Mixing the crunchy indie experimentation of
Pavement with a true-blue sunny vibe,
the Silent Kids throw a summertime backyard party and invite everyone from
Fiver to
the Mayflies USA to
Grandaddy. From the upbeat groove of "Drift into the Summer" to the noisy "The Bering Sea" and the brief, in-between atmosphere sketches like "Lost in the Petrified Forest,"
Tomorrow Waits -- like
Grandaddy's
Under the Western Freeway -- only hints at the band's potential. This Atlanta group's debut was recorded to eight-track in a home studio and originally self-released in limited quantities. But the psychedelic rock -- calling it power pop would oversimplify the sound -- was worthy of full distribution and picked up by Two Sheds Music. The record may be distinctly lo-fi, but with a love of
the Beatles and an array of Moog, organs, and tape loops (just listen to the bleeps on "A Great Leap Forward"),
the Silent Kids have established themselves and announced that they'll really make their mark with the sophomore follow-up. ~ Charles Spano