CD Reviews for 03/01/07 – The Silos

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The Silos
Come On Like the Fast Lane
Bloodshot Records BS137

An art rock collective on the trendy New York City scene that had much wallop as it did groove was the quick and dirty on The Silos when starting out in the mid-to-late 1980s. Led by the duo of Walter Salas-Humara and Bob Rupe, the band would strike big commercial success thanks to the 1987 album Cuba and video for the song “Tennessee Fire” from the longplayer. It helped score a major label deal with RCA Records label which would last for several records until returning to the indie ranks in satisfying style with the 1992 release Hasta La Victoria. An album noteworthy as much for Rupe’s departure as it was for it roots rock leanings, Salas-Humara now captained the Silos collective. By 2001 and the release Laser Beam Next Store, Salas-Humara had cut shrunk the band to a power trio. With the duo of Drew Glackin on guitars and bass and Konrad Meissner’s muscular percussion work, The Silos have remained in the trio configuration tightening their sound more and more with subsequent releases. With the band’s debut for Bloodshot Records called Come On Like the Fast Lane, never has the democratic process been more evident. While Salas-Humara still writes all the songs and handles all lead vocals, the mark of consistency that separates the great bands from the chaff is all over Come On Like the Fast Lane. Top flight musicianship, thought-provoking songs that stick in the craw possessing as much melody as muscle, Come On Like the Fast Lane comes on more like real good gangbusters. (Bloodshot Records, 3039 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60618, or www.bloodshotrecords.com)

(Dan Ferguson is a free-lance music writer and host of The Boudin Barndance, broadcast Thursday nights from 6 – 9 pm on WRIU-FM 90.3. He lives in Peace Dale and can be reached at [email protected].)<...