Reviews

Silver Sided EP Review (Words by Kel kurekgi - BBC 3 Counties Radio)

The release of a 3 track demo or EP is the promotional tool a lot of bands use to get noticed in the industry. It’s a way of getting potential fans and industry folk to listen to your best work without breaking the bank. I’ve been handed an EP from Silver Sided (who I’m sure you’ve heard on our show before) to check out and reveal to the masses whether I love it or loathe it. Whether I’d promote it or quite simply use it to clear out my cat’s litter tray…and on that weird note, let’s take a listen.

Silver Sided have definitely chosen the tracks for this EP wisely as the listener is offered every musical angle that the band have to offer. The first (and my favourite) track “More Then I Need” shows their young, fun loving routes. A great guitar riff delivered by Mr Matt Gabriel is nothing less then perfect! As soon as I hear the opening notes I immediately want to begin smiling and dancing like a sixteen year old girl, slightly tipsy at her school leavers disco. On a whole, this CD does what it’s meant to and that’s show people what they’re capable of. There is one issue I had with this EP…I want more tracks! Just one more track will do! Even though a good band is always meant to have the crowd wanting more, I did feel that it all ended a little too soon. What can I say; when it comes to music I am nothing but a perfectionist.

At the end of the day, there is no denying that this band is pure Pop. If you like bands like McFly, Scouting for Girls and The Jonas Brothers then you will LOVE (capital letters intended) Silver Sided.

Kel’s Last Words: The sound of Silver Sided is best listened to whilst driving fast (but not over the speed limit), in the sunshine, in a convertible with the top down.

NOTE: I would be able to prove this theory if I actually owned a convertible…and if it ever becomes sunny in England.

Rating: 4/5

If you have some spare time make sure you check out Silver Sided’s MySpace page. The music video of guitarist Matt repeatedly getting slapped is a treat, however watching the outtakes/behind he scenes commentary for their video “More Then I Need” is absolutely brilliant! You can view all these, check out tour dates and listen to their tracks via:
www.myspace.com/silversided2007

The Dome - Boston Music Rooms (Words by David Couchman)

Let me retire to my small type box of a room. My body is numb, I feel sick, sweat is dripping from every pore. These are my winners and this is what it means to be alive. I was in the crowd, trying to relay back just what I was feeling, trying to move them. I cannot contain a feeling such as this; this is why I love music. Forget the rules; I am nothing if a rebel, Silver Sided has me over barrel, metaphorically speaking. Music is about energy and I haven’t felt like this since I was pup, skanking in the pit to Reel Big Fish. You cannot stop; and if you do, I hate you. A simple fact for my favourite band of the Surface Unsigned Festival 08.

The Dome - Tufnell Park (Words by David Couchman)

We will raise our glasses, and lift them high because tonight could be our last night alive. Silver Sided have a passion and focus that drives their music. There is so much beneath the surface, as there always is, but then again you can only see 10% of the iceberg and I think that these guys could sink the titanic. There is no going back, they changed things.

The Horn Reborn - St. Albans (Words by Fruit-Bat)

Silver Sided may be a name familiar to you. You may have stumbled across them on Myspace, in London breaking a world record or indeed in the south -east finals of the Surface Unsigned Battle of the Bands competition. So, when I saw this name appear in the gig listings for The Horn in St. Albans, I endeavoured to go along and uncover whether the hype around this up and coming band was justified.

The Horn in St. Albans is a pub opposite the city's main train station. It is generally reported to be a pub focused more around the indie / light rock market and has it's own custom built small gigging hall attached at the back. At eight o'clock the doors open and people begin drifting in to be greeted by a rather self indulgent indie band who's name I wasn't interested in remembering. Glasses are filled and by the time Siver Sided take to the stage the room is looking reasonably busy. Shocking really considering the calibre of their predecessors on stage.

The beauty of Siver Sided is they can appeal to such a wide audience, it's music you can dance to, drive to or relax to. Light hearted fun all round, both in music and band. This is certainly reflected by the audiences reaction, inanimate to begin with the audience remain restrained for the first few minutes. However, it doesn't take long for feet to start tapping, heads start bobbing and finally the hips start shaking almost as if the music seems to carry some kind of infectious rhythmic virus, that slowly but surely, conquers and controls the nervous system until the victim cannot help themselves but dance.

Confidently, the band charge their way through the likes of "Carried Away" and "More then I Need" practically note perfect and not sounding far off the recorded version, which in my eyes is some feat! It really is rare to find a band that sound virtually as good live as they do recorded. It's also hard to find a band that are as generally affable as Silver Sided…there's some level of likeability you just cannot deny, no matter what genre you would normally associate yourself with.

The boys make an impressive live unit, visually engaging and with a sound that at least I found hard to pull away from when I had to renew my drink at the bar.

Silver Sided come highly recommended and can next be found at the Surface unsigned Finals in London on the 30th August. Not to be missed.

The Purple Turtle - Camden (Words by Dominic Nicholls)

I’ve never seen the Surface Unsigned venues come alive the way they do when Silver Sided take control of the night. And so, with an army of fans to witness their inevitable graduation through the stages of the festival, the four-piece from Hertfordshire sent the crowd into raptures with their unique brand of punk/rock. They played a repertoire that had all the hallmarks of ‘masterclass’ written all over it, with each musician given their chance to shine, each personality coming through loud and clear and the signal to all the other bands that they want this the most. They’re a class act, and you wonder who will stand in the way of them marching all the way to the finals.

The Boston Music Rooms - London (Words by Dominic Nicholls)

With a following most signed acts would be proud of, Hertfordshire four-piece Silver Sided ended the night with fireworks, storming through a set of punk rock reminiscent of Foo Fighters or even Blink 182. Oozing charisma, front man Mark Shea led the way through meticulous changes, aggressive, engrossing intros and all too catchy choruses. They crowd were the right side of berserk as they upped the ante with each tune, short numbers one and all but perfect for the occasion. Some bands can go to a secret place, high up, that can’t be peered on by mere mortals. It’s a place where They are mighty and We believe. That’s where you’ll find Silver Sided.