The Silver Sun Pickups

It’s been about a week or so since I posted last. Yes I know you are all on pins and needles to read what I write next. I am always looking for new bands and or acts that strike my fancy. Over the Thanksgiving weekend I took a trip down to Dallas to say hello to the family and stuff myself with all the holiday goodies I could. I survived Black Friday, and even had the time to slip into a Dallas bar and catch some music. Get a couple drinks in me and I can be quiet the chatter box. While I was sipping on my Gin and Tonic I struck up a conversation with a gentleman who looked like he just came from a cattle drive. He seemed a bit out of place, since it wasn’t a cowboy bar, and the live music didn’t have a bit of twang or slide guitar in it. He told me that he worked at a ranch just outside of the city and during the weekends, after work, he would come to Dallas and catch the local Indie bands that would play.

After a few more drinks he started talking to me about this band he had seen a few months ago called Vetiver. I had heard of them in the past, but the name was in passing and really didn’t stick in my brain. Now drunk people are not the most reliable source when it comes to music, and when someone raves about a band it usually ends up to be a disappointment when experienced first hand. I will say that he was very convincing and to my luck he was able to pass me a burned copy of Vetiver’s album To Find Me Gone. As I said my good byes to the guy, I was a bit apprehensive to listen to the thing. I thought I was going to be subjected to some southern twang that would make me want to turn my newly acquired burned CD into a Frisbee and play a little bit of urban Frisbee golf. What I found was quiet the opposite.

The album starts out with the track “Been So Long”. There is a buildup of empty feedback which leads to a drum and tambourine beat that oddly reminded me of Native American drumming. This song sets the pace for the first part of the album. It’s a light walk that isn’t rushed or trying to portray the sense of urgency or despair. Through the bulk of the album everything seems to just walk and take it’s time. The track “The Porter” serves to almost bring the album to a crawl, and reminded me of a happy folk song that was easily in the realm of Neil Young. About 30 minutes into the album nothing had crept up on me and the almost whisper like vocals were making my drive feel very pleasant, when the track “Red Lantern Girls” explodes about half way through into a almost screeching guitar part that lasts for a good two minutes before the song ends.

The album ended with “Down At El Rio” that was almost like the closing credits for the album. I was surprised after listening to the album. I had a huge smile on my face and felt like I had been taken on a ride. Though the road was not bumpy, it was enjoyable none-the-less. The album is more in the style of folk, but off beat folk that any Indie fan would not mind to give a spin. I don’t want to say that it thrilled me to the point of epic delight, but I know for a fact I will add this to my normal rotation, or pop it in for the next time I need to wind down or go on a soothing walk and listen to music. If you want to hear the album in almost it’s entirety, stop by there website/blog to give it a listen.

-Ty