The Baltimore, Maryland-based (by way of Seattle, Washington) dreamy power-pop artist known as, Silent Gnomes, is primarily the solo project of, Samir Chandra (vocals, piano, organ, guitar, bass).
“I hope to speak to the long lost fans of alternative/pop music with organic sounds and great melodies…”
However, for his debut solo EP, Dream, he enlisted in the help of a few talented friends and colleagues such as, Taylor Clark (drums, percussion), Aaron Kleer (vocals, bass), Briana Gerdeman (piano), Josh Kirby (percussion), Dylan Wall (production), and Rachel Field (mastering). Spoiler alert: the end result was a lovely bit of success.
HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…
Opening this little project is the vibrant and energetic, Euro-pop-rock anthem for the desperation of new love, I Need You. The composition feels like the Beatles, Gin Blossoms, and Jimmy Eat World cut a song together. It’s simple, catchy, and a solid album opener…
“I’m tired, gone, bored, and alone
Don’t want nobody new
I need you…”
OUR FAVORITE TRACK… The very Ben Folds-esque, Come Back To Me, wastes no time launching into its emotive, piano-based crescendo. This immediate energy creates a very unique composition, almost as if the song picks up during the middle/apex of an argument, and then ends with a 35-second fade out. Starting brisk. Ending soft. Unusual, authentic, and very cool in what is another song of desperate love…
“Somewhere out there, you made a big mistake…”
—Come Back To Me
Our final track, the live recorded, Getaway, comes complete with open-mic crowd chatter in the background of this lovely acoustic singer-songwriter ballad dedicated to the desire for release, freedom, and the healing solitude of far-off places.
IN CONCLUSION…
So damn talented. Exquisite and thoughtful. Engagingly relatable. Three songs from another time when substance and soul mattered first and foremost. Silent Gnomes’ (a.k.a., Samir Chandra) debut EP, Dream, is a quick and substantive ride across the imagination of a young talent rich in the ways of both songwriting and performance. Cosmically iconic influences abound in this compact musical journey whose sole purpose is the excavation and inquisition of love. Please check out Dream below.
WHOSE LOVECHILD…?
Jimmy Eats World meets Gin Blossoms with a twist of Something Corporate…
BELOW: Listen to Silent Gnomes’ album, Dream, and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support Silent Gnomes by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!