Timing is everything in the music business, and I get the impression that rock n’ rollers Starfire agree with me on this. Their latest release, the compelling and multilayered Dreaming of Your Destiny, embodies some of the surreal qualities that a lot of independently-released rock music has in the past few years, but with one major caveat – its postmodernity is defined solely by the cosmetics of the music and not the integrity of the composing here. Contrary to what their rivals are doing, Starfire still wants to make a vintage-style brand of rock n’ roll music in this record, but they’re going about doing so with a hybrid of modern aesthetics and revitalized technique from the old school, both of which end up creating some really fresh sounds here.
It’s really easy to feel the passion these musicians have for what they do in songs like “Do You Dare,” “Get Ready (Here I Come),” “I Can’t Deny,” and “Into the Night,” but they’re not overstating any specific elements in the music at all. There’s no specific instance of liberal aesthetics to point to in these arrangements, but Starfire also isn’t bleaching the texture out of their sound for something a bit more streamlined and radio-ready. They want to preserve the lust and edginess of “Get Up and Move” and “Hooked on a Feeling,” which is why they aren’t making even the slightest attempt to soften or shave down the tonal pressures that make this material not only recognizable but highly accessible to the listener.
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The harmonies we discover in “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “This Wonderful Moment” potentially contribute as much to the big picture in Dreaming of Your Destiny as any of the lyrics in these songs do, and in some cases, I think a bit more. There’s no overvaluing the connection that this singer develops with the fretwork in the backdrop, and when he isn’t controlling the tempo with his voice, he’s letting the strings do his talking for him, elaborating on elements within his poetry that would never make sense if broken down through linguistics exclusively. It’s a very democratic relationship, and one that fosters a lot of epic competition as we get through everything from “Girl Watcher” to “Owner of This Heart.”
Dreaming of Your Destiny is a telling record for its creators and something that I think we’re going to see referenced by a lot of indie critics just on account of its sterling quality from top to bottom, and if it doesn’t make you a fan of the Starfire sound, there is perhaps nothing that will. Starfire is putting their souls on the line in this performance and possibly pushing themselves even harder than some of their observers had thought them capable of doing (without going over the edge no less), and even if this is a bit more experimental than some of their followers might be ready for, it’s also one of the most exciting works this crew has ever released with their collective name in the byline.
Chadwick Easton