Silver Sun - Disappear Here (Invisible Hands Records) By Nick Quantrill

Back in the days of Brit Pop, when guitar bands desperately aped Oasis, one band was bucking this trend by trying to assert some individuality and kick back against the corporate sea of mediocrity. Despite several chart-hits and an ever growing live following, Silver Sun were amongst the sacrificial lambs dropped by their labels. Six years after the band's second album, Neo Wave, Silver Sun return to duty with Disappear Here.

Disappear Here contains a sound not too dissimilar from the self-titled first album whilst showing evidence of some growth both musically and lyrically. A mini pop-masterpiece, Silver Sun fused together the high energy and riffs of pop-punk bands like Ash and Green Day, complex three part harmonies similar to The Beach Boys and the delivery of possibly the finest ever pop-punkers, The Undertones.

If you prefer, it's McFly for adults. Whilst the slightly overlong Neo Wave contained all the necessary Silver Sun trademarks, the band were maybe trying to be too much, too soon. Excessive production techniques and internal difficulties led to a slightly disappointing listen that didn't connect with the fanbase in the same way that the debut album did.

In contrast, Disappear Here is an album that is built to be enjoyed in the classic Silver Sun style. This is how pop music should be made; ten tracks and it's all over in exactly thirty minutes as the band adhere to the three-minute template of the perfect pop record.

It's impossible not to get that adrenalin rush you get from hearing boisterous guitar pop catchier than a dose of chicken pox. You just can't help but to want to dance to this record. Nowhere is this more evident than on the first single taken from the album, Bubblegum. As the album opener this sets out the Silver Sun manifesto in three perfect minutes. The guitars crunch gloriously, while the melodies forcefully implant themselves in your brain. By the time the na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na section kicks in it's sugar-coated power-pop heaven.

It is arguable that for the band to really make the leap into the big time, a little more variety might be needed. Whilst it is undeniable that front-man James Broad knows how to craft a classic pop number, as evidenced on the uber-pop of Jody and Garlic, presenting these ideas with a little more variety seems to be more of a challenge.

Although this gives Silver Sun a very distinct and recognisable sound, at times this makes the album a little too black and white. A clever running order adds depth and helps the album sound a little greyer while repeated play brings out subtleties in the material, as does the clever use of instruments you don't expect to hear like a chunky organ and a saxophone. The clever use of crowd samples also helps to give the album a sense of structure.

The slower Can't Get You Of My Head cuts between the fast paced Lies and the Undertones inspired Found You In A Dream, while the excellent slow-paced number, She Wants A Puppy, She'll Have A Puppy works well as the penultimate song and adds some variety before the album closes with the aptly named You Can't Kill Rock & Roll. However, at thirty minutes you're never in danger of being bored by the record.

Hopefully the world will be ready this time around for Silver Sun's brand of high energy power-pop and this album will see the band back in the spot-light in 2005. As James Broad advises in the sleeve-notes, the way to enjoy this? - play it loud.

This album is available for a limited period only through the Silver Sun website before its national release in February 2005. For more information go to: Website: www.silver-sun.co.uk

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