Silverstein: Keeping Things Fresh
When you’ve been a band for 22 years how on earth do you keep things fresh? If you’re SILVERSTEIN, that answer is collaborations. The emo band from Canada have just released their tenth studio album, Misery Made Me, so Distorted Sound sat down for a chat with vocalist Shane Told to discuss the album, collaborations, and if SILVERSTEIN are going to do an anniversary tour.
“We’ve always had a lot of diversity in our sound,” Told explains when asked how the band mix up their music after such a long time. “On this record we experimented more with some programming and synths and other instruments too which we didn’t do much at all in the past. Our records have evolved consistently but we haven’t had giant changes. I think keeping things flowing and natural is the best way.”
The album also has collaborations with different artists. This is another way to keep things fresh, as well as showcasing new talent and making songs with your other friends in the music industry. “It’s nice to have other talented people breathe some new life into the songs. We have done lots of features over the years but only when it’s a perfect storm,” Told elaborates, explaining, “we have to hear that person on the song and then it has to be them. Generally if we couldn’t get them for whatever reason, we scrap the idea. But I love the diversity we have.”
However, the most notable collaboration is with American singer and rapper, NOTHING,NOWHERE. “He rocks man. Seriously, what a talent,” Told says when asked about the collaboration. “I got wind that he was a big fan, I heard his mom drove him to the store to buy our second album when it came out, so I had him on my podcast. And we just hit it off. He’s truly a jack of all trades, he can do anything, and I sent him the song and he was all about it.”
Misery Made Me comprises of eleven songs. However, SILVERSTEIN had “20 solid ideas, which is a lot for [them]!” Told explains. “Usually we go in with basically 12-13 and they all make it, maybe we drop one or two.”
So how did SILVERSTEIN face this problem of narrowing 20 songs into one album? “We probably knew five-six that were going to be on the album for sure, but for the rest it really could have gone either way. So many of the ideas we didn’t use are so sick.” He adds that maybe the other ideas could see the light of day. But for now, the eleven songs that make up the album will do just fine.
And what an album it is; one minute, it goes pop, the next metal. And the album cover for Misery Made Me is striking. It is light blue, which then goes into a darker shade of blue, creating an ocean look. The title of the album projected onto a cover model’s face. Told explains that it does have an exact concept. “I’m hesitant to say our exact ‘on the nose’ concept because I think the image is so haunting yet beautiful, I want people to take what they can from it. I will say though we used a projector to project Misery Made Me on the cover model’s face, and we did that with ourselves and a bunch of other people. So the idea is that Misery Made US, collectively who we are.”
When a general audience hear an album title like Misery Made Me, they might think that SILVERSTEIN are in the business of misery. However, the album title has a different meaning. “The title comes from ‘Misery Made Me, Nothing Can Break Me’ which is actually the complete opposite and speaks to the resilience that we strive for,” Told explains. He then states how the word ‘misery’ is in the final line of the album, “I can find my peace in misery”.
That line is a standout because it is timeless. Whenever anyone is going through hardship, it can be hard to see the light; however, if you can find one thing that makes you happy during that hardship, it is worth clinging onto it. Told says it best himself: “And as everyone knows, there’s been a lot of [hardship] lately for literally everyone on this planet.”
When there is a storm, there is always a rainbow, as the saying goes. And there is no better rainbow for music fans than live shows. The joy of seeing your favourite band live, singing the songs that you have grown up with; that have helped you during your best and worst times; that have shaped you as a person. Just being with people through all walks of life for the exact same reason; seeing the band you love.
As SILVERSTEIN have toured countless times over the years, their fans understand this feeling. However, bands who have been around for a long time also do anniversary shows, either for albums or for themselves. The question is would they do an anniversary show, especially as this is their 22nd year as a band?
“I think we’ll stick to the even numbers,” Told explains. “But with so many records to celebrate we could probably do an anniversary tour every year. But we won’t. [We’ve] gotta keep it special.” And keeping it special is why SILVERSTEIN are still as brilliant and fascinating as ever. They have had a fantastic career so far, and they only keep getting better.
Misery Made Me is out now via UNFD.
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