The latest, self-titled Stavesacre album is taking heat from some critics who say it doesn't match up to their 1999 project Speakeasy. In all honesty, it doesn't. But Stavesacre is an album that by nearly any other band would be called a masterpiece. Lead singer Mark Salomon proves he is one of the best vocalists in rock music -- Christian or otherwise -- and producer David Bianco lets Salomon's voice carry the record.
There's nothing as immediately hook-filled or captivating as "Keep Waiting" or "Gold and Silver" here, but after a couple of listens individual songs begin to lock in. "Blind Hope," "A Place Where I Can Breathe," and "Island" are three of the band's best songs yet, and the quality of the album as a whole is more constant than anything in the past.
Stavesacre's lyrics have always been fresh and thought-provoking, and the writings on Stavesacre are no exception. "A Place Where I Can Breathe" uses evocative imagery to tell us "your sons and your daughters are unwilling martyrs to the devils, priests, and other thieves, and their wars and rumors of war. I need a handgun and a hand grenade to protect me from those who keep me safe," while "Island" is more plain: "If you should wake one day to find you don't see yourself as mine, if you should need to leave my side, you leave a better man behind."
Three songs ("Island," "The Sad Parade," and "Night Town") were originally recorded for the band's split EP with Denison Marrs. The latter two have now appeared on three different Stavesacre albums. Ballad "Yes" is a bland affair that only looks worse compared to Speakeasy's mindblowing "Gold and Silver."
No matter how well this stacks up against previous albums, there's nothing like hearing Salomon thunder "Blind hope will save the world" with all the power and emotion a vocalist can muster. Stavesacre stays at the top of their game and shows they are still major steps ahead of most other bands in the market.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #98Reviewed by Chad OlsonStavesacre's storied, all-star cast garners huge expectations with each new album. Their latest self-titled work is their first for Nitro Records/XS Records. Already being raked over the coals by critics, this is no Speakeasy. But it's still better than your typical modern rock drivel. With production stripped back courtesy Dave Bianco (Buckcherry, Mudhoney, Ozzy Osbourne), Mark Salomon's vocals…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Dan SingletonStavesacre has finally provided fans with the pronunciation of its name. This album is technically called "stavz'aker" with hard A's, but for simplicity's sake, I'll refer to it as their self-titled album. This release is a good representative sample of the band's work. It offers some solid heavy work, some songs reminiscent of their Toolish Absolutes, some more melodic, accessible tunes and even…Similar sounding releases
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