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Silent Treatment - The Whisky
Silent Treatment is a band that combines talent, emotion, and passion to bring to the stage a unique energy that is hard to find today. David Rosales, singer and guitar player, epitomizes this energy. Joined by Steve Abel on bass, Cassidy Shipley on guitar (filling in for regular Jerry Wu), and Rick Esparza on drums, Rosales is skillfully able to take all of this intensity and channel it in the right directions, resulting in an exhileratingly, heart-poundingly, good show.
Silent Treatment was born out of Rosales' insatiable drive to create real rock music, something he saw lacking in the musically-empty radio airplay of today. Influenced by the Rolling Stones, STP, and Jeff Buckley, among others, Rosales sought to create a band focused on creating music from within - music that meant something. The addition of Jerry Wu on guitar was the start, and Steve Abel coming on board brought the necessary funk element to the group. Throw in Esparza, and his respect for drummers like Chad Smith (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Rosales had himself a group of incredibly committed and talented musicians ready to take L.A. by storm.
The show kicks off with "Retrieve" and "Isn't It Today?", and it's clear right away that they are receptive with the crowd. Their blend of rock, blues, and reggae is instantly addictive. "Bizarre" offers up more of an old-school beat. The style is almost 1950's pop meets 1990's grunge. Rosales' vocals evoke Mike Watt at moments. "Pocket Your Change" is next, which is a bit slower, picking up to a faster beat about halfway through. The lyrics are striking in their beauty, yet simplicity: "…Candlelight dance alone to the melody in this room / I can stare out where we were musing on the moon / Sitting here waiting although the scenes they've been a changing / Wait here for the last leaves, love, to fall / Said I'll be listening to your sweet voice to call / Said I'll be waiting here unaccompanied this fall…" A cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is next, which is not only a fitting tribute to one of Rosales' early influences, but also a very strong rendition of this classic song. They speed it up a bit, revamping it with more of a punk feel. The band fits the total definition of a true rock band - from their music, to their spirit, to the vibe of The Whisky in general. This is one of the best pieces of the set.
From there, Silent Treatment swings into a little Chili Peppers riff, and kicks into an homage to punk rock called "Sweet Memories". This is rock at its finest, with an exceptionally tight ending. Rosales' vocals get a little lost in the music, but the immense scope of their musical energy does help to make up for it. The set ends with "Uptown", with its infectious reggae beat and a nice melodic highlight by Abel on bass. The show is over now - and it feels like the fastest forty minutes The Whisky has ever seen. It's like the show is over before it's begun, but then again, that's just more incentive to go see them play again.
Somewhere in the middle of the set, Rosales proclaims "We're gonna be huge someday, just watch." Seems like a safe bet.
Article by: Jenn Cassie
Submitted: May, 2003
Artist Website: www.shamelessrecords.com
Email: jennc@thelamusicscene.com
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