The Silencers - Dance To The Holy Man (1991)

Album number three for Scotland's the Silencers is much like the first two releases, 1987's A Letter From St. Paul and 1988's A Blues for Buddha, a collection of folk-pop that is unfailingly pleasant and sometimes inspired. It continued the band's declining commercial fortunes, though, as it failed to generate even a minor hit. The band had lost their original rhythm section, leaving the remaining members lead singer/guitarist Jimme O'Neill and guitarist Cha Burns. The pair lead the Silencers through unfailingly melodic songs like the ominous "Bulletproof Heart," the percolatingly playful "Robinson Crusoe in New York," and the dreamy, chiming guitar-laden "One Inch of Heaven." They're particularly successful on the lightheartedly love-struck "I Want You" and the whimsical "Just Can't Be Bothered" (which is reminiscent of Toad the Wet Sprocket). Unfortunately, the band's consistency went unrewarded and Dance to the Holy Man was largely ignored.~Dance to the Holy Man Review by Tom Demalon