Sally forth, lads...
05/24/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"SILKWORMBLUEBLOODby Nigel CrowleyAnother radiant effort from Silkworm. I'm starting to wonder if this lot have any bad records in their oeuvre. Perhaps a children's record? They don't seem like a band who would release a children's record. Perhaps some Christmas songs.
I was instantly taken by the cover--when you fold it out, each SKWM visage is on full display. This vis-a-vis is particularly striking, as it seems they are all saying "Sod off, if you don't like it, get the new Creed record!" "Blueblood" is a more laid-back affair. It seems like it might have been recorded on a particularly jammy Sunday afternoon, with each in a Jaggery/Richardsey/Wattsey mood. The song "Redeye," complete with bluesy licks and bouncing bassline, might be the best example of the Jagger swagger contained within. Other tracks like the closer "Clean'd Me Out," afterlife lament "Pearly Gates," and "Said It Too Late (with the sorrowful lyric "The only reason that I don't die/is I won't see you on the other side...") are among the better songs on "Blueblood," each with the weariness and insight expected from Monsieur's Cohen and Midgett. I'm always tickled when Silkworm pulls out the ivories, and some delicate twinkling is done on the celestial "I Must Prepare (Tablecloth Tint)." On "Empty Elevator Shaft," drummer Michael Dahlquist and Tim Midgett trade verses, in a rather Danish barbershop duet style. Andy pulls out one of his lesser solos, and I couldn't help thinking to myself: "Is he in tune?" It sounded like bad jazz at the Hack cafe; perhaps they recorded the wrong solo. Minor gripe, I suppose, but it ruined a perfectly good song, and is certainly no credit to a lad known for his fantastic leads.I don't know that this is the best representation of Silkworm as a band, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it for someone new to them, but it is nontheless a very worthy release from an underappreciated act."
Silkworm shall not be ignored
Matt W. | tucson, az | 06/13/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Blueblood" and "Developer" have been dissed as Silkworm's lesser efforts, but that just goes to show how wrong most people are about this band. Sure, they don't appeal to everyone--they could've been like indie darlings Pavement, but instead decided to make their own path. If you bother to even notice, each SKWM album are different in subtle ways from each other. This one is a real treat. My mouth waters just listening to it. Songs like "Eff" and "Empty Elevator Shaft" are two invaluable additions to their catalog, not to mention the other very worthy tracks on the LP. Silkworm are a band that must don't understand--they're not exactly elitist, but that's what makes them so special."
