IAMACEO

Description

IAMACEO is the 13th full-length album by the American indie rock band Starflyer 59, Kickstarter-funded and independently released in 2012. Originally a digital release only, but as well released on vinyl by South Co. Records in ‎January 2013.

In October 2015 Low & Behold, the duo of Jason Martin and Ryan Clark, released their debut album entitled Uppers.

Jason Martin has given the first independent Starflyer 59 album a much cheekier title: IAMACEO. He’s decided to forego CDs for the first time, and put this one out on vinyl and download. So for perhaps the third or fourth time in my life, I paid for music without packaging. There are only a few artists I’d do that for, and Jason Martin is one of them. And he didn’t let me down.

Starflyer fans are used to Jason’s stylistic leapfrogging – everything he’s done sounds like Starflyer, but over 13 records he’s moved from molasses-thick guitar noise to skipping Cure-esque pop to stripped-down stomp-rock. 2010’s The Changing of the Guard found him embracing acoustic guitars, with lovely clean electric flourishes, and IAMACEO expands on that palette. But this isn’t strummy folk melancholy – this is dark acoustic pop, with thundering drums and propulsive bass. And when Martin cranks up the electrics, as he does near the end of the opening title track, it’s loud and proud.

Jason’s low, penetrating voice is in fine form, and his songs here are just awesome. «Bicycle Rider» sounds like the greatest tune Echo and the Bunnymen never wrote, while single «Open Hands» rides in on a tidal wave of guitars, dissipating during the verses only to come crashing back in during the forceful choruses. “No one gives you nothing without open hands,” Martin sings, hitting his record’s bleakest moment. The darkness continues with the dusty piano lullaby «Father John», one of Jason’s most epic creations. This one’s about moving on when everything falls apart.

And as Martin walks through the simpler, yet no less terrific songs on his record’s second side, it becomes clear that’s what he and his brother have done. They’ve dusted themselves off, picked up the pieces, asked their friends for help, and carried on making the best music they know how to make. IAMACEO is a classic – it’s the obvious next Starflyer album, but it’s also 10 more testaments to Jason Martin’s undeniable skill as a songwriter and record maker. I’m glad and grateful to have it. [Andre Salles, Tuesday Morning 3 a.m., January 16, 2013]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/iamaceo/590770560)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “IAMACEO” – 3:01
A2. “Bicycle Rider” – 3:19
A3. “Is This All There Is” – 3:09
A4. “Open Hands” – 3:09
A5. “Father John” – 4:46

Side Two
B1. “Red Tide” – 3:32
B2. “Through My Door” – 3:09
B3. “Pot Of Gold” – 2:41
B4. “I Feel Black” – 3:34
B5. “My Light” – 2:55

Note: The 12-inch vinyl LP was cut from hi-resolution 24bit audio with no digital limiting. Available at Bandcamp: https://starflyer59.bandcamp.com/album/iamaceo

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