Silverstein

18 Candles: The Early Years (2006)
Victory Records

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Contributed by: crazytoledo
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on June 9th 2006

In the last few years Silverstein have launched into the upper echelon of the "screamo" genre and have gained quite a following. One of the best rewards they could give to their fans was the reissuing of their two prior EPs. While 18 Candles: The Early Years is a pleasant visit to the past, it simply doesn’t deliver like it should.

First off, there aren’t many new songs here. 18 Candles features two songs twice and several songs that were later re-recorded and featured on When Broken Is Easily Fixed. In the end there are only six new songs here. I guess it was only inevitable, but it does kind of flaw the release.

However, this is still a good release that is sure to satisfy fans of Silverstein. "Waiting Four Years" is a rather traditional emo song with some rather catchy vocals. A majority of the newer songs don’t showcase the faster-paced tempos or screaming that’s present on Discovering the Waterfront. But with lyrics like "Your life lives half a nation away, my heart hurts so. I believe letting you go was the biggest mistake of my life. What did I do? Alone and confused. What can I say? What can I do?," Silverstein is sure to retain all of their teenage fans.

The true highlight of 18 Candles are the alternate version songs from Discovering the Waterfront. "My Heroine" and "Call It Karma" each sound good as acoustics and all of the live songs are top notch. The pure fury and emotion of "Bleed No More" is easily the reason to get this release. Even WiL of Aiden can’t ruin this song. Unfortunately, they end the album with the laughable, house/techno version of "Smile in Your Sleep."

So yeah, this isn’t the perfect collection ever. But it’s good enough for the fans, so if you like Silverstein, I highly recommend 18 Candles: The Early Years.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

almosttragichero (December 2, 2006)

I just don't get what victory records is doing with all these re-releases. I understand that everyone is familar with the original stuff, but SERIOUSLY, give us some new stuff instead of delving us into the past.

Anonymous (June 13, 2006)

I feel bad for the way Randy treated Toledo on American Idol.
-Dante

hahahaha

Scruffy (June 13, 2006)

"So you guys are all on the FAT street team, right?"

Dude, we're all WAAAY too lazy to be on street teams.

coldwaffles (June 11, 2006)

So you guys are all on the FAT street team, right?

Nope, sorry.

rkl (June 10, 2006)

First off, there aren’t many new songs here

just a thought, but possibly because The Early Years and RIGHTTHEFUCKNOW dont jibe.

Anonymous (June 10, 2006)

boooooo

feeeding5000 (June 10, 2006)

ugh

benz (June 10, 2006)

I don't hate this band, but there's nothing redeeming in it for me.

Anonymous (June 10, 2006)

this sucks

maverick (June 9, 2006)

The first handful of tracks on this CD, with their old guitar player, are actually really good mid-90s emo ala old Get Up Kids, Mineral and Penfold. Once he left the band, the screamy stuff started taking over, but most of you would probably enjoy their early, early stuff.

-Scott

Crookedsuperhero (June 9, 2006)

So you guys are all on the FAT street team, right?

crazytoledo (June 9, 2006)

Nope. Only the Victory E-Team. :)

And I dont live everything on Victory.

coldwaffles (June 9, 2006)

So, crazy is in the Victory streetteam, right?

HeresLookinAtYou (June 9, 2006)

we all know crazytoledo isn't the best reviewer in the world, but seriously, at least he puts the time and effort into doing them. if yall want a different opinion of the album, go out and buy it yourself (its called forming your own conclusions) or go to a different website that features a more concise review. there I said it. you all suck.

Anonymous (June 9, 2006)

Jay-Z anyone?

mcgregor107 (June 9, 2006)

better yet, who likes Taco Bell?
that'd be almost everyone here..

Kidswhowearmakeuprgay (June 9, 2006)

who likes mexicans?

sirens (June 9, 2006)

screamo? jeeeeez.

well atleast superdude is back

colin (June 9, 2006)

the return of superdude!!!

also, i don't think it's a poorly written review at all. it just seems with the reviews toledo posts, he's just doing it for fun.

aubin (June 9, 2006)

I don't know why people would disparage this review. It's fairly clear:

"But it’s good enough for the fans, so if you like Silverstein, I highly recommend 18 Candles: The Early Years."

That seems like a pretty appropriate response to this type of compilation and I guarantee I'd probably have said the same thing.

Dante3000 (June 9, 2006)

I feel bad for the way Randy treated Toledo on American Idol.
-Dante

superdude (June 9, 2006)

This review was pretty good, but here's how I would make it better:

1. They've been around for 18 years?

2. I can't quite make out the haircut of the dude in the middle. Explain?

3. I'm sure it's a good collection, but nowhere near as good as my collection of '94 Donruss baseball cards.

4. I should've pre-ordered it from Interpunk!

colin (June 9, 2006)

i've decided crazytoledo is a joke account.

Anonymous (June 9, 2006)

toledo should be banned from writing reviews kthx.

Crookedsuperhero (June 9, 2006)

Haha, you're just doing these to piss people off now.