I’ve been waiting for a Sons Of Silver full-length release ever since the band first dropped their exquisite Doomsday Noises EP back in 2020. An EP I still find time to play on a regular basis, Doomsday Noises provided the perfect introduction to a band who effortlessly combine elements of hard rock, alt rock, pop, and even a little funky groove into an irresistible package. That EP was followed by 2022’s equally excellent Ordinary Sex Appeal, which once again found the band on fiery form. Fronted by the charismatic Peter Argyropoulous, and featuring guitarist Kevin Haaland (Skillet), bassist Adam Kury (Candlebox), keyboardist / engineer Brina Kabler, and drummer Marc Slutsky, Sons Of Silver absolutely stun on their debut full-length.
Runaway Emotions (surely the band’s unofficial mission statement), opens with the stabbing riff of Tell Me This, which combines the energy of Ten-era Pearl Jam with the earthen blues of the Stones, and the raw emotion of Screaming Trees. What a start! With the band firing on all cylinders, the production deftly captures the energy of the performance, the gritty authenticity immediately grabbing the attention act a time when so much music is polished into bland uniformity. It’s genuinely exciting when a band you love not only makes good on their initial promise, but further ups the ante, and Sons Of Silver have knocked it out of the park with this one.
Nor do they slacken the pace, for the grinding blues riff of Just Getting Started positively explodes. Peter once again excels behind the microphone, bringing plenty of soul to his performance, and the band respond in kind, allowing the track to build organically to an unexpectedly emotional chorus that has a melody to die for. It’s one of those tracks that’s so damn good you want to play it again before it’s even finished, a quality that Sons Of Silver seem able to summon at will. A little flourish of drums kicks off the atmospheric rock of Giving It Back, a more expansive piece that takes 1 part Pearl Jam, 1 part Cure, and 2 parts U2, mixing thoroughly to produce something that’s uniquely the band’s own, not least thanks to Peter’s instantly recognisable vocals. As warm as honey and delivered with an emotional intensity that cannot help but affect the listener, he has that indefinable quality possessed of all great singers, wherein it feels like he’s singing exclusively for you, even at the distance of listening to a recording. The band remain restrained on Running Out Of Words, which finds itself roaming the sonic expanses of Springsteen’s most evocative work – conjuring images of vast cityscapes, packed with alienated workers struggling to keep their heads above water. If that seems a little dark, it’s followed by the funky pulse of Baby Hang On, a sprightly track with some heavy blues elements, that sounds (somewhat incongruously) like Pulp and Bryan Adams jamming with Eddie Vedder. Needless to say, it’s wonderful, and it brings the first half of the album to a bright and breezy close.
Despite its ethereal title, Ghosts announces the arrival of side two with considerable energy, Brina’s Wendy Carlos keys giving way to chugging riffs and a chorus that just won’t quit. The heartbeat pulse of Nobody Minds builds a sense of tension only relieved by a soaring chorus that recalls the life affirming majesty of Manic Street Preachers circa A Design For Life, not least in the way the keyboards add additional textures to the melodies. It’s a perfect example of the band’s ability to juggle dark lyrics with incredibly effective melodies, and it’s just one of the elements that will keep you coming back to this album time and time again.
As befitting its title, the nervy riffing of Warning Signs has a punky energy reminiscent of Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy set, and it races past in under three minutes, the band sprinting for the finish line as the guitars pile up behind. Brina’s dark synths return to the fore on the lengthy Hold Tight, a darker exploration of the world today, which finds the band employing progressive textures as the Peter warns of ordinary people “paying the price for speaking our minds in a land so unforgiving”. One of the album’s most compelling songs, it highlights the diversity of the band’s sonic palette but, while it tips into a darker arena, hope remains as Peter reminds us that we’re never alone. With a certain lingering unease remaining in the wake of Hold Tight, Friends provides the emotional pay off, as Peter takes stock of the world he now inhabits. Backed solely by Brina’s keys, he urges us to hold on to our friends and family as the chaos rages around us. It’s a powerful ending and, if not the one that you might expect, it’s surely the conclusion this excellent album deserves.
Sons Of Silver are a diverse and exciting rock band whose primary remit is ‘simply’ to write great songs. Driven by Peter’s intelligent lyrics, and given life by Brina’s skills as an engineer, Runaway Emotions covers a great deal of ground over the course of ten songs, from the hedonistic pulse of Just Getting Started to the world-weary, but undefeated beauty of Friends. Emotionally honest and musically engaging, it is the album that fans have surely been waiting for and, hard to believe as it is, it exceeds all possible hopes. Sons Of Silver are that most special of entities – an unpretentious rock band who play from the heart – and, in an era of artifice, their debut album is welcome indeed. 9.5/10
Listen to the band’s previously released songs now:
Catch the band on tour with Myles Kennedy and Tim Montana: in January – February 2025
January 17 in Joliet, IL at The Forge
January 18 in Minneapolis, MN at Varsity Theater
January 21 in Flint, MI at The Machine Shop
January 22 in Toronto, ON at The Concert Hall
January 25 in Glenside, PA at Keswick Theatre
January 27 in Boston, MA at Brighton Music Hall
January 28 in Asbury Park, NJ at The Stone Pony
January 30 in Baltimore, MD at Baltimore Soundstage
January 31 in Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
February 2 in Nashville, TN at Brooklyn Bowl
February 3 in Atlanta, GA at Variety Playhouse
February 5 in Destin, FL at Club LA
February 7 in San Antonio, TX at Vibes Event Center
February 8 in Dallas, TX at Echo Lounge & Music Hall
February 11 in Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
February 12 in Denver, CO at Summit
February 14 in Mesa, AZ at The Nile Theater
February 16 in Los Angeles, CA at El Rey Theatre
February 18 in Sacramento, CA at Ace of Spades
February 20 in Seattle, WA at The Neptune
February 21 in Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
