The Silencerz – A Bag Of Chips In The Moonlight

London ska purveyors The Silencerz have been trundling around the live circuit for some time and with this latest opus of an album it looks like the hard work has paid off. Samantha Jade discovers a great new set of songs from the group as she reviews their new album, A Bag Of Chips In The Moonlight. The Silencerz are a really cool Ska band who tip their hats to the likes of Chosen Records, Blue Beat and Two Tone. Their new album, A Bag of Chips in the Moonlight, is a great record with really strong songwriting and a fantastic overall production.

The opening track is an absolute belter called Moth and Flame. It starts with bells before drifting into a great Pop-Ska, catchy tune which could be a hit single with the right promotion behind it. It’s bouncy, features a fantastic saxophone played with a great deal of flair without ever getting in the way, and includes the brilliant lyric “The disco killing is packing up.” Next up we get the utterly incredible Superman. It has a strong Prince Buster vibe whilst remaining completely original. There is a wonderful Duane Eddy-style twang guitar which really adds to the drama. Daley Thompson’s laconic vocal comes across beautifully, and once again this feels like another potential single.

Between the Lines starts with a hovering saxophone and bursts into a mid-tempo groove that really gets the toes tapping. The ear-worm vocal hook refers to tragi-comedy, making it a relationship song with a great storyline that’s very easy on the ear. I totally love it, it really is a blinder of a tune. The fourth track, The Truth, again features that twang guitar, this time augmented with a whammy bar, perfectly complementing the brilliant lyric: “The truth is always bought and sold.” Great imagery, incredibly catchy, and proof that these guys really know how to tell stories and spin yarns that are enduring and delivered with natural, free-flowing talent.

Next up is La La La (This Is It), which reminds me of Johnny Clarke & The Aggrovators at their very best, another absolute opus of a tune. Book Club follows, and the Hammond Organ is so effective here. It sounds like something from a Greensleeves record and is reminiscent of some of Dennis Brown’s work from that era. Wake Up has that classic reggae shuffle. The hook “Wake me up before it’s all over” is totally infectious and sticks in my head like a developing ear-worm. What’s more, it features Madness legend Lee Thompson on saxophone. His contribution is absolutely amazing and adds even more hooks to an already irresistible track. Love Is Blind follows and is another cooker. This one really reminds me of The Piranhas meets Madness on a Janet Kay level. The lyric “I’m just pessimistic with all the statistics.” is another example of the band’s excellent wordplay.

Juliette follows with a really pensive beat. It’s a mid-tempo tune with a lovers-rock backbone that harks back to elements of the Chosen catalogue. Once again, that bendy guitar provides light and shade and is clearly a defining feature of the band’s sound. While drawing influences from many retrospective artists, the result is original and offers a modern spin on the Ska genre. The band are clearly keeping the genre alive for a new generation. Last, but by no means least, is London Love Affair. A smooth, calypso-orientated cool cut with elements of lounge and reggae, augmented by a choppy guitar that keeps the listener totally engrossed. “She’s trying to keep punctual in a London love affair.” This is one of many quirky lyrics that avoids stereotypical relationship tropes. With fantastic keyboards and an early-era Specials feel, it’s a perfect closer.

I totally adore this band, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live. I have a strong hunch they’re going to make it big without subscribing to the homogenisation you often experience with some of the plastic Ska doing the rounds on the circuit. To round it off, I totally recommend this album, and for anyone interested in something new, this band are absolutely one to watch in a live environment, the crowd simply goes mental. Seeing and hearing is highly recommended. Congratulations to the whole band, and a special squirt goes out to the enigmatic vocalist Daley Thompson and top-banana songwriters Nick Godwin and David Wright, for keeping independent Ska with a strong backdrop alive.

A Bag Of Chips In The Moonlight is now available through streaming platforms