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Track Listing:
1. Hunting Eyes
2. Mr. Martin Pincher
3. A Glimpse Of Lightning
4. The Golden Pathway
5. I am Cain
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A Glimpse Of Lightning EP 2009 SoundPeople Records
Track Listing: |
A Glimpse of Lightning Reviews:
No Title Magazine, Ben Barltrop
The Bunker
Vibrations Magazin, Adam Sewell
Leeds Music Scene, Leslie Jackson
Lyrically dark and musically busy, A Glimpse of Lightning is packed full of werewolves, ill health and that mysterious, half-glimpsed thing only seen in reflections. Silverlode have worked with Andy Hawkins of The Pigeon Detectives to pour the finishing gloss over this EP, which weaves in unexpected ways through an unusual crack at pop rock. Music of an oddball nature, it is by no means predictable or conventional, adding that extra thrill and excitement to the creativity of the tracks. Ghoul-like vocals and guitars which scream with fright and angst suggest that this is the result of many a night in, watching old horror flicks with the curtains drawn from under the roof of a darkened house high up in the hills. So go into those hills with your pitchforks and your torches, find that Glimpse of Lightning that is Silverlode and feast your ears upon them. I dare thee...
Coming from Leeds, Silverlode are an unsung part of the city's bustling music scene who have been putting out records since the halfway point of the decade. They offer dark indie in a similar vein to British Sea Power and fellow Leeds chaps I Like Trains. EP title track A Glimpse Of Lightning possesses distant echoes of Devo and there's plenty of audible influences from British bands of the 60's and 70's in Mr. Martin Pincher and EP closer I Am Cain. The EP is due out on 1st June and will be preceded by a remixes version of the record featuring re-workings of the songs by Forward Russia and Vessels. Not an instant hit but a grower, getting better and better with each listen. A hidden golden nugget.
The latest offering from one of the most original groups in Leeds really shows the different sides of a band that, by their own admission, don’t fit in to the Mainstream city scene. From the beautifully melodic and delicate 'The Golden Pathway', through the Zeppelin-esque story telling folk meander of 'I Am Cain', to the pounding anthem of title track 'A Glimpse of Lightning', each has it's own magic. The poetry of the vocals coupled with a fine arrangement of instruments shows real attention to detail and a depth of knowledge that most local bands couldn't dream of. The seemingly Kinks-inspired 'Mr Martin Pincher' is a stand out track of rolling sixties bouncy folk pop, whilst the punchy bassline and up-tempo chorus of 'Hunting Eyes' proves that Silverlode can handle a rockier number as well. Silverlode will never be trendy in the pure NME sense of the word. But with so many strings to their bow, that's easy to ignore.
Silverlode's new EP 'A Glimpse of Lightening' is a bit like learning to like olives or appreciate a complicated wine. It might taste a bit funny at the beginning but after a few more mouthfuls, the flavour really starts to grow on you. The same can be said of the five songs of this Leeds based quartet as, with the first play, it doesn't quite make sense, but after a few more listens you'll find yourself hitting the repeat button for more. We are given a strong start with the EP's opener, 'Hunting Eyes' as the tone of the next five songs is set with a quick-paced, guitar-based indie-pop song, with a dramatic vocal edge. What makes them more interesting is that they are not singing about problems with their girlfriends or a nasty hangover, but rather with more a dramatic and sometimes murderous undertone. 'Hunting Eyes' is a nicely constructed song and being the EP's longest, gives it more time to establish strong rhythmic patterns that build up to some fancy guitar work that makes your head wobble from side to side in glee. The strongest songs seem to have odd numbers, as well as another oddness that you cannot always put your finger on. 'A Glimpse of Lightening' begins with a satisfying baseline and tone of lyrics, which introduces a strong melody with a dramatic twist and lyrics that at first appear to be about a cold, but are actually much darker after a deeper listen. However, Silverlode have left the best until last as they leave the listener with a big dollop of melodrama, with 'I am Cain.' This song veers from a quick tambourine pace to being darkly barmy as the voice declares, "Oh, you wicked child!" This band, who appear to be made up of four gentlemanly musicians, have produced an interesting and darkly fun EP that has been slickly polished by the producer of the Pigeon Detectives, Andy Hawkins. Definitely a band to look out for in your record shop and live.