Album Review

The Silent Years – Taking Drugs At The Amusement Park

• 7th Oct 2009

The vast geographical nature of the United States allows for bands to grow and mature before being subjected to the intense media spotlight of the UK music press. For the coming year one such name may be Detroit based band The Silent Years who release new single ‘Taking Drugs at the Amusement Park’ two weeks before the new album ‘The Globe’.

The track is an intriguing slice of American indie rock that will tantalise listeners with the promise of what the album may hold. Partly experimental, partly rousing anthem the song grows like a Mexican wave from its almost minuscule beginnings into a head-banging conclusion. Moving forward the band will undoubtedly be tarred with the Arcade Fire brush, amongst others. If comparisons are to be drawn it will have to be with the euphoric Funeral album and not the overblown rubbish of Neon Bible. Musical euphoria is hard to capture, but on this track The Silent Years have what it takes to ignite the soul of the listener. Anchored by a thumping bass line that will have heads nodding nationwide, lead singer Josh Epstein seems almost relived when his Ginsbergian howl comes to conclude a genuine slice of indie rock gold.