Following on from the release of their first two singles Wolf and Shaker, Melbourne psych supergroup, The Silversound have released their first album, the self-titled The Silversound.
Whilst this may be a debut album, the members of this collective have lent their many talents to numerous projects, including playing with some of the icons of the Australian music scene; from Paul Kelly to Rebecca’s Empire, Kim Salmon to Dave Graney, Tim Rogers to Lisa Miller, toured the world and recorded a plethora of albums over the last three decades. Shane O’Mara, maestro guitarist, has played/recorded with Paul Kelly, Tim Rogers, Lisa Miller, Rob Snarski, Chris Wilson and many more. Andrew Tanner (vocals, guitar) is a founding member of Seven Stories and with Leroy Cope (drums) key member of psyche band Sand Pebbles and The Woodland Hunters. Multi-instrumentalist Stu Thomas (bass) is a member of Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, Dave Graney & the Mistly, and he fronts his voodoo surf band The Stu Thomas Paradox. All masters of their craft, they coalesce perfectly as The Silversound.
The album is a mix of 10 superbly-crafted songs. If you were to put the 13th Floor Elevators, Pink Floyd, a little bit of The Beatles and a little bit of Kula Shaker into a blender and turn it on slow, then you would more than likely end up with The Silversound.
The album starts with a six and a half minute slow-burner, Sunn Raga, a trippy nod to the sound of Sgt. Peppers-era Beatles, which then gives way to the hugely fuzzed-up, funked-up first single, Shaker (reviewed here).
Low Sound and (((on))) are both fantastically mesmeric anthems, and firmly establish the band’s credentials as genuinely masterful psychedelic song-writers. Second single from the album, Wolf (reviewed here) provides an edgy moment as the shortest song on the album at four minutes and fifty-five seconds.
Wave follows up Wolf with seven and a half minutes of deliciously melodic respite, with sitar and bongos interweaving throughout, along with a delectably reverbed guitar providing great texture to the otherwise soothing vibes.
One of the many great things about this album is the length of the tracks. The band have obviously taken what pleases them musically and allowed this to fully materialize into the album we have before us. There are none of the usual constraints to produce radio-friendly songs here, and the songs are given plenty of space to develop into the near-masterpieces they are.
Rider is the prime example of this, and is the albums epic centrepiece. A tour-de-force, this is thirteen minutes of lysergic goodness in the vein of Floyd’s Comfortably Numb or The Doors LA Woman.
The Silversound is an album for the ages, and is a grand opening for this road-hardened collective of Australian music scene fringe identities. Whilst the title of supergroup may not sit that well with the band, the fact is that this is a super album from a super band. A must buy for any serious music lover.
The album is released on Cheersquad Records, and can be purchased here.
Feature Photo: As Supplied
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