Americana has many crossroads, although the one that bridges blues, folk, and punk seems less traveled than others. With that said, Radiator King’s Adam Silvestri brings a defined grit to his storytelling that has been honed by his punk origins. Hailing from Brooklyn, Silvestri aims to speak for blue-collar workers through his music. His latest Radiator King single, “So Long (Charlie)”, is clear in carrying that vision forward. That is especially evident in its music video, directed by Joaquin Portocarero and Adam Cohen.
Silvestri tells PopMatters, “The song is a tip of the hat to the underdog. What I sought to convey in the song, as well as the video, was the idea that life is comprised of cycles where things end and new chapters begin. The video follows a character’s story of going to prison and when he is let out must face the fact that life did not stand still while he was away. However, he accepts the hand he was dealt and embraces the unknown of the new chapter that awaits.”
“The song depicts a scenario of the final moments as an individual accepts the ending of an event or chapter in his life. Someone close to me had gone to jail not too long ago, and I can recall thinking about them a lot during the writing of the song. I tried to imagine this person and how they may have responded to this difficult situation. Through the main character, I aimed to depict a voice that represents that of the working class. There is a certain type of pride that the character possesses – pride in where he comes from and pride in what he stands for.”
At the end of the day, though, Radiator King brings us to a very real conclusion. In spite of all of life’s hardships, it still goes on. Without spoiling the music video, “So Long (Charlie)” makes this abundantly clear near its poignant end.
“So Long (Charlie)” is featured on Radiator King’s newest album, A Hollow Triumph For All, which is available in both digital and physical formats via Bandcamp.
TOUR DATES
5/25 – O’Brien’s Pub – Boston, MA
5/26 – McNeill’s Brewery – Brattleboro, VT
5/29 – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY
5/31 – Pauly’s Hotel – Albany, NY
6/8 – The Bowery Electric – New York, NY
6/21 – Dream Away Lodge – Beckett, MA
6/23 – Lompoc Cafe – Bar Harbor, ME
6/24 – Halloway’s – Bath, ME
6/29 – Emerald Ballroom – Narrowsburg, NY
6/30 – Sarah Street Grill – Stroudsburg, PA
7/13 – Slash Run – Washington, DC
7/20 – Harlows – Peterborough, NH
7/21 – ONCE Somerville – Somerville, MA
7/26 – Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center – Harrisburg, PA
7/27 – Bar 13 – Wilmington, DE
7/28 – Chickie’s & Pete’s – Egg Harbor Township, NJ
8/3 – The Cask Taphouse & Grill – Easton, PA
8/9 – The Gutter – Brooklyn, NY
8/17 – Howlers – Pittsburg, PA
8/19 – Cedars – Youngstown, OH