Silkworm, Italian Platinum (Touch And Go) 9
Once upon a time Silkworm were a crunchy post-punk band that added raw drama to their indie rock (see 1994's In The West and Libertine). Then sadsack songwriter Joel Phelps departed, and seemingly took the band's heart with him. Through their next four albums, they fleshed out their sound while managing to come across as dreary and bloodless. With Italian Platinum, it seems they finally grew a new organ and the lifeblood flows once more. On nearly every song they seem more emotionally invested, with a handful of unexpected innovations that finally make them sound like more than just an Steve Albini-endorsed second cousin of Pavement. "(I Hope U) Don't Survive" features Neil Young-like guitar lines and harmonies straight from Buffalo Springfield, albeit over a bashing rhythm section reminiscent of The Jesus Lizard. "The Brain" is assisted by keyboards and female "la-bah-la-bah" backing vocals, and "White Lightning" winds up with a nice piano outro. Most surprisingly, Chicago country chanteuse Kelly Hogan takes the lead vocals on the piano-driven power ballad "Young." "A Cockfight of Feelings" ends the album with fabulous big riffs, their best effort in eight years. Settling in Chicago and into normal working life was apparently rejuvenating for the band. By ending their hard-touring, make-it-or-break-it phase, it looks like they'll be enjoying a creative renaissance much like Eleventh Dream Day.
