It’s not the fuzzed-out guitar or frenetic beat that draws attention on “Allyson Got Robbed,” the first song on Sleepless Nights’ second album, Turn into Vapour, it’s how many times front man Aaron Wallace says “get your hands off of my girl.” Even though he’s surely trying to help a recently victimized girlfriend, the repeated masculine possessiveness of the phrase ends up overriding its philanthropic message and the workmanlike musicality of the song to the point where it’s as if Wallace thinks it’s he, not Allyson, who was wronged. Probably not what Sleepless Nights were going for.

This may seem like excessive criticism for one line from one song on an album, but it’s indicative of Turn into Vapours’ troubles. Though most of the album’s songs display competent, sometimes even commendable elements firmly rooted in the indie rock canon, they each contain at least one head-shaking moment that serves to wrench listeners out of the aural experience. On “Got Caught” and “Arabian Nights” it’s the completely listless backup vocals. On “All Andrews Friends” [sic] it’s the keyboard, which sounds like an afterthought at best and an attempt to be hip at worst. On “Amounts to Nothing,” it’s how hard they try to sound like Grandaddy. On “Hang Up,” it’s the pointless prog coda.

This leaves Turn to Vapour in a difficult place. Realistically, it’s a pleasant, if somewhat indistinct, indie rock record well suited for background play. Unfortunately, though, thanks to these few lapses in judgment it becomes a tedious, aggravating affair that can’t help but place its flaws at centre stage.