The title of Starflyer 59's new album may offer some hope for failures, but contrary to the clichéd proverb, I haven't heard Jason Martin make a mistake yet. From the wall-of-noise in Silver and Gold to the big rock sound of Americana to the Radiohead-esque navel-gazing of The Fashion Focus, Martin and his revolving-door cast have created some of the most melancholy music this side of My Bloody Valentine, without letting the quality of the songs drop.
Martin's latest effort, Everybody Makes Mistakes, is a new kind of melancholy...more sophisticated, perhaps. Gone are the layered guitars and the Hammond organ. Everybody Makes Mistakes relies much more on piano and acoustic guitar than you ever expected Starflyer 59 to. The production values are as good and the music as complex as you've come to expect from the band, but this really doesn't sound like anything they've put out in the past.
There's a borderline happy song ("No More Shows") in the vein of "A Holiday Song" from The Fashion Focus. There are plenty of lounge numbers, like "20 Dollar Bills" and "Just Try." Martin's guitars are warmer and homier than they've been on previous albums, which seems to invite the listener in.
Lyrically, Martin moves even further away from the nonsensical poetry of his first three albums. His lyrics still aren't completely understandable, but it seems he's making a conscious effort to invite us into his mind:
Something's wrong if it's the only
Just play the C chord like it's something
(From "Play the C Chord")
When you're done with your all, I want to take your hand
Like everybody else who knows you're coming back
(From "20 Dollar Bills")
So this is how it feels when you've got no one
This is how it feels when you got no home
And I don't wanna be alone
Sitting by the telephone
I don't wanna be alone
(From "Just Try")
The vocals are still too low in the mix to understand the majority of them, but they're still more intelligible than those of Silver or Gold.
I don't think it's a stretch to call Everybody Makes Mistakes Martin's most realized and best effort yet. What's most incredible about Starflyer 59 is their inability to stagnate, and this new album is a testament to that.
5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #81Reviewed by David M. PoggeThis is what you would call a masterpiece; a way to remove all remaining doubt in your mind of the pure pop genius of Jason Martin's song-crafting. With their seventh CD release to date, Jason and Co. once again deliver the goods without disappointment. Soft, dreamy vocals, 70's style drums and an overall relaxing, atmospheric vibe all have their place here, taking Starflyer's signature sound to…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by ConradDrony pop. I have always hated this genre because it bores me to tears. BUT! For some reason this album actually has something to it - Good songs. This album is stripped down to vocals, guitars and other instruments that are meant to compliment, not complicate the song. Actually, a lot of this has a traditional kind of feel to it. With slide guitar or piano in parts, these songs come across as…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Tom BastianI was never really a fan of Starflyer 59's earlier material, but I think if you listen to the first few albums then listen to this one you will hear a definite difference. Less of that distorted guitar/vocals/bass sound, and more of an overall pop sound. You can actually sing along with these songs and they even begin to stay in your head. The songs on this release are simple, but in a good way.…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by TimI genuinely enjoyed this record. The arrangement of this album is wonderful. From the violins to other odd instruments, this record changes every song. I don't particularly like the singers voice...but it is still enjoyable. B-Opus 2000Reviewed by Jason MoreheadYou've got to love self-deprecating humor. Only someone like Jason Martin (or perhaps David Bazan) would name their most ambitious album Everybody Makes Mistakes. If anything, this album should put to rest that Starflyer 59 is a "shoegazer" band. The only shoegazer album that Starflyer ever released was Silver, which is still one of the best darn debut albums I've ever heard. One of the fun…Exit Zine 1999Reviewed by Joel ThomasI can't wait to see all the clever ways reviewers, critics, and my fellow message-board and discussion-list junkies will begin their reviews of the new Starflyer 59 album by making some comment about the title, Everybody Makes Mistakes. To some, it will seem as if Jason Martin, Jeff Cloud, and friends have indeed made a mistake. Gone are the screeching guitars and heavy riffs that were a…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Israel KlossEverybody makes mistakes, but Starflyer 59 hasn't lately. This piece of art is full of dark and atmospheric tunes that move away from Starflyer's previous noise-pop sound. The monotone vocals work well with the dragging, dark and plodding tempo of the music. This album could be classified as slacker-rock. The whole band almost sounds like they are inches away from unplugging the guitars and…Similar sounding releases
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