After nearly 10 records – a collection of studio LPs, EPs and live albums – the Austin-based Americana band Mike and the Moonpies have made the surprising decision to rechristen themselves Silverada. And as their latest self-titled LP shows, they clearly sound like they have something to prove. Across 10 tracks, the band turns in some of their best songs yet, with the songwriting in particular showing more depth than ever before. And that is more than just a coincidence.
“We spent the first part of our career figuring out who we are and what we’re good at,” says singer and songwriter Mike Harmeier. “Now we want to evolve not only the sound of the band, but the dynamic of the live show, too. We’re all lifers here. We’re in this for the long haul. Silverada is us setting the stage for the next leg of the journey.”
Songs like “Stubborn Son,” with some truly inspiring lines, and “Stay By My Side,” with strong Willie Nelson vibes, show they are ready for a bigger audience. The focus of that latter song may be cliché, singing about being homesick while out on the road, but it comes across in a refreshing new light here. The band plays a steady cadence while Harmeier rolls out the lyrics in an almost road-weary delivery, but those lyrics are impressive in their uniqueness – avoiding the obvious formulaic writing. “Anywhere But Here” takes a polar opposite view of being on the road, this time singing about being free and able to go anywhere you want.
“Something I’m Working On” sounds like an ‘everyone on the dance hall floor’ classic, while “Wallflower,” with its driving intensity, sounds like nothing the band has ever recorded before – complete with horns and influences more rooted in rock than country. The album opens and closes on two delicate mellower tracks – “Radio Wave” and “Hell Bent For Leather” – perfectly bookending the band’s most ambitious album so far. It may have taken more than 15 years for the group to finally find their sounds – with some admittedly fun detours along the way – but with this self-titled effort, they seem to be on the right path.
