Silverada Formally Announces Self-Titled Album, Releases New Song

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photo: Eric Cain


“Going into the studio, everybody in the band felt inspired to do something bigger than what they’d done before. We all knew we were at a precipice, and we wanted to jump. I brought in some songs that were metaphorical and not always straightforward, and that showed the guys that I wanted to take this music somewhere new… so they threw their own rule books out the window, too.”

This is what Mike Harmier has to say about the new self-titled album on the way from Silverada due out on June 28th. Previously known as Mike and the Moonpies, the Austin-based band shocked the independent country world when they announced the new name change at Mile 0 Fest in Florida in late January.

Now Mike Harmier, steel guitarist Zachary Moutlon, guitarist Catlin Rutherford, bass player Omar Oyoque, and drummer Taylor Englert are revving up to take the new Silverada for a spin. Harmeier wrote the album in his backyard studio while reading a bunch of books for inspiration, including astronomy texts and sci-fi novels.

“We’d been on tour for so long, playing the same set for almost two years, and I wanted to write something that was a departure,” Harmeier says. “I would read some, work a little bit, read some more, and work a little more. I spent a full month in that studio, going there every night, making word ladders and highlighting lines and learning to free write.”


Right after the name change, Silverada released the new single “Wallflower,” which featured a slightly more modern and rock-oriented sound compared to their previous honky tonk-style material. They also said at the time that they’d have a new album in June, but the new song “Anywhere But Here” comes with a formal rollout of the new album. “Anywhere But Here” sounds a bit more like the songs we’re used to hearing from this band, with a blue collar attitude and prominent steel guitar.

“A couple years ago, I moved my family down the road from my old stomping grounds of Austin, Texas, where our band first got off the ground. We found a little farmhouse on the edge of the small town’s ‘downtown’ where I could walk with my son to the local mom & pop’s grocery,” Harmeier says. “Our new single ‘Anywhere But Here’ is a slice of that life, through the lens of seeing a town grow and change.”

But expect other moments from the new self-titled album to be farther out there. Another song Silverada has been playing recently called “Radio Wave” comes with a much more ethereal vibe and casually drops the line, “Americana is a myth.”

There’s another song on the album called “Stubborn Son” that has a similar theme to the band’s fan favorite, “Steak Night at the Prairie Rose,” and includes fiddle contributions from regular George Strait fiddler Gene Elders (RIP). Once again the album was recorded at Yellow Dog Studios in Wimberley, Texas with producer and sixth member of Silverada, Adam Odor.

“We spent the first part of our career figuring out who we are and what we’re good at,” says Harmeier. “Now we want to evolve not only the sound of the band, but the dynamic of the live show, too. We’re all lifers here. We’re in this for the long haul. Silverada is us setting the stage for the next leg of the journey.”

Silverada is now available for pre-order.

TRACK LIST:

1. Radio Wave
2. Anywhere But Here
3. Eagle Rare
4. Doing It Right
5. Stubborn Son
6. Wallflower
7. Stay By My Side
8. Something I’m Working On
9. Load Out
10. Hell Bent For Leather

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