Review Summary: Probably the best 20 mins of music you'll hear this month
Silverstein have been going quite a while now. Since their debut release of 'When Broken is easily Fixed' back in 2004 they showed us all they were a talented group with frontman Shane Told doing all the vocals (both singing and screaming) and following it up with 'Discovering the Waterfront' in 2005, which is still classed by many to be their best album to date. This release may change that view.
Fast forward 8 years and now we have their 6th studio album 'Short Songs'. After 'Rescue' is was hard to see where the Canadian group could go. They could either keep making the same music and blend in with the many post-hardcore groups out there or do something completely different, thankfully they did the later.
Short Songs has 11 original Silverstein songs and 11 covers of the songs that have influenced them from bands such as Green Day, Dead Kennedys, NOFX, Orchid (which they have covered surprisingly well) and many others. Each song is less than 90 seconds long with the album lasting 20 minutes. Fans buying this may think they are being short changed buying this for 20 minutes but believe me these 20 minutes are worth every cent/penny.
Most of the short songs have a fast paced punk rock vibe, but there is also a ballad, sing alongs and a variety of different genres involved here.
You may not notice but on the title song 'short songs', the following artists contributed: Chris #2 (Anti-Flag), Nick Diener (The Swellers), Chris Hannah (Propagandhi), Mike Hranica (The Devil Wears Prada), Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), Paul Rousseau (Burst & Bloom), Jimmy Stadt (Polar Bear Club), Daniel Tremblay (I am Committing a Sin), Scott Wade (ex-Comeback Kid). It is virtually impossible to recognise each vocalist as they all sing 'short songs' back and forth to one another.
Liam Cormier (Cancer Bats) is the other guest vocalist peforming on the song 'xOn Our Kneesx'.
If you love punk rock you will love this. Even if you don't give this a try, you won't regret it.
