Monday 9 July 2018

Splinter (1977) Silver - LOST 70s GEMS

Splinter were an immaculate singer songwriter duo from Sheffield signed to George Harrison's Dark Horse label, an apt name as they had serene harmonies and smooth melodies no better displayed than on Silver. Silver is the name of a dog and wasn't immediately clear to me until I found a radio broadcast performance with them noting the canine influence before embarking on a note perfect reproduction of the pristine song. The line that gives it away in hindsight is "You walked all that way back home, (yes you did!)", which sounds quite patronising if spoken about a lover.

This is a gentle finger picked tune is accentuated by a gurgly, multi-tracked synthesizer rumbles, rippling through the placid track. But the hook for me is the lilting, singular backing 'ooh' which meanders and undulates; floating around behind the lead vocal like a guitar riff; truly extraordinary arrangement these guys could've written some big hits if they stuck around longer.


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