little more practice.