CD: Discovering the Waterfront
Artist: Silverstein
Release Date: 08/16/05
Label: Victory Records
Genre: Pop Punk/Hardcore
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Silverstein's "Discovering The Waterfront" was called "the most anticipated release in the history of our label" by Victory Records. The quintet from Burlington, Ontario easily met the expectations set by the hype of this CD. Let me first review based upon the instrumental/vocal parts of the band.
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Vocals: Shane Told shines again on this CD. His vocals change from melodic singing to brutal screaming in an instant. His vocals haven't changed too much from "When Broken Is Easily Fixed", sometimes it may seem there is a little less screaming.
Guitars: The sound that Neil Boshart and Josh Bradford put into this CD is unique. First, there's the rhythm guitar, which does exactly what it needs to do and sets the rhythm for the CD. It's very easy stuff to play and does exactly what the rhythm guitar is supposed to do. Then there's the lead guitar, which sets itself apart from everything else and really brings you in to its sound alone.
Bass: Bill Hamilton shows his talent on this CD, where the basslines can be heard very often, which very few bands tend to do these days. The bass is a huge part to this record and if it had been used with the sole purpose to follow the guitar (like so many other bands do), so many parts of this CD would have just been empty.
Drums: Paul Koehler is about equal to what he did on "WBEF" as he is here. Its not the most impressive drum stuff ever, but its still pretty complex. What's great about the drumming is that he adds things in when you wouldn't expect them, and you realize afterwards how well that really fits in there.
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Ok, so now a track-by-track review of the CD...
1. YOUR SWORD VS. MY DAGGER *5 out of 5*
This a perfect opener to the CD. The main thing you notice in this song is how everything rapidly changes. The vocals change from screaming to singing just about every five seconds, with the exception of the melodic pre-chorus and chorus parts. Also, the time signatures are jumping around all the time. The bridge is a good example of how important the bass is to the CD. An amazing opening effort.
2. SMILE IN YOUR SLEEP *5 out of 5*
The first single-type song from this CD also shows how important the bass is, starting right from the beginning of the song. The mesmerizing guitar at the end of the song sticks in your head for hours, maybe days even. The drums are pretty good on this song as well. And of course, the vocals are above par as usual. This song also doesn't get old after you listen to it multiple times.
3. THE IDES OF MARCH *4 out of 5*
Lyrically, this is probably the best song on the CD. The vocals are extraordinary on this song, maybe the best I've heard out of Shane, ever. The music isn't the best in the world, but it's pieced together so well with the vocals, that it doesn't matter.
4. FIST WRAPPED IN BLOOD *4 out of 5*
This a song where the amount of screaming fits, and maybe even more would have been welcome. The musical part isn't complex at all, but it still pulls you in to the point where you really want to listen to it. I'm glad that this song is on the CD, because it's real heavy and emotion is cradled inside of it.
5. DISCOVERING THE WATERFRONT *5 out of 5*
The title track shows a much softer, and possibly sadder, more depressed side of the band. No screaming at all, and the range is amazing. The violins on this track were arranged and performed by Sean Mackin of Yellowcard, and I must say they were arranged amazingly well. And the guitars are amazing too. This is probably the best song on the CD.
6. DEFEND YOU *3 out of 5*
The first problem you recognize with this song is that it rushes WAY too fast into the screaming and speed, coming right after a song that is relatively slow. It just doesn't fit well. The only close-to-exceptional part of this song is the bridge, which is laced with the snare drum roll in the background. Otherwise, the song is ok at best.
7. MY HEROINE *4 out of 5*
Another great lyrical idea, this time relating to drugs. Also a much slower song, just not as melancholy as the title track. The verse parts are the worst vocal performances on the whole CD, and thats not saying alot, because the vocals are still pretty good there. The guitars are the main focus in this song and, other than the vocals, are really the only interesting part of the song (the drums are boring, and this is a song where you can barely tell if the bass is there).
8. ALWAYS AND NEVER *4 out of 5*
Another heavily guitar driven song, this one being faster. The chorus is very catchy overall. The guitars and vocals seem to mimic each other in the chorus and the bass drum pulses along with the accents on guitar. The only problem, is the song may get repetative because the verses and the chorus compliment each other so well that they sound alike.
9. ALREADY DEAD *5 out of 5*
A crazy stalker song, it seems that every popcore CD needs one of them theses days. Some bands pull them off well, some don't. This song is executed perfectly. The verses are like the more open, crazy side of a stalker, seeming more angry and driven than the rest of the song. The chorus, on the other hand, is like the kind of stalker who follows kids and offers them candy. Its soft, but its more direct with the point of the song. This is song is another one of the better songs on the CD.
10. THREE HOURS BACK *4 out of 5*
The first thing you'll think when you begin to listen to this song is "This sounds nothing like the rest of the CD, it must suck". After the intro, the guitars to the song burst out, almost in a way to be like an anthem. The yells of "HEY" during the chorus definitley do sound anthemous. The bass is extremely noticable on this song as well, standing out in front of everything else.
11. CALL IT KARMA *5 out of 5*
This song is, talentwise, reminiscent of The Ides of March, being that it is another top-notch vocal performance by Shane, mixed with an amazing lyrical presence. The difference between this song and March of Ides is that the music is on a high level, especially the guitars. It gets kind of sad and emo-ish towards the end, but it makes for a perfect closing to a CD with so many mixed emotions.
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Overall, Silverstein met all the expectations of their sophmore release. It defintley topped their efforts on "When Broken Is Easily Fixed" and will made them huge competitors on both the emo and hardcore music scenes, if the album is listened to by enough fans of the genre. This band is poised for even more great things to come in their career as musicians, as it is just beginning, and this isn't a bad way to take the second step.
OVERALL: *4.5 out of 5*
