![]() The title track opens the album, with a steady pounding drum beat, chiming guitars and subtle piano touches, with Martin exploring themes of taking over his late father’s company and the sense of responsibility that comes with it (“You can sail across the sea / You can climb the highest peak / You can build it on your own / But you’re still not in control”). In other words, melodic, sometimes dreamy, indie guitar pop/rock. Influenced by a diverse mix of forerunners that include The Beatles, The Beach Boys, My Bloody Valentine, and The Smiths, SF59’s current sound is best described in terms of their own diverse catalog but for the uninitiated, imagine a cross between Real Estate and (even closer) Pedro the Lion, with George Harrison slide guitar and baritone vocals that sound like a less-dramatic Matt Berninger (of The National). Martin’s lyrics, while good, have never been the center of the band’s appeal anyway they act as compliments to the music, which-as usual-is consistently excellent here. The death of Martin’s father in 2007 signaled a shift in the band’s lyrical focus-many of the songs on the last few albums, including IAMACEO, explore themes of life, death, and purpose, but are universal enough to appeal to just about anyone. Taking the cleaner, more refined sound of their last two albums (Dial M and The Changing of the Guard), IAMACEO reincorporates some of the elements from their early 2000s albums, dialing back the synths and adding in extra guitar layers, harmonica, and piano to create a strong, cohesive ten-song set. The band has an incredibly large and even more incredibly consistent catalogue, and their thirteenth LP IAMACEO, the first released on Martin’s own South Co. Their sound has changed over the band’s twenty-year history, from the noisy swirl of their early shoegazer albums Silver and Gold to the dreamy keyboard pop of The Fashion Focus, the 60s-influenced guitar pop of Leave Here a Stranger, to the moody string and trumpet-tinged Talking Voice vs. ![]() Helmed by guitarist and lead singer Jason Martin, they never really hit the mainstream, despite being label-mates with bands that did (Anberlin, MxPx, P.O.D.). Get Ready is one of New Order's better works, and that's saying a lot.Fire Note Says: Starflyer 59 continue refining their sound and redefining consistency.Īlbum Review: Starflyer 59 is the definition of an underground band. The aggressive "Primitive Notion" features one of Hook's greatest basslines, and that's saying a lot. There's only one telltale sign this is the 21st-century New Order: Billy Corgan's vocal presence on "Turn My Way." The Great Pumpkin opens the song with a hushed, flanged vocal turn before Sumner kicks in with affecting vocals as mood-setting as those on "True Faith" or "Perfect Kiss," and suddenly all is right again. Peter Hook wastes no time setting down the type of melodic, high-bar bassline he practically invented, and Sumner's unique vocal cadence leads a chorus as catchy as the band has ever crafted. ![]() The following "60 Miles an Hour" is the most immediate song on the album. "Crystal" opens the album with a tube-driven rush hearkening back to the Joy Division days, when the voluminous guitar layers were played by Bernard Albrecht rather than his more recognizable alias Sumner. Perhaps throwing casual fans for a loop, Get Ready reasserts New Order as the moody, guitar-driven Joy Division offshoot they began as, until the synth-pop elements took center stage. The greatest of all Eighties angst bands makes their long-overdue return with their best album since that previous decade. 1993 - wasn't that about the last time the Yankees failed to win a world championship? Well, Get Ready is as much a breath of fresh air as a Diamondbacks win, with none of the novelty. A long, long time has passed since we last heard from New Order.
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