The hopeful opening of “Carnavas” puts listeners into a good mood. The fact that Silversun Pickups play such an interesting brand of indie rock should keep listeners in that mood. The fuzz present on the guitars is unnatural, but Silversun Pickups can couch it in a compelling way. During tracks when this type of distortion is present, such as “Melatonin”, the guitars (and distortion) are the key emotional force on the track, even more so than the vocals present. “Well Thought Out Twinkles” recalls the days of early Soundgarden, while the vocals parallel acts like Smashing Pumpkins, The Breeders, and the like. The band creates a vibrant new style out of genres that have unfortunately few follows at this given time. The fact that Silversun Pickups are so authoritative and confident during this album will bring in listeners in droves.
The band knows that they are talent, and create arrangements that are free from even the smallest doubt. Silversun Pickups do not need to open things up and rock out for fans to accept them. During the opening of tracks like “Checkered Floor”, Silversun Pickups create a very slow rise in tempo that becomes a force to be reckoned with by the end of the track. However, the arrangements present on this track are diverse, with a number of different bits and pieces littering the way to the chorus. The band easily achieves the same fury and hard-hitting sound of previous tracks, but there are nods back to the more sedate style that opened up the track.
Each of the songs on “Carnavas” could be a radio single; while the early nineties are not what are currently being pushed, Silversun Pickups tries their best to show that the style still has some serious merit to it. The band can easily enter breakdowns that parallel in density those created by acts like Samiam and Sunny Day Real Estate; there are just so many things to listen to during “Carnavas” that it may just take 10 or 15 listens to get everything that the band has put onto the disc. The band has continued to grow since their “Pikul” EP; I for one would like to know exactly how the band continues to further their sound with subsequent EPs and LPs. I have no doubt that the band can stick around for years to come, so here’s to hearing more from them.
Top Tracks: Checkered Floor, Little Lover’s So Polite
Rating: 6.7/10
[JMcQ]
Silversun Pickups – Carnavas / 2006 Dangerbird / 11 Tracks / http://www.silversunpickups.com / http://www.dangerbirdrecords.com / Reviewed 12 August 2006