Not many indie bands make it to album eight, much less put in an effort. Fortunately for listeners, the Seattle-based trio Silkworm has the moxie to stick around and keep releasing pop-ego, emo-id rock tunes. Lifestyle get... more »s off to a rough start, threatening to crash under the dead weight of its plodding opening track, "Contempt." But they regain their mojo on the second cut, the infectious Guided by Voices-like "Slave Wages." It's also closer to the spirit of the rest of Lifestyle, which divides its time between simple, killer indie rock hooks and sullen numbers that recall the solo work of former Silkworm member Joel R.L. Phelps. On the pop side, "Treat the New Guy Right," "Raging Bull," and a cover of the Faces' "Ooh La La" bare musical muscle fleshed out in Steve Albini's studio (love that echo!). Plaintive numbers such as "Roots" and "The Bones" hit the heart, even if this Lifestyle won't make Silkworm rich and famous. If Silkworm can keep releasing albums this good, let's hope they stick around for another eight. --Jason Josephes« less
Not many indie bands make it to album eight, much less put in an effort. Fortunately for listeners, the Seattle-based trio Silkworm has the moxie to stick around and keep releasing pop-ego, emo-id rock tunes. Lifestyle gets off to a rough start, threatening to crash under the dead weight of its plodding opening track, "Contempt." But they regain their mojo on the second cut, the infectious Guided by Voices-like "Slave Wages." It's also closer to the spirit of the rest of Lifestyle, which divides its time between simple, killer indie rock hooks and sullen numbers that recall the solo work of former Silkworm member Joel R.L. Phelps. On the pop side, "Treat the New Guy Right," "Raging Bull," and a cover of the Faces' "Ooh La La" bare musical muscle fleshed out in Steve Albini's studio (love that echo!). Plaintive numbers such as "Roots" and "The Bones" hit the heart, even if this Lifestyle won't make Silkworm rich and famous. If Silkworm can keep releasing albums this good, let's hope they stick around for another eight. --Jason Josephes
"No history, please. You know they are nice fellas from Montana/Seattle and that Tim Migett sounds like S. Malkmous, and that they have really good drum tone on Libertine and Developer, and despite not-so-good drum recording on Firewater, it's still the best record of the 90's by far. So, this record is, not to sound too grandiose, almost as good. Darn tootin' good to be exact. Very beautiful, opening with a song of near-perfection, "Contempt" and then Tim gets wistful and pretty and has a skinny, concaved chest, hair white from the sun. I miss running around in barefeet myself. This album seems like the direct relationship that I have with that memory of my barefeet and the music that I love in this life. Sure, they sound like the Band now, but that's only a high compliment. I think Sticky Fingers is a better reference point if Mick and Keith had really been into Husker Du instead of heroin. I think every family in the Midwest should own this album, at least during the autumn. Hope you like it."
Perfect
Wesley D. Stephens | Dekalb, IL USA | 05/29/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the best rock album of the 00's so far, hands down. and today is may 2003! This album is perfect in every way. Do yourself a favor and order this now! you will not regret it. unless of course you like garbage like limp biskit..."
Can't stop listening.
Chris McKinley | Seattle, WA USA | 09/30/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my favorite Silkworm release. I like it better than Firewater, but than maybe Firewater was too deep for me. Lifestyle isn't too introspective, but it's really interesting and I think anyone would like it a lot. Good mix on the songs. Interesting piano licks. Good vocals, drumming, and guitar. What more can I say? Lifestyle is good."
SILKWORM settles in for the long haul.
Chris McKinley | 07/02/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Unlike many of their early nineties indie rock contemporaries, the WORM keep on trucking. Their sound has remained fairly consistent as it has settled into their own take on "American rock" complete with sprawling guitar solos (sprinklings of CCR, the Band, etc, etc). Since LIBERTINE, all of their albums have been nine letters (seemingly inspired by The Jesus Lizard's four letter albums) and LIFESTYLE follows suit. It's not their best album (that would have to be FIREWATER) but still it's worth a listen. The lyrics are also fairly familiar (or all-too-familiar?) - Raymond Carver-esque lonely men railing at the wind over their wrecked lives. SLAVE WAGES and TREAT THE NEW KID RIGHT are my favorites. Incidentally, the song CONTEMPT basically follows the "story" of the Jean-Luc Godard movie of the same title. Certainly, SILKWORM have been unfairly neglected for a long time and it doesn't look like anything is going to change in the near future but I'm happy they are here!"