Cumartesi 6 Şub 2010, 22:04

So for the past few years I have had some serious misconceptions about this band. It is one of the times where I thought they were some sort of L.A. Sell-out; so I didn't truly give the band a proper listen because I've been burned so much over-hyped artists on distinguished music websites, let alone mainstream praise. I think I was jaded by seeing they were a success over night. I remember wanting to see them play live at club in Akron Ohio, and then three months later, the song Lazy Eye was on constant play over on the Alternative Radio Stations.

But last year I changed my mind after Listening to their previous Ep Pikul. It starts of strong with Kissing Families, and Comeback Kid. Dips down a little bit after that. But I'm still seeing a great deal of creativity overall. Love Nikki's vocals on Creation Lake. Nice Space-rocky sound on ...All the Go Inbetweens. Cool slumber ending on "Untitled".

For an EP its pretty fat. Many bands put out 7 tracks as their "Full Length". Either way; It is an album with great qualities, with a tight sound and strong song writing. It's easy for me to say that Brian's vocals are really growing on me.

A year later their full length album Carnavas. Starting off strong, but getting Fantastic by the song Well thought out Twinkles. How catchy each of the songs are. It takes me back to hearing amazing songs from old 90's bands like Smashing Pumpkins, or even HUM. Silversun Pickups are nothing overly complicated for any fan of "alternative rock" to understand. Since I never could understand what people disliked about noisy guitar. The layers in Brian's vocals sounds more familiar to us Shoegazers. Every song has its own tone and style; None of them seem disappointing. The beautiful contrast of the charming song Little Lover's So Polite land sliding into the Dirty guitar sound of Future Foe Scenarios.

I am just now taking to time to really listen to Lazy Eye, I am completely blown away. The pace of the song, the lyrics, it isn't just beyond catchy; it brilliant. Perhaps I am just a sucker for a Crescendo, as it crashes into some amazing dreamy noise bliss out around the 4th minute. By the time Rusted Wheel arrives I am pretty much crushed. Apparently this is Silversun Pickups answer to "Vapour Trail", with out being "Skies you Climb".

The final three tracks on Carnavas is a mix of creative experiments on Dream at Tempo 119; to something slower on Three Seed, and a "noise-poppy" ending with the final song Common Reactor. Carnavas is beyond a fantastic album. And I feel it outshined their début album Pikal.

Now we arrive at last years album "Swoon". Three years of touring, and getting all famous we finally have the newest album by the Silversun pickups. Starting off on the song There's No Secret This Year by apparently channelling the guitar work of Matt Talbot, yet almost sounding like a heavier version of Ides of Space. The Royal We, starts off seemingly typical, yet moves along evolving itself, changing and creating something I can't find the words for. I just ended up Loving it. Growing Old is Getting Old starts out with a simple and catchy ever present bassline, with subtle spacey shimmering guitar playing out in the distance, Brians vocals are soon accompanied by Nikki in a duet for the chorus line. At 04:16 the song takes a turn for he better. Brian kicks on the distortion pedal and we are blasted by a wall of noise, yet nothing overly layered, just Dirty. The song could have been called Growing Old vs Getting old, as each has their own feeling. After three impressive songs, It's Nice To Know You Work Alone didn't carry that well after the first three songs, however it was placed right before their newest single Panic Switch.

At first I thought I was listening to the intro of some TOOL song, however I am quickly calmed by Silversun's signature sound. More traditional of a Alt Rock song. Nice chorus that reminds me of Filmschools song "On and On". Over all good choice of single (still kinda bugged by the similar to the end of TOOL's Parabola). The following song Draining is just a slower song; Nothing special. Next song Sort of, carries the strong bass lines I was hearing in Panic Switch. I'm still hearing some Justin Chancellor influence in here. I am somewhat on the fence about this song. Can't hate it, but I love the way the song progresses. So above Mediocre.

Substitution Isn't capturing me either. So this album might be starting to get thin by this point. Catch and Release changes it a bit. I hear them playing around with something different, a change of pace, more mellow with a nice amount of licks. It picks the album back up on track. Yet doesn't blow you away. And finally, we have their closing song; Surrounded (Or Spiraling). Closing out with something mild yet heavy with so so lyrics. Song breaks up around the 02:25 mark. Slows down, for I believe a typical upcoming explosion; accept it is a "pop". anyways, nothing special for a closing song.

So in Closing, for the most part, I give this artist better opinion that I had thought. but I will have to wait and see if they Peeked at Carnavas. They are quite talented, and it does make me happy that I can actually hear something good on the radio. I have started to notice that Radio Stations are now starting to shift slightly since their constant whoring of loophole payola is catching up with them. So it would be nice if we started seeing other types of Silver Sun Pick up get..no pun intended, "Picked up".