Silver Lakes - The Great Pretenders

Atlanta's Silver Lakes may, it seems, prove to be a force to be reckoned with. They have only been playing out since December, and their debut release has been out less than a month. However, they have already been embraced by the local music community, been featured in Paste Magazine, played at SXSW, and seen their The Great Pretenders picked up by college radio. I saw them for the first time only recently and have become increasingly enamored with their album.

Fronted by Steven Satterfield (ex-Seely), the Silver Lakes sound is a nostalgic one. The vocals are sweet and often layered, while the guitars are jangly and keyboards often front and center. One much appreciated aspect of the album is that even while it ventures into adult contemporary territory at times (e.g., "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," "The Good-Bye Girl"), it steers clear of being a simple collection of mid-tempo tunes for those bored with their Chicago and Air Supply records.

The strong and melodic opener "Be Here Now" sets the tone for the album, which is built around thoughtful lyrics and Satterfield's pop sensibilities. "Feel My Heartbeat" and "The Fool" are reminiscent of the more interesting singer-songwriters of the 1970s, even while the latter's synths recall the peak of the new wave era. The bah-dah-dum chorus and bells of "Wake Me Up" are instantly likable, while "Get Ready" sounds like an updated take on college rock anthems of the early 1990s. My personal favorite has probably been the title track -- its prominent hooks and sing-along chorus have had it stuck in my head for weeks. That would be a wee bit annoying if I didn't enjoy it quite a bit.

Silver Lakes - The Great Pretenders
Silver Lakes - Be Here Now

The Great Pretenders is available from CD Baby. For more info, check out their pagina de Myspace.