Silo the Huskie - Sons Of Columbus

  by Andrew Carver

published: 3 / 3 / 2004

---

Review

By a strange coincidence, Silo The Huskie’s new album 'Sons of Columbus' landed in my mailbox at about the same time Drive By Truckers’ 'Decoration Day' and the Wrens’ 'Meadowlands'. They seem to be the product of a similar type of rock’n’roll band: They’ve been going for a little while, have released a few albums, the members are starting up families and aren’t quitting their day jobs any time soon — but they still love music too much to give it up. As the chorus of 'Four and Twenty' goes “All the kids are dumbing down/ And the drummer just bought a house”. All three bands like a lot of guitar noise, and sing about the rock’n’roll lifestyle and their failure to make a career in music is a going concern ('Pete Way' is another tune that dwells on success in the musical world, and the lack of it). Silo The Huskie like their overdrive, and use it to almost atmospheric effect; it’s a thick wash of sound in 'Northern Southern'. While 'Sons of Columbus' rocks, it’s definitely a post-1980s kind of rock, one that couldn’t exist without bands like Husker Du. Strangely enough, both the Wrens and the Drive By Truckers have won deserved acclaim from the critics (had I obtained it back in 2003, 'Meadowlands' would certainly have headed up my Top 10). Silo The Huskie aren’t either the Wrens or the Truckers (though they share a lyrical interest in working class pride with the latter), and  'Sons of Columbus' isn’t as immediately winning as those two albums, being less self-conscious about melody, but it’s as strong in the stretch.

Track Listing:-

1 When to Run
2 Northern Southern
3 Pete Way
4 Four and Twenty
5 DCG
6 Called Flier
7 Yellow Freight
8 Argentina
9 Rome
10 Everywhere Snakes
11 Born to Sell Insurance
12 We Work