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Silers Bald Artist: Silers Bald Label:True Tunes Time: 13 tracks, 59:25 minutes	Sample Got Me Smiling

Six musicians make up Silers Bald. The three original band members are from the University of South Carolina where they formed the band in the spring of 1996. Their musical and instrumental versatility alone (acoustic guitar, violin, hammered dulcimer, mandolin, electric guitar, piano, upright bass, bass guitar, Djembe, Udu, Congas and a Hammond organ.) qualifies them as a talented band.

Many comparisons have been made between Silers Bald and Caedmon's Call, and with good reason. Both bands include numerous male members, and have one female member. They both began their careers as independent, college coffee house bands. The similarities don't stop there. Co-lead singer Warren Bazemore has a voice that would blend right into Caedmon's Call. Their music is highly introspective and self-conscious with deep lyrics, fantastic orchestration, and tight harmonies

The name Silers Bald is a reference to an area of the Appalachian Trail. The band's love for nature comes through in their music and the band recorded a live album in tribute to nature-boy himself, Rich Mullins, only a few months after his death in 1998. Co-lead singer Shane Williams sites Mullins as a major musical and spiritual influence in his life since high school--and said he greatly misses him. Williams wrote about Mullins in an eulogistic song called "Slow Me Down."

Well it must have been so warm in His arms,
As your life, your hope you Lord became the solace of your heart.
Looking past the wreckage, twisted metal.
Blessed life.
It must have been so warm in Christ's arms.
Standing in His presence. 'Well done.'

Silers Bald has performed more than 250 concerts from Illinois to Louisiana to Florida in the past three-and-a-half years. According to David Williams, their manager, they still do free concerts. "They don't know from show to show whether they are getting paid $1,000 or nothing. That frees them to focus on the ministry," Williams said, "God has been so faithful to take care of us." Williams added that Silers Bald prefers that he not share the financial figures with them before a concert so they can concentrate on performing the same quality of show every time without knowing the profit or non-profit involved. In the spirit of Rich Mullins, They have an accountability system that ensures that their music prioritizes ministry ahead of money.

With their complex orchestration, tight vocals and introspective sound, Silers Bald is a band destined to be loved by any Caedman's Call enthusiast and many other accoustic-pop enthusiasts.

Israel Kloss 7/13/2000 

Silers Bald is the name of a ridge along the Appalachian trail.  Rising up from the valleys around them, these mountains offer spectacular vistas to those willing to take the journey to the heights.  The ridges afford the chance to rest and view the magnificence of God's creation.  Silers Bald, the band, takes its cue from its namesake and attempts to give its listeners an amazing view, that of the grace and love of God. 

Formed in 1996 by three friends at the University of South Caroline, guitarists and vocalists Shane Williams and Warren Bazemore and drummer Jason Jacobs were soon joined by Marcus Myers on violin and hammer dulcimer, percussionist Sean Anderson, and Laura Story on upright bass, piano, and vocals.  The result is a sound that is very similar to the acoustic praise that is so popular right now, but with a twist.  Myers claims that this has been his first experience improvising violin parts, but it is those additions which set these songs apart.  The band also makes good use of it's three vocalists.  Lead vocals are shared by the three throughout the songs.  The harmonies are tight and, at times, evoke the music of the Southern Appalachians. 

Most of the songs are praise and worship anthems, a testimony to the many years that the band has played at retreats, colleges, and high school campuses.  Songs like the opener, "Got Me Smiling" and "Getting Back," are joyous declarations of the need to live in God's presence.  In both, the use of the violin gives the song that "something" extra that make them a pleasure to listen to.  "Grace" is a prayer to understand how far God's grace extends.

     I ask you how many times will You pick me up
     When I keep on letting You down
     And each time I will fall short of Your glory
     How far will forgiveness abound
     And You answer "My child, I love you
     And as long as you're seeking My face 
     You'll walk in the power
     Of my daily sufficient grace."

The two covers on the disk highlight the band's versatility.  The first, U2's "Love Comes to Town," seems out of place among the other acoustic tunes but is clearly just a matter of fun among the band members.  With the addition of some wonderful electric guitar playing by Alan Reed and Chris McDonald and wailing background vocals by Angela "Tal" Priester-Moore, the song really 
rocks.

"This is a song stamped on the heart and mind of the truly regenerated soul where intellectual acknowledgement of the truth has joined a will compelled  to magnify Chirist in every aspect of life.  This is what we believe."  These words on the liner notes preface the credits to the second cover, Rich Mullins' "Creed."  Here Myers' hammer dulcimer really shines.  Not exactly like the original, and yet not deviating too far, this version fits in nicely with the other material presented here.

Silars Bald has headed into the arena of acoustic praise and brings us something just a bit better--music that not only satisfies the soul but the ear as well.  If these are the vistas of God's love and grace, the view from here is just fine.

Janet Friesen 7/29/2000

What is Silers Bald? Okay, I cheated, since I "grew up" with these guys (and gal Laura Story) from my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. Grabbing the liner notes of their first project, Climbing (1997), Silers Bald is both a ridge on the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee and "a search for something greater than ourselves...". I call this band today's version of Peter, Paul and Mary, or better yet, a Southeastern U.S. version of Caedmon's Call, the band's clear-cut influence. Silers Bald performs very well in church, praise and worship, and secular settings, and its debut self-titled national release is excellent.

My hometown band has, after three successful regionally-distributed recordings, released its debut self-titled nationally-distributed project, a compilation of new recordings culled from Climbing, "Nothing Else Beside" and new songs. It's finely-crafted contemporary Christian music. You'll like the kick-off praise and worship song, "Got Me Smiling," up-tempo, setting the pace for this project.

Along with Caedmon's Call, the band is influenced by the late Rich Mullins. You can hear a dandy version of "Creed" (including the very vital hammer dulcimer!) here. There's another cover song, a rockin' version of U2's "When Love Comes to Town." Okay, you've got the gist of Silers Bald. Here's the rest.

There are beautifully reflective songs, specifically "Slow Me Down," "Starry Host," "Hymn," "Grace," "Nothing Else Beside," "Getting Back," and "Masquerade" (the last is voice and piano). What I like very much is that the band includes specific musings (often pointing to specific Bible verses) regarding each song in the liner notes. An old favorite, "Getting Back," and the incredibly lovely "Grace," are about the grace of God, and "Hymn" is about God's faithfulness. Read the liner notes for more. Each of these songs is worth the price of admission.

"Playing in the Creek" is Silers Bald's signature song, and it deserves a parenthetical note of its own. It's a reflection on our childhood, with its joys and peace (Matthew 11:28-30). I love the updated version, originally from "Climbing." Those of us who know Silers Bald well will yell "Get outta that creek, boy!" as was included as a tag-line on the original recording.

The only weak moment of this recording is "Thirst," with a rough arrangement. It simply sounds a bit disjointed, with what seems to be a missing "middle-eight." I can't quite put my finger on it, but it could have been better.

I'm very pleased with this release from Silers Bald and heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoys reflective and fun music in the line of Caedmon's Call and Rich Mullins. It's well worth the listen!

Olin Jenkins  March 17, 2001