Walter Salas-Humara Champions Community With “El Camino De Oro” (premiere)

Walter Salas-Humara (the Silos) has long split his time between the worlds of visual art and music. Those two pursuits marry nicely on his new release, Walterio, out August 10 via Rhyme & Reason Records. There is vivid, imaginative imagery in the music veteran‘s lyrics on this new recording, which suggests a rock ‘n’ roll family tree.

The cut “El Camino De Oro”, gleaned from this new release, nicely exemplifies his commitment to unpretentious, hook-laden rock that’s as likely to inspire spontaneous dance moves as it is a commitment to deep dive into Spanish. There’s a deeply attitudinal vibe to the song, one which recalls the sure-footedness of Willie Nile and Lou Reed, the outsider at his coolest, most removed. This can’t be someone who walks among the mere mortals. And yet there’s an accessibility to the music, to the vibe, to those choruses that suggests that, yes, of course, he’s one of us, a guy who likes to let down his hair, stomp his feet and pound out rhythms on the dashboard same as y’all.

Longtime fans will detect traces of our hero’s time with True Believers, which also featured Alejandro Escovedo and Jon Dee Graham as well as the Setters, which also featured Escovedo and Michael Hall (Bad Seeds) across the album as well as tributaries that spread out into the worlds of the mighty Chuck Prophet and Bruce Springsteen.

As for “El Camino De Oro”, the Cuban-conceived and Florida-born musician has created something that could not be more timely. As more and more people are turning to grassroots campaigns and reigniting the flames of populism, the ideas of community and solidarity are taking on new significance. “It’s a song about recognizing the power we all have when we communicate, collaborate, exchange ideas, and work together for common goals,” he says. “El Camino de Oro, the Golden Road, is the path to greater riches than simply the material ones. It’s the path of joining together as a community for the benefit of all. All the disparate peoples of the world basically want the same thing, a harmonious existence with one another and our environment, spiritually, economically and politically. We simply need to put one foot in front of the other and walk together toward unity. The sum is always greater than the parts when we work together. Power to the Community!”

Walterio, out August 10, may be ordered here.