The Silos
When the Telephone Rings
(Dualtone)
First Appeared in The Music Box, October 2004, Volume 11, #10
Written by John Metzger
Despite a 19-year existence, The Silos has struggled to rise above its status
as a band with a cult-following, although the perseverance of frontman Walter
Salas-Humara is certainly something to be admired. After a brief flirtation with
major label RCA in 1990, the group nearly collapsed when co-founder Bob Rupe
departed for greener pastures, and although he eventually landed a gig with
Cracker, his partner was left with the shattered remains of an ensemble that
just couldn’t seem to build enough momentum to carry it to the next level. Now
firmly entrenched within its second life, the collective, having stabilized
around its current line-up of drummer Konrad Meissner and bass/lap steel player
Drew Glackin, is making amends. On its latest endeavor When the Telephone
Rings, the group sheds the experimentation of Heater as well as the
garage-rock emphasis of Laser Beam Next Door to reveal the type of
back-to-basics, roots-rock approach that best suits Salas-Humara’s songs. Far
from perfect, the album does slip into stereotypical staleness on the sleepy
title track, and the endless repetition of Innocent as well as the
largely forgettable The First Move don’t fare much better. However, there
are moments — such as the buoyant bounce of It’s Only Love, the
twang-filled folk of Whistled a Slow Waltz, and the percolating groove of
Holding on to Life — when The Silos strikes gold by utilizing the
emotional depth and sincerity of its heroes — most notably Robert Earl Keen,
Neil Young, R.E.M., and Alejandro Escovedo — to form a few glimmering nuggets of
its own. 
When the Telephone Rings is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004 The Music Box