Description
The self-titled, sophomore full-length album by the American indie rock band Starflyer 59 – an album known as Gold – was released on Tooth & Nail Records in June 1995. The album was recorded by Bob Moon with Starflyer 59 frontman Jason Martin producing. Mixed by Moon, Martin, as well as Gene Eugene of Adam Again fame.
According to Option the album is “Obsessively crafted…reminscent of Spaceman 3, Ride, and Chapterhouse, but there’s something bigger and darker about Jason Martin’s music that takes it to places none of those bands reach.”
Gold was followed by a four-track CD-EP entitled Le Vainqueur, released in September 1995.
Gold wasn’t a complete departure from Silver, just more straight forward rock in orientation. The vocals were still hushed, but the effects pedals that were so successfully put to work on Silver that created that spacey atmosphere were rarely used, save for the opener, «Housewife Love Song». The instrumentals were drenched in Fender reverb, while the intros and outros were punctuated by bombastic layers of overdrive. The fadeouts at the ends of the songs were commonly laborious solos, which later came to be known as a SF59 trademark. [Bandoppler]
Starfllyer 59 is apparently a strong believer in the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” From the blank stare of the plain gold cover to the moody noise of the songs, Starflyer treads ground that the band has walked before.
Starflyer is that rare “heavy” band that keeps its edge without resorting to playing at a manic pace and screaming incomprehensible shrieks. Jason Martin delivers the vocals passionately, but with the power of a whisper. But what really makes this release fun is the excellent grooves by Andrew Larson. While the guitars are busy creating ethereal madness (i.e. making noise), Larson’s bass lines never let the songs lose their focus.
Stand-out cuts include the opener, «A Housewife Love Song», «Messed Up Over You» (featuring Gene Eugene on organ), and «Do You Ever Feel That Way». The latter is probably one of Starflyer’s most radio-friendly cuts ever.
Fans of Smashing Pumpkins and LSU will find a trip through Starflyer’s “Gold Album” a very satisfying journey indeed. [Sean Taylor, CCM, November 1995]
I first heard Starflyer 59 the summer before my freshmen year in college. I read a review of Silver in CCM magazine, comparing it to My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver. As soon as I listened to it, I knew everything the reviewer had said was true, and then some. Ever since, I have been hooked on this often talked about brainchild of Jason Martin.
Martin has had an interesting evolution, musically. Along with brother Ronnie Martin (Joy Electric), he was in Dance House Children, one of the best synth-pop bands to ever grace Christendom. He left to form Starflyer 59, and released the Silver album on Tooth and Nail, a record that brought words like “noise-pop”, “shoegazer”, and “dreampop” to Christian music. So what does he do for Gold? He decides to record a straight out rock and roll album.
While Martin claims that this album was influenced by bands like Journey, Black Sabbath, and the Beach Boys, I hear influences such as Sonic Youth («Duel Overhead Cam»), the Jesus and Mary Chain («When You Feel Miserable»), and even the Boo Radleys («Somewhere When Your Heart Glowed The Hope», «Do You Ever Feel That Way»). Gone are the swirling layers of guitars, full of effects and processing. The only remnant of Silver is Martin’s laidback whispering vocals. Everything else is different, making an album all the more deeper and infectious.
This album moves towards much more diverse, and satisfying sounds. «You’re Mean» has the surf guitar thing down, with killer vocal harmonies. «Indiana» sounds like it should be played at some lounge, with style and pizzaz. But the true strength of this album are the ballads «Messed Up Over You» and «When You Feel The Mess». Besides the obvious similarity in titles, these heartwrenching 6-minute pieces just drip with reverb and melancholia. While the lyrics are pretty basic (they’re about girls), it’s Martin’s musicianship that stands out. Both songs feature some of the coolest solos I’ve ever heard. Martin is a master at realizing when to play solos and how hard to play them. Never sounding gaudy and pretentious, Martin’s delivery makes these songs all the more potent.
However, Martin also explores the pop side of music with equal fervor and talent. «Somewhere When Your Heart Glowed The Hope» and «Do You Ever Feel That Way» would soar up the charts in a perfect world. Killer hooks and cool harmonies dominate these songs, while still conveying a bittersweet sense about them.
Suffice it to say, Gold was one of the best Christian releases of 1995. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who’s planning on starting a band needs to hear this album. Study it, dissect it, and learn from a master how to write good songs. Martin had a lot to follow after Silver but instead of trying to play the same old formula in a new way, he just tried something new, unlike many of the bands that permeate Christian music. Kudoes to Martin, and here’s looking towards Americana. [Jason Morehead, Opus, December 2000]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/gold-extended-edition/724314840)
CD tracklist:
01. A Housewife Love Song – 4:23
02. Duel Overhead Cam – 4:39
03. When You Feel Miserable – 5:07
04. You’re Mean – 2:05
05. Stop Wasting Your Whole Life / Messed Up And Down – 5:03
06. Messed Up Over You – 6:44
07. When You Feel The Mess – 6:17
08. Somewhere When Your Heart Glowed The Hope – 4:44
09. Indiana – 4:26
10. Do You Ever Feel That Way – 2:15
11. One Shot Juanita – 4:37
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Tooth & Nail Records. Later re-issued on 12-inch vinyl LP. Remastered and re-issued on CD by Tooth & Nail Records in 2005 as an Extended Edition, with the tracks from the Le Vainqueur EP as well as the 7-inch single “Goodbyes Are Sad” added as a bonus.
Cover Artwork, Extended Edition, 2005
A full-page advertisement for various new releases on Tooth & Nail Records, including Starflyer 59’s Gold and the Le Vainqueur EP, was featured in the July 1995 issue of CCM Magazine.
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