Songs To Help You Sleep At Night EP review

After almost a year since his last release, Fighting for Daylight, a solo alternative rock project by Adrian Dueñas, released a 4-track acoustic EP today with all new songs. This record, “Songs to Help You Sleep at Night”, is a huge change from last year’s debut EP “Only Time Will Tell”.

Track One : “McPick 2”

The EP starts with the song “McPick 2”, and despite its humorous title, you definitely can’t judge this book by its cover. Dueñas sings about his struggle to get sleep, and the intrusive thoughts that are behind his lack of shuteye. His compelling vocals and the soft strumming of his guitar give the song a mellow, haunting tone that strikes deep. I definitely rate this song a 10/10.

Track Two : “itstoomuchandimsorry”

In the second track, Dueñas continues the idea of struggling with intrusive thoughts. He sings of feeling weak, like he is not strong enough to carry himself. “How long can I run? How much farther will these weary legs carry me?” Dueñas sings. His lyrics continue with similar analogies of feeling weak, eventually revisiting the concept of losing sleep with the line, “And I haven’t slept in days.” With this being my favorite off the EP, I may be biased when scoring this one an 11/10.

Track Three : “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”

This song is definitely the most lighthearted of the four, starting off with a more cheerful ukulele instead of the usual acoustic guitar. Dueñas sings about love in this one, crooning that “Through thick and thin, our love will always be bulletproof.” He finishes the song by delicately singing the chorus of “You Are My Sunshine”. I easily give this song a 10/10 due to the style and lyricism, but also because I’m a hopeless romantic.

Track Four : “I Won’t Be Gone Long, Seymour”

The fourth and final track. We are used to final songs on albums and EPs being especially hard hitting and emotional, but Dueñas certainly did not hold back on this one. “I Won’t Be Gone Long, Seymour”, the title of which is a reference to an episode of popular show Futurama, touches on a friend who passed away suddenly in early August, showing Dueñas’ thoughts and emotions over the first month of the loss. It is definitely a tear jerker, whether it be because of the story behind it, the lyrics, or the tone conveyed throughout the song. The raw, powerful emotion in Dueñas’ voice is enough to break someone's heart. I absolutely rate this song a 10/10.

Overall, this EP deserves a perfect score. Dueñas pours his heart out in these songs, and he does a fantastic job in doing so. I’m in love with these songs and cannot wait to see what else Fighting For Daylight has in store!