Over more than a decade Jason Martin has carved out one of the most under recognised niches in indie rock as the force behind Starflyer 59. He has moved from British influenced shoegazer to bluesy and ballsy rocker and then on again to where we find him today, a lanquid but far from lazy dreamer filled with floating rhythms and gently crushing drum fills.
Talking Voice Versus Singing Voice is not Martin's greatest work but with a canon of more than a dozen releases it's no longer a question of deciding what is his best work. Rather it becomes a hard to ignore list. Frustratingly he has been ignored repeatedly.
It began with the seminal 1993 release Silver and continued with the fan favourites Gold (1995) and Leave Here A Stranger (2001). On this release Martin works predominantly with sweeping, even orchestral strings and the occasional wondrously uplifting organ jam alongside his moaning yet beautiful vocals - it could be his best but it's not an argument worth having, the music floats way above it.
Jason is the brother of Ronnie Martin, the mastermind behind Joy Electric - A similarly prolific yet under recognised act but as the name suggests Ronnie much prefers to dabble in synths and effects, delivering awkward yet beautiful beat based electronic music. Rarely have the pair crossed paths artistically since they decided to split up Dance House Children in the early 90's but their work has continued to influence the others.
The best track on Talking Voice is Good Sons and it perfectly showcases the subtle influence of Joy Electric over Starflyer 59. It's instantly catchy and the beat is synthetic and undeniable while the keyboards wash over the chorus and demand to be recognised and adored. Easy Street offers a warbling, almost Cuban jazz bridge over an intoxicating riff in the middle distance. Starflyer 59 have not created a breakthrough album but they have placed yet another worthy addition in to their canon, every song they write makes them harder to ignore.
3.5/4
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Jonathan AvantsStarflyer 59 has quite a respectable history behind them--they're one of the oldest acts still signed on Tooth and Nail Records. They've released over a dozen records including multiple EP's, a compilation dual-disc set, and now nine LP's, and they've switched and progressed their style nearly as often. It's possible for a band, after so much time and development and so many records, to have run…The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Trae CadenheadSometimes I think Jason Martin will never die. No matter what, the guy continues to crank out well-crafted, original tracks while the rest of his comrades fall away on every side. Martin is the singer / songwriter for Starflyer 59, whose Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice marks the band's fourteenth release on Tooth & Nail Records, where they first debuted in 1994. By now Martin has spent plenty of…Opus 2005Reviewed by Jason MoreheadThere are a handful of bands that immediately cause me to stop whatever it is that I'm doing whenever they release a new CD. Even if I don't review it for Opus, the minute their new album lands in my grubby little hands, it immediately shoots to the head of the queue, pushing the dozens of other CDs littering my desk off to the side. Starflyer 59 is one of those bands, and the moment the promo…Similar sounding releases
2005ColdplayX&Y
2005Lake TroutNot Them You
1997The CallTo Heaven and Back
1998Bon VoyageBon Voyage
1998HoneyLost on You
2003The StillsLogic Will Break Your HeartMore from Starflyer 59
2003Old
2004I Am the Portuguese Blues
2001Leave Here a Stranger
1998The Fashion Focus
2005The Last Laurel
1994She's The Queen
