Silver Synthetic find the groove
This write up is as much about Luke Schneider as it is about Silver Synthetic.
Lately, a range of bands have recruited Schneider—a Nashville-based pedal steel player who balances melody and ambience—to lift their tunes into the cosmos. Whether it’s Futurebirds or Margot Price or, now, Silver Synthetic, Schneider’s sonic impression is indelible (even if he only appears on a few tracks).
Silver Synthetic photo courtesy of Curation Records.
That’s not to say New Orleans groovers Silver Synthetic haven’t crafted a solid set of songs on their new record “Rosalie.” They certainly hold up on their own—but there’s no denying that Schneider elevates the three tunes he appears on. Just cue up the record, and, within seconds of “Age of Infamy,” you’ll get a sense for what he brings to the project.
Altogether, the band has established the perfect early spring backyard hang out album. The steady syncopated up/down strumming, warm tones, and sunny melodies (about not so sunny things) create a perfect day-hang atmosphere. They played an excellent afternoon set at Goner Fest a few years ago (the first year it took place at Railgarten) and really established the tone for the rest of the day. They capture that same energy here.
The album reaches a melodic high point with “Cool Blue Night.” The intro lead part will burrow into your brain, feeling reminiscent of an intro to a 70s TV show that never aired. It’s a pretty precise groove, and it’s no wonder it was picked as the single for the record. The lyrics tell the story of someone who backslides in the midst of trying to forget about some tricky moments from their past—given the context clues, you can’t help but wonder if drinking is part of this character’s pain and problems: “And when she falls, she really falls out, you can’t get up, when you fall on your back, that’s when everything turned to black.”
The rest of “Rosalie” has plenty of high points, with nods to the Grateful Dead (“Only Time”), Thin Lizzy (“Choose a Life”), and more. Lyrically, the tunes touch on some downer themes with twinges of hope too—for instance, on the titular track, we hear about another character who finally “packed it up, he changed his scene, he’s alright.”
Thankfully, in the midst of the party crashers and social isolation, we still have Schneider’s pedal steel and Silver Synthetic’s lead riffs to make it all a little easier to digest. In the opening track, we hear that, “The end is right around the corner.” I guess at least you can cut this record on and have a good time with some friends before it arrives.
