DISCOVER 365: Day 357

Artist: Sleeper Agent
Album: Celebrasion


Continuing on the Tidball's theme, the next band comes out of nowhere to hopefully soon find itself everywhere. You always wonder how producers of the car commercials or iPod commercials are able to find that next catchy song . . . until you stumble upon a band like Sleeper Agent and immediately picture a hamster in a Kia. I'm not saying that's how they should be pigeon-holed or that it's what they set out to do, it's just there are some bands out there who can't help but create music that makes you feel good.

I have to feel old in this post and say that most of the members in Sleeper Agent hadn't dreamed of finishing high school before I had already retired my bar seat at Tidball's and moved on to the "big" city. Hell, the lead female singer still wouldn't have even been allowed in Tidball's had she not been carrying a microphone in on her way through the front door. But they realized at a young age to go after the biggest reward at a time in their lives that carried the least amount of risk. They are simply one of those cool stories who will never forget where they cut their teeth.

On a recent trip back "home," I was able to accidentally get introduced to the drummer of Sleeper Agent, Justin Wilson, in the front parking lot smoking section of Tidball's. This was just as my interest in the band was originally peaking. When I told him I had actually considered covering their song, "That's My Baby," during our set, he didn't take it as a chance to look down on me but rather smiled drunkenly from ear to ear and acted genuinely appreciative that someone would even consider playing one of their songs. He even managed to compliment our individual performance while drubbing all cover bands like us in general. It was refreshing to think that someone whose talent and near-guaranteed success that I was envious of was still humble enough to have a normal (yet weirdly drunk and deep) conversation with a guy he had met at a bar on a random Thursday night, less than 18 hours before they were to set out on a 23-city tour.


I will be the first to admit that a band from San Diego or Brooklyn with the same comparisons and same name may not have received a first listen from me. That's something I have to deal with. But because they've stamped themselves as a part of Bowling Green's finest, I've found myself giving it a chance and subsequently liking this album more and more with each listen. You have the initial "hit" with "Get it Daddy," a song that hooks you as soon as the first chorus hits. You have no trouble feeling as young as the band on the self-aware track, "Love Blood." And then you have my personal favorite, "That's My Baby," a song that slows it down a bit and sounds like nothing else on the album but remains similar to the rest in that it sounds really good.

Year Released: 2011

# of Tracks: 12

Label: Mom + Pop Music

Best Lyric: "Baby I don't love you, but I think I'm gonna try" - Be My Monster

Best Track: "That's My Baby" - You can hear that there's a bigger voice inside of her that could probably melt you if she really wanted to go all Feist on your ass.

Sleeper Agent - That's My Baby (Live From The Tennessee State Prison) from Mom+Pop on Vimeo.