Silverada
Prairie Rose, 2024
9/10
Formerly called Mike and the Moonpies, this 9th album has Silverada exploring new territory, where frontman Mike Harmeier penned most of the tunes in his home studio after a lifetime on the road.
The elegant and warm “Radio Wave” starts the listen with Harmeier’s cozy voice alongside Zachary Moulton’s glowing steel guitar, and “Anywhere But Here” follows with a crisp and melodic roots rocker, where Taylor Englert’s thumping drums suit the occasion.
Halfway through, “Stubborn Son” benefits much from swift fiddle and Omar Oyoque’s well timed bass, while “Wallflower” comes with no lack of grit for the rugged versus tuneful country rock that makes great use of Catlin Rutherford’s meticulous guitar.
“Load Out” and “Hell Bent For Leather” exit the listen. The former is a breezy, heartland moment that comes with bright storytelling and even an accordion, and the latter is an intimate moment of grace and beauty, where the setting builds into a dense and roaring landscape.
A record that explores a lot of different avenues, anthemic moments are met with twang, honky tonk fun and even arena rock loudness, as this is a captivating listening experience from a band that we should all be familiar with.
Travels well with: Reckless Kelly- American Jackpot/American Girls; The Damn Quails- Clouding Up Your City