Alive EP review from newbeats.com:

Two new bands pay homage to their influences but are also forging their own musical identity.

The Sleepy Jackson from Perth Australia is definitely a band to watch out for. Their sound is sort of free-floating rock with airy harmonies, psychedelic to be precise augmented by some melodies and country blues that recalls the Beatles and Stones respectively. Led by the captivating vocals of songwriter Luke Steele, the Sleepy Jackson make arresting music that defies any categorization. Some of the standouts on Lovers include "Tell The Girls I'm Not Hanging Out," "Good Dances," the lovely, ethereal "Old Dirt Farmer" (an Electric Light Orchestra throwback) and the countryish "Mourning Rain." In the realm of today's alternative rock, the Sleepy Jackson can give groups like Coldplay and Radiohead a run for their money.

The same can be said for this Los Angeles-based collective led by high-pitched charismatic singer Alex Ebert (think of Rush's Geddy Lee). This band draws on a poppy blend of No Wave, New Wave, glam, and disco (a.k.a. Roxy Music, Television, Duran Duran). Ima Robot had already released a full-length album last fall, but this EP in addition to containing the track Alive also has three previously unreleased tracks (including the very danceable "Sine Your Life Away" and "STD Dance". This is a good starting point for those who have never heard of this band. Ima Robot recalls a time when rock was not brooding and paranoiac but fun and decadent.

By David Chiu