The Silos - Come On Like The Fast Lane Album Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Silos
Come On Like The Fast Lane
Blue Rose
Album Review

The Silos are one of the prototypical Americana rock-soul bands, an organic hard-edged songwriting band that paved the way for so many - Centro-matic, Drive By Truckers, Two Cow Garage. It was a shock to many when bass player Drew Glackin died suddenly in early January - an unknown thyroid condition leading to severe heart damage.

Many bands that play the music they love, rather than playing music that sells, operate at the margins, and donations of any size are being requested towards funeral costs at thesilos.net. Come On Like The Fast Lane is the band's best in their 20 year career - sounding like early REM mixed with some American punk like Television: energetic, hard-edged guitar-based rock.

The song ideas never outstay their welcome - Walter Salas-Humara has never written tighter songs, or more accessible rock, like Wilco on a good day, or Elvis Costello when he didn't have to try so hard. There is a razor edge of humour, no over-reaching Stipe-like preaching, just a good gritty worldview and subjects that are within reach. Come On Like The Fast Lane will never change the world, but it is as unpretentious and as natural as they come.

4/5

Mike Rea