Driving around on a warm Friday evening with the windows down is a good time to consider popping in Silvertide's newest album, "Show and Tell."
Prepare to headbang in the breeze.
"I Ain't Comin' Home" kicks off with an infectiously anthem-like intro. Lead vocalist Walt Lafty establishes himself as a much more talented Kid Rock with his raspy yowl. Guitarist Nick Perri drives the song with monster riffs.
Tracks like "Devil's Daughter" and "California Rain" reveal influences spanning the short gap from Jet to AC/DC.
"S.F.C." is an effort to explore a more aggressive sound, but the product is not a success. Combining major chords and mellow guitars with the lyrics, "They should lock you up in a padded room," and a title that's reason enough for a parental advisory label proves to be a mismatch. Perhaps the intent was irony, but somehow it just doesn't fit.
Lafty tries his hand at rhyming on "Blue Jeans," but comes up short.
"She's the kind of girl you bring home to your mother/ She looks good in blue jeans, even better under covers/ She's a devil in bed, between the sheets/ Ask her if she's a saint and she'll get down on her knees and pray," he sings.
The lead singer would be better off belting it out than trying to break it down with a southern guitar, especially when that painful chorus is repeated a few too many times.
Along another line of experimentation, "Heartstrong" sounds like a completely different band. The rough and tumble members of Silvertide must have showered before recording this lighthearted and romantic tune with lyrics like, "I'm still standing here, awkward and unaware/ My head's lost but I'm heartstrong." It's a stark contrast to the lyrics that usually refer to women as sex objects.
"Mary Jayne" is an ode to Silvertide's substance of choice. While the lyrics are shallow, the band at least sounds comfortable. Tracks like this can convince a listener that these boys were born to rock.
One of the final sides exhibited by Silvertide is a slower song entitled "Nothing Stays." The personal narrative style and laid-back rhythms give Lafty a perfect opportunity to showcase his vocal talent and leave the listener to crave more of his voice.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
