The Silent Years
Let Go EP
SideCho
Jul 07, 2009 Web Exclusive
Detroit musician Josh Epstein is no stranger to explosive melodies. After all, his main creative outlet, The Silent Years, released an indie-pop gem only last year. As with most craftsman-like albums, The Globe‘s jovial ethos was contagious but largely flitted under the noses of the rock intelligentsia. In turn, Let Go reads like a classic stopgap EP but actually is a full-fledged bound in aesthetics. Once you dig into a few of its six paeans to youth, you quickly realize how well The Silent Years balance their characteristic guitar freak-outs and fey airs. Naturally, the de facto example is single “Madame Shocking.” A track that starts with a cavernous recording of a string quartet in a dilapidated, health department building quickly locks into a whirring, chiming tour de force. When Epstein coos, “These tender temper tantrums always seem to help me,” you can catch a whiff of his unit’s motus operandi. Elsewhere, The Silent Years toe the line between Detroit’s rock riffage (“Claw Marks”) and the radio-friendly indie-pop of Andrew Bird (“Forest Fire”) or Rogue Wave (“TV>BJ”). The amusement the group had while recording is conspicuous (a missing factor for many indies). The image of a tired perfectionist at the mixing board is the ultimate image you come away with here. Let Go‘s conflation of panache and steely resolve keeps it from becoming a mere party favor. (www.thesilentyears.com)
Author rating: 7/10
Average reader rating: 10/10
Most Recent
- Feeder @ Rock City, Nottingham, UK, March 25, 2024 (Review) — Feeder
- Bernard Butler (ex-Suede) Announces First Solo Album in 25 Years, Shares New Song “Camber Sands” (News) — Bernard Butler, Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, Suede, McAlmont & Butler
- Arab Strap Share Video for New Song “Strawberry Moon” (News) — Arab Strap
- Hovvdy Share New Song “Make Ya Proud” (News) — Hovvdy
- Pond Announce New Album, Share Video for New Song “(I’m) Stung” (News) — POND
Comments
Submit your comment
There are no comments for this entry yet.