I was a bit skeptical when I discovered I was to review Silage, as I was not impressed to supersonic joy with their debut album, Watusi. It was comical at first, but many of their songs were out-right repetitive at times. Even starting with a bad bias, Silage's sophomore release, Vegas Car Chasers, blew my mind.
You need to run, not walk, to your nearest music store, and buy multiple copies to share with your friends. For those of you who like your music to have balance and consistency, this stuff rocks. The voices flow in harmony, and the songs have consistent rhythm.
Vegas Car Chasers starts out with a song called 'Original' in which they critique people that accuse Christian bands of lacking originality. Silage is defending Christian bands because the majority is striving for unique and fresh sounds, but it's easier said than done. Their second song, 'Yo Tengo,' uses the words "Jazz Super Stereophonic" as a colorful metaphor for the concept of joy in a Christian's life. Silage apparently gets hyped when they hear jazz. 'Billboards' is about Silage's concern for the lost that hear too much "fire and brimstone" from their Christian contacts, and not enough about the full love of Jesus Christ.
Silage is still a punk band, but they've matured a lot in this sophomore release. There is a variety of musical styles in this new album from a bit of rap to a taste of ska. The theme of Vegas Car Chasers is the idea that we get so caught up in following society's trends, fads and priorities (such as money, fame, and happiness) that we forget about Paul's exhortation in Romans 12:2 when he wrote, "Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #74Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovern"This hasn't been done before!" So states the first track, "Original," a poke at the whole originality debate that, depending on your viewpoint, plagues the Christian market. While the band's early work were all about ska-influenced rock, this record has less ska, more rap, and it's all rock & roll to me. A lot of the rap comes across similarly to bands like 311, and all amid bass lines that are…The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Stacey Lee FeldmanSometimes it's hard for bands whose debut album was well-received to break the sophomore jinx, in that the second project fails to top the first. Well, Silage doesn't have to worry about that. Though different stylistically, their latest album, Vegas Car Chasers, is impressive and shows that this little band has grown leaps and bounds since first breaking into the scene. I was immediately wowed…Similar sounding releases
2001IncubusMorning View
2004PaulsonVariations
2000SundryThe Toughest No-Brainer Yet
2002AudioslaveAudioslave
1999Audio AdrenalineUnderdog
1998Dear EphesusThe Absent Sounds Of Me
