Album Review 7: The Silos "Come On Like The Fast Lane"

Walter Salas Humara started the Silos around 1985. Since that time he has released thre or four brilliant CD’s (”Cuba”, “Susan Across The Ocean”, “The Silos” and 2004’s “When The Telephone Rings”). For Cuba Rolling Stone voted the band the best new artist. The album “Cuba” along with Uncle Tupelos work did as much to shape the next 15 years of alt-country as anything. He has a substantial body of quality work. Before the Silos he was a Gainsville boy with his band The Vulgar Boatmen who put out some really fine music and he has had a side project called “The Setters” with Alejandro Escovedo, another favorite of mine. Here is what he Hamara says about Gainsville:

"It's where I spent my college years learning a lot and drinking a lot. It's a special place - a crossroads of Marxist dialectic and simple values and realities. I'm looking forward to the G”ville show and the kick-off of a tour that will take us through many of our old haunts and some fresh ground. We're super proud of the new album and thank our lucky stars it happened the way it did."

My biggest surprise was that the is no Wikipedia entry for the Silos or for Salas Humara. Perhaps that will be my project on another day. Anyway, as I said their last album was the semi-brilliant “When The Telephone Rings.” It was mournful and rocked my socks off so...I was disappointed by this album. The critics and the press releases all compare the album to Television and Velvet Undergorund with better pop lyrics. That is...generous.

It is on Bloodshot which is one of my favorite indie labels and they had a little release telling us what Humara thought the songs were about:
1. Behind Me Now
No time left to worry about what horrible consequences the narra-
tor’s actions have wrought on the ones he is about to leave behind.
He’s about to find out what’s on the other side.
2. Fall On Your Knees
Baby’s keeping you up the part of your night not devoted to the
big Rock Show? We all know life gets tougher the older we get,
so we save a little piece for our souls and hang onto it with all
our might.
3. Tell Me You Love Me
Ah, the travails of Modern Romance. Just tell me you love me.
4. I Won You Won
Breaking up will be good for both of us? Especially if there’s a
party going on and our remote control is tuned in.
5. Keeping Score
Time just a keeps on rollin’ along. There are no second chances.
Don’t be a fool. Be Here Now.
6. People Are Right
He’s leaving town. She steals his car. He later finds it with a note
attached. Just when he’s realizing the truth is always grey, he gets
the call ...
with us when we give up sane for crazy.
8. Top Of The World
So what if the baby can’t drive..... we can! Get behind the wheel
and just drive like hell. There’s nothing like it.
9. Days Gone By
There’s a lot of news, a lot of Talking Heads. It’s a endless stream.
A lot of things we have very little effect on. Sometimes we don’t
even have any control over our most intimate relationships. An-
other reason to Be Here Now.
10. Sunset Morning
Love is strange. Love is beautiful. Sit back and let it roll all over
you.
11. Never Leaving
When you find the right one, let yourself go and wallow in the best
thing that’s ever happened to you.
12. Out Of Our Way
There are many who will stop at nothing to get their way. Politics,
Religion, Economics - Is there any difference?
13. Kickass
You don’t need another man. You are kickass.

The bottom line is that the CD is very solid and for me was uninspired. With such a great body of work and so much talent it seems like it could almost be a throw away. It was recorded in 4 days. No fact about the Cd would have surprised me less. On a positive note there is not an unpleasant song on the CD and the more you listen to it the more it grows on you. It is simple straight ahead unaffected, non-poser rock. Parts of it are sweet. “Behind Me Now”, “Tell me You Love Me” and the title cut make it a worthwhile puchase no matter what. The 6th track, "People Are Right" has some sweet lap steel noodling that although not life changing...it works. This is hard for this Diner being a huge Silos fan. I like the CD but I am calling it non-essential and giving it 7 1/2 Slingers out of 10.

The Silos will be coming to “Off Broadway” soon. He puts on a great show always playing the same miked up acoustic guitar with a lot of effects that make it sound like whatever kind of guitar he wants it to be. It is a fun rock and rollshow and should not be missed.

All that having been said here is the quintessential iTunes composite of the Silos and Salas Humara and the Setters

1. Commodore Peter
2. Tennessee Fire
3. Change The Locks
4. Lets Go take Some Drugs (and drive around)
5. Mom Out Dancing
6. Shaking All Over The Place
7. Nothings Going To Last
8. I Want To Be Your Dog
9. Susan Across the Ocean
10. Evageline
11. When The Telephone Rings
12. My Big Car
13. The Only Love
14. About Her Steps
15. Cuba
16. Love Is A Beautiful Thing