This band is at the point where their next songs feel more like “Silent Lions” songs. Yes, that is the band’s name and they obviously have a bunch of songs under said-name, but those air-quotes are necessary. After two years of less-distracted collaboration in bands like Mind Fish, Gold and Bikini Babes, it’s only now, working on a proper full length follow up to their 2012 The Parliament EP, that the duo feel like a “real” band.
Last year, this local duo, Dean Tartaglia and Matt Klein, were splitting tenures between more bands than they had instruments—which says something considering they employ synthesizer, sampler, saxophone, plenty of effects pedals, drum-kit, two mics and a bass.
Why so much equipment?
“Probably that idea of two-pieces sounding wimpy live,” says Tartaglia, who mostly croons over a muddy octave bass. “The Parliament EP’s songs are so different, I really do need a different pedal for each. “The band also employs “dual-amp, control switching stuff,” which fires some fuzz into their signature sound—a zig-zag path that connects Depeche Mode to Nirvana, PJ Harvey to John Bonham, even some irresistible Cure kicks to starker thrums of a Sunny Day Real Estate.
How do you write without genre?
Silent Lions write most of their songs on piano. “On piano, there’s no genre at first, just a skeleton,” Tartaglia said. When they set it down in the studio, it formulates: “Oh, this is kinda hip-hoppy or like psych-pop.” Parliaments producer Zach Shipps suggested they ditch guitars entirely on their full-length. “From that point,” says Tartaglia, “the production-doors swung wide open, from just making a ‘rock’ record to making whatever we wanted. “Guitars are inescapably synonymous with rock music, but with Silent Lions, “rock” is more of an ethos, exuded particularly via their live set. On stage, they’re a rock band, but on record, their experimentalists in genre. “That’s our charm,” Tartaglia quips.
Tartaglia and Klein have been playing around Toledo’s scene long enough to now self-reliantly assign themselves to higher ideals, such as re-setting the mold for what an “indie band” can do. Tartaglia, who spent considerable time acquainting himself with Detroit’s scene while performing with The Sights, noticed “the indie, garage, hip-hop, electro, druggy-weirdo scenes all kinda connecting, at least on the fringes, up there. And I see Toledo doing that too. There’s lots of cool hardcore bands in town here starting to play indie venues. I love it when people throw out the rule book on that shit. It’s still just rock n’ roll, right?”
Silent Lions are in the process of recording their currently-untitled debut album. They will perform at the Ottawa Tavern’s birthday bash.Thursday August 1. 10pm. $5. The Ottawa Tavern, 1815 Adams St. 419-725-5483.
