REVIEW: The Silver Factory - If Words Could Kill

I like a number of things about Leicester band The Silver Factory, including their impeccable jangly guitar sound and their excellent pop songcraft.  But more broadly, I'm also impressed that Fran Feely and his collaborators are comfortable enough in their own artistic skins, and sufficiently confident in their vision, that they don't feel the need to invent some new twist to the retro style they've chosen.  The Silver Factory embraces and honors its influences writing and playing their own songs as they would have been played in the '60s, in the C86 era, or in the early Stone Roses sessions.  And it all is on display on the delightful If Words Could Kill, out now on Elefant Records.  Here is the title track --


The band was formed in 2008, and the current members are Marc Johnston, Matt Vinall, Fran Feely, Luke Headland and Paul Hobbs.  In October 2011, they released a four-track EP titled The Sun Shines Over You.  The title track was a perfectly executed bit of jangle pop.  It is revisited for the final track of If Words Could Kill as a sitar instrumental.

In seven tracks, The Silver Factory succeed in echoing the finest touches of their influences, from the country jangle of The Byrds, to the brit blues of The Yardbirds, to the idiosyncratic indie guitar of The Kinks, to psychedelia of The Beatles.  Listen to the perfect jangle pop of the opening track, "Come Down Cherry" --


"Flowers on the Scene" --

So I spoke to you and then you smiled

And then you took me by the hand and led me to a darkened room

It hardly came as no surprise when I, I realised

Things are not what they seem

You and me we’re falling apart at the seams

Things are not what they seem

Things are not what they seem

It came as no surprise

When I realised, that I caught your eye

I caught your eye

"I Am The Sign" provided a bit of California country rock --


Apparently the decision to include only seven tracks reflects the label's support of the 10" vinyl format.   While those of us who already are fans of the band naturally crave more, the underlying rationale is reasonable.  Moreover, you can be assured that this album contains no filler tracks.  Each song could stand on its own as a single, and that is the mark of an album to cherish.

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