Silent Running - Follow The Light (Album Review)
Silent Running is a name that might be familiar to readers with a long memory. The Northern Irish rockers released their debut record ‘Shades Of Liberty’ on EMI in 1984 before moving to Atlantic for two further albums. The guys maintained a busy touring schedule that included shows with Talk Talk, Simple Minds, John Foxx and Robert Palmer and even appeared on The Tube (an iconic TV show that was incredibly influential at the time). Unfortunately, major success eluded them and the band called it a day in 1989. It looked like the Silent Running story was over, but after a thirty-year hiatus, the guys thought it might be fun to play a few songs at a band member’s wife’s birthday party. The birthday party would lead to a sold-out show at Belfast’s Voodoo, and now Silent Running are back with a fourth album, ‘Follow The Light’ to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the band.
Original members Richard Collett (bass), Peter Gamble (vocals) and guitarist Tony Scott were joined by Gary Kirby on drums and Paul Rocks on keyboards for the recording of ‘Follow The Light’ at Novatech studios in Belfast. Coincidentally, the studio in which the band recorded their demos back in the 1980s. The results are impressive with opener ‘Live Right Now’ fairly careering out of the speakers as pulsating keys compliment crunchy guitars over a busy rhythm section drawing comparisons to Scottish rockers Gun circa ‘Taking On The World’. Throw in a catchy chorus, nicely judged shouty backing vocals and we’re off to a great start. Next Up ‘Darkest Hour’ (all proceeds from this track go to the Red Cross effort in Ukraine) continues the anthemic approach with bass and especially Gary Kirby’s drums to the fore (the rhythm section is as upfront here as I've heard in a long time). ‘Beyond Your Wildest Dreams’ ups the ante for singalong status via the tried and trusted NaNaNa vocal refrain before, in time honoured tradition, the band dial it back a little for track four, the title track, adding acoustic guitars and some nicely placed backing vocals.
By this point in the album, Silent Running are on a roll. The guys have a way with a hook, know their way around a middle-eight and have an excellent singer in Peter Gamble. The strength of their approach lies in the arrangements. The rhythm section of Collett and Kirby are the bedrock but keep busy finding room to express themselves by embellishing Tony Scott’s insistent guitar lines while keyboardist Paul Rocks layers all manner of keyboard sounds from pulsating synths to swirling organ. The band is as adept at balls-to-the-wall rockers such as the pounding ‘Shadowland’ as they are the more reflective ‘Swansong’ or the driving intensity of ‘Wildfire’.
Fans of Silent Running will hardly need me to tell them 'Follow The Light' is an excellent record. Alternatively, if you are unfamiliar with the band, ‘Follow The Light’ will sit comfortably, and compare favourably with Gun, Simple Minds, U2, Then Jerico and Inxs in your collection.
Follow The Light is released on July 22nd 2022 via Door Records
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