Having never heard of Sleep Station before, I was pleasantly surprised by the CD The Pride of Chester James, a concept album revolving around, you guessed it, Chester James, a fictional circus drifter who shows up in a small town. The music documents the ups and downs James has in this town in rock opera fashion.

Sleep Station is the alter-ego of David Debiak, a man who is notorious for writing concept albums, such as the one about a robotics engineer falling in love with a robot he created (Runaway Elba-1); two astronauts being abandoned by ground control and left to die in outer space (Hang In There Charlie); the love story of Dr. Carl Von Cosel, a famous necrophiliac who fell in love with his deceased patient, Elena Hoyos (Von Cosel); and a first person drama taking place in World War II (After the War).

Apparently the recording, mixing and mastering process of his latest, The Pride of Chester James, was scattered over the course of three years amidst "tours, mental breakdowns, and all of the other wonderful obstacles life has to offer." In a finished basement that stylistically hadn't changed since 1975, Debiak and company brought the album to life with the help of a borrowed vintage tape machine, Hammond organs, pianos, Rhodes, Wurlitzers, and some old guitars and amps.

Debiak, who not only contributed vocals, guitar, piano, percussion and ham radio, but also produced the album with Ryan Ball, is joined on the album by Ball on guitar, drums, keyboards, wurlitzer, lap steel, mandolin, bass, piano and field recording; Brad Paxton on guitar, vocals, drums, piano, mellotron and keyboards; Kris Ricat on guitar and drums; Josh Nichols on bass and piano; Jason Debiak on paino and percussion; Richard Polatchek on trumpet and percussion; and Vahak Janbazian on drums.

The album starts with an upbeat "Hello Mr. Coughlin," a Beatles-esque tune that morphs into a Pink Floyd-sounding song. The second track, "Under the Lights" shows a darker side to both James and the album, and mixes in some great piano and acoustic guitar notes. The third track, "What You Hide," features a blend of guitar and piano that may never reach a radio audience, and that's a shame, because it's melancholy alt/pop through and through.