‘Dad’s Weird Dream’ is the third studio album to be released by Silver Sun. With a distinct American happy go likely indie college rock sound that should appeal to those frightened off by Green Day; it’s interesting to learn that these guys are actually from England. And they’ve already earned a reputation as being fine purveyors of up beat teenage power pop.
The tone and tempo of the album are mapped out from the start with the harmonized fast paced fun rock of ‘Hi Scorpia’. Oozing with happy go lucky good time sing along melodies, this is what Silver Sun are all about and it’s easy to appreciate their appeal. However, it could also be their undoing.
There are thirteen tracks on this album condensed into a rather short thirty eight minutes. And all but one follows the same tidy and repetitive formula to the point of annoyance. The result being that there is virtually no development or progression. Silver Sun speak of love, life and experience, but something gets lost along the way and it fails to ring true on several levels. Their constant idyllic optimism wears thin after a while and is so fiercely persistent that the music melts into one big forgettable blur of self contentment. Making it hard to distinguish between one song and the next and when they’re being sincere or otherwise. There are brief moments scattered throughout (such as the guitar solo in ‘Rock N Roll Window’, the initial thoughtfulness of ‘Getting It Together In The Country’ and the rocky intro to ‘You Can Love’) when it sounds like one of the band has had enough and is going to break free on his own and unleash an as yet unseen fiery side to Silver Sun. But no sooner than that thought is processed and the moment is lost.
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The only song to vary from this firmly established formula is the album’s title track, which coincidentally is the longest track on ‘Dad’s Weird Dream’ and the one that closes it. Taking a departure from their signature sound, ‘Dad’s Weird Dream’ is composed entirely of acoustic guitar and although not amazingly inventive, there are no vocals, harmonizing or wear you down melodies to get in the way. It’s at this point that you realize that this is the first song you ‘listened to’ in over half an hour and the one that you’re most likely to remember.
There’s also the occasional odd, yet strangely endearing moments when Silver Sun juxtapose references to London alongside their all American sound. ‘See Me In My Dreams’ talks of the northern line and ‘Sunday Girl’ a pub called the Star and Garter and Southsea pier. Quirky they might be, but there’s something about it that just doesn't quite sit right.
They could be described as a hyperactive UK version of Weezer, but that's a bit lazy. They mean well and are good at what they do, but unfortunately going on this album alone they only seem to know how to do one thing and regrettably this isn't enough.
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