Three years after their acclaimed album Swoon, The Silversun Pickups are aiming for new heights with their latest work, Neck of the Woods. The album is set for a May 8 release on independent label Dangerbird Records.
The Los Angeles based quartet, featuring the vocals and guitar work of Brian Aubert, bassist Nikki Monninger, drummer Christopher Guanlao, and keyboards by Jon Lester, was recorded in Topanga Valley, California. With acclaimed producer Jacknife Lee (Snow Patrol, U2, R.E.M.) at the helm, the band has shifted from their more traditional, heavily-layered distortion guitars to a much more electronic sound.
Much of the album’s lyrics and sonic imagery deal with loss. The feeling of loneliness is particularly prevalent, with tracks such as “The Pit,” with Aubert whispering “we can talk about it later/but I think you’ve given in”.
Particularly astonishing is the individual musicianship of each member of the band. Monninger and Aubert complement each element perfectly, with Guanlao and Lester providing interesting and complex drums and samples.
The band will be touring North America in support of the record. The shift in sound, however, will not alienate old fans or hinder new ones from joining in the fun either.
Trial track: “Mean Spirts”
