A Silent Film • Sleeping Pills
Modestly releasing this as an e-single because they ‘didn’t want to risk CDs using up space in the xtramile vaults’, A Silent Film conceal an artistic capacity which does them incredible credit. For a band that is only starting to push onto our radars they have already made considerable inroads; having played on the “BBC Introducing” stage at Glastonbury and had a live set featured in Phillip Pullman’s other film; “The Butterfly Tattoo”, a film which, as yet, is less successful than the band.
Despite the fact that it is only their debut single; taken from their debut album “The City That Sleeps” and already featured on a debut Ep “the Projectionist”, the song itself is sensational. A steady syncopated drum hounds the glockenspiel melodies, which in turn chase the keyboard, the guitar and lead singer Rob Stevenson’s amazing vocals. And what vocals they are. If I was feeling mean I might compare his wordless beautiful howls to those of Keane’s Tom Chaplin, but simply hearing their music is enough to dispel any urge to cruelty. Instead I must simply accept that the band stand apart from the rest of the spectrum of music; occupying their very own niche of good taste. I don’t know how much they will be charging for the track online, but I can guarantee you it will be worth every penny.