In Ireland, Sack had already established themselves as a fixture on the local indie rock scene by the 1990s. Their debut album, You Are What You Eat, caught the attention of Morrissey, for example, and they went on to support him on his Oye Esteban tour.
After several successful albums, a serious road accident eventually forced them to take a break of almost twenty years. Wake Up People! marks Sack’s return to music and is regarded by some critics as their strongest work to date.
The band’s sound is aptly described as ‘Frank Sinatra fronting the Pixies’ – biting, socially critical or emotionally profound lyrics, penned by frontman Martin McCann or guitarist John Brereton, are paired with a raw, melodic new wave and indie rock guitar sound.
“Wake Up People!” was produced by John (Spud) Murphy (Birds Of Olympus) and Sack, with Ber Quinn (John Grant, The Divine Comedy, Villagers) at Sonic Studios in Dublin, with the exception of the track “What A Way To Live”, which was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, and the track “29”, which was recorded at Attica Studios in Donegal by Tommy McLaughlin.
All tracks were mixed by Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, The Who, Kylie, Ocean Colour Scene). Wake Up People! was released on the band’s own label, Jetset Junta, and is their first album of new material since Adventura Majestica in 2001.