Reviews | Starflyer 59 – Dial M | Indie Vision Music

Starflyer 59 – Dial M

Posted by Tyler H on November-1-2008 | Filed under Reviews | Bookmark or Share

Starflyer 59 – Dial M

About our scoring system...

USER RATING

Rating: 8.0/10 (1 vote cast)

Register to rate

Artist: Starflyer 59
Album: Dial M
Label: Tooth and Nail
Release Date: 10/28/08
Reviewer: Tyler Hess

1. Minor Keys
2. The Brightest Of The Head
3. Concentrate
4. Who Said It’s Easy?
5. M23
6. Taxi
7. Automatic
8. Altercation
9. Mr. Martin
10. I Love You Like The Little Bird

Okay, I admit that I am a bit older than most people that will be reading this, but does anyone remember that film “Weird Science”? Then there was that song that goes something like “She blinded me…with science!” Well, for some reason the latest (and eleventh) release from Starflyer 59 just feels like it belongs somewhere in there, with his blend of indie rock, synths and darker tones give this eerie feel that makes me feel like singer Jason Martin is trying to create something different than everyone else, and does so quite effectively at times, obnoxiously at others.

The first two songs, “Minor Keys” and “The Brightest of the Head” jump right out at me and scream so many levels of awesome catchiness without a loss of lyrical value to make me wonder where I can pick up a deal on the last 14 years of SF59’s work, but then I’m hit in the gut, like a sucker, with “Concentrate”. Want to know why it is titled “Concentrate”? It probably has something to do with the fact that he repeats the words “I’ve got to conentrate” approximately eightteen times in this 3 minute, 9 second song (yes, I counted, it drove me nuts). If that weren’t enough, he does something very similar in the song “Automatic” a few songs later. Take out those two deficiences and this album would totally rock, but instead they leave me feeling wanting for more of how it all started out. The ninth track, Mr. Martin is a bit of a slower song, but one worth mentioning just for its general ability to perk my attention with bird tweets and an interesting twist on self reflection.

Overall, this album has enough things good with it to overcome the few annoyances (that some might not be bothered by, considering that “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses was popular. The songs are generally deeper spiritually without the cheesiness sometimes churned out to achieve it, especially in “The Brightest of the Head”. If you want something different, something almost creepy, even though Halloween has now passed, this wouldn’t be the worst pick up.

7/10

[myspace][purevolume][website]

Click here to access our massive Reviews archive with hundreds of reviews!

11 Responses

Brandon says:

November 1, 2008 at 11:50 am

Gone are the ethereal somber shoe gaze tracks of yesteryear and in place are more synth driven new wave rock songs. I wasn’t the biggest fan of My Island but I do appreciate the sounds found on this new release, Dial M. However, my favorites till rank as Leave Here a Stranger, Fashion Focus, Everyone Makes Mistakes, and Gold.

Back to top | Reply
The Headless Horseman says:

November 1, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Hmm, beat me to it. I’m sad that the epic-ness seems to be gone from Starflyer — not just the epicness of the early shoegaze, but the epicness of the pop music (See Old and Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice). I might pick this up, but what I’ve heard was a bit disappointing.

Back to top | Reply
Manuel says:

November 1, 2008 at 10:39 pm

Sadly, I agree with Headless. I wish he had more songs like “I Love You Like the Little Bird” on it…now THAT is the SF59 I have come to love. What happened? I am sill picking it up (actually, I think I won it from T&N), but I am very dissapointed with it. Even My Island had epicness in it, and this seems to leave all trace of those humongous pop hits (My Name, Loved Ones, Lifeguard, Give Up the War, Passengers, etc. [now I'm getting sadly nostaligic..LOL!])

There are a few songs on here that remind me of him, and don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to get him to make [My Favorite SF album II], but some consistency is nice. Let’s just say I’m hoping this is an “I Am the Portuguese Blues” for Starflyer. :-)

Back to top | Reply
The Headless Horseman says:

November 2, 2008 at 2:42 pm

I actually really like I Am The Portuguese Blues, lol.

Back to top | Reply
valleycat says:

November 2, 2008 at 5:08 pm

Hm. “Concentrate” is a standout track for me. It’s similar to the songs he made on The Brothers Martin album, but a thousand times better. I think the production is the only issue I have with Dial M – it’s a little too loud and upfront for my taste. But this is easily the most solid album he’s made since Old. I love Dial M.

Back to top | Reply
andrew says:

November 3, 2008 at 9:41 am

i love dial m. i would say that overall, jason martin is not a superior lyricist and that his talent really lives within his instrumental compositions. the vocals end up being another instrument.

but i do think that his lyrical ability has improved with this album. martin is very honest and the lyrics are very personal in dial m. i think the song mr. martin might actually be about his father who died last year.

my favorite starflyer album is portuguese blues, but may soon turn into dial m…

Back to top | Reply
tyler h says:

November 3, 2008 at 10:09 am

I guess when you have that many albums there must might be some dissension as to who likes what :)

and I guess I hadn’t read his biography…but sometimes that is the cool thing about music…we can make up what we think it means even if we are soooooooooooo wrong. my bad.

Back to top | Reply
John Wayne says:

November 5, 2008 at 8:17 pm

yeah, this reviewer was way off base. let’s lynch him!

I haven’t heard this album yet. No one freaking has it and it’s out of stock on Zambooie.

Back to top | Reply
John Wayne says:

November 17, 2008 at 8:01 pm

H – Have you heard a pop song recently?

Also, have you heard “I Love You Like the Little Bird”?

Back to top | Reply
Brandon says:

November 18, 2008 at 1:32 pm

This album is pretty great. There are quite a few winners on it.

Back to top | Reply
craig s says:

April 24, 2009 at 3:21 pm

Dial M is a masterpiece in my opinion. I find the tracks direct and too the point with a nice balance between dense sounds (Altercation) and acoustic numbers (Mr. Martin). Actually, this is one of my favorite albums (so far) of 2009.

Back to top | Reply

Sanctus Real
Pieces of a Real Heart
Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

Score: 4/10

March 19th, 2010
Michael Mayer III

Users: 4.0/10 (2 votes)

The Advocate
s/t EP
Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

March 17th, 2010
Steve

Users: 7.0/10 (1 vote)

Day of Fire
Losing All
Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

March 16th, 2010
Michael Mayer III

Users: 7.3/10 (3 votes)

Starfield
The Saving One
Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

March 16th, 2010
Steve

Users: 8.5/10 (2 votes)

War of Ages
Eternal
Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

March 15th, 2010
Steve

Users: 10.0/10 (2 votes)

Demon Hunter
The World Is A Thorn
Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

Score: 9/10

March 14th, 2010
Steve

Users: 9.5/10 (8 votes)

Above The Golden State
The Golden Rule EP
Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

March 13th, 2010
Steve

Users: 0.0/10 (0 votes)

FFH
Wide Open Spaces
Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

March 13th, 2010
Steve

Users: 6.0/10 (1 vote)

Newworldson
s/t
Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

March 11th, 2010
Steve

Users: 6.0/10 (2 votes)

Wrench in the Works
Decrease/Increase
Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

March 11th, 2010
Steve

Users: 9.0/10 (3 votes)

The Great Escape
In Search Of...
Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

Score: 7/10

March 9th, 2010
Steve

Users: 0.0/10 (0 votes)

Memphis May Fire
Sleepwalking
Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

March 7th, 2010
Steve

Users: 9.2/10 (5 votes)

Face Your Giants
Demo
Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

March 5th, 2010
Scott.L

Users: 0.0/10 (0 votes)

Day Of My Escape
The Buried Life
Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

Score: 6/10

March 5th, 2010
Scott.L

Users: 0.0/10 (0 votes)

Red Morning Voyage
Get to the Trenches EP
Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

Score: 8/10

March 4th, 2010
Steve

Users: 9.0/10 (3 votes)

Meet Brett Callaway (Guitars & Vocals) of Close Your Eyes
March 11th, 2010
Steve

Meet Sovereign Strength
February 19th, 2010
Steve

Meet Moshe Dayan
February 17th, 2010
Steve

We Came As Romans
February 14th, 2010
Jess T

Sean Patrick Rhorer, Director of A & R at Blood & Ink Records
February 8th, 2010
Steve

This Armistice
February 3rd, 2010
JoshIVM

Leroy Hamp of War of Ages
January 30th, 2010
Steve

Creations
January 28th, 2010
Steve

Blank Page Empire
January 27th, 2010
Scott.L

Mattie Montgomery of For Today
January 26th, 2010
Steve

Vasely Sapunov of Saving Grace
January 25th, 2010
Steve

The Fold
January 23rd, 2010
Rebecca Cicione

Aaron Sprinkle of Fair
January 23rd, 2010
Brandon

Floodgates
January 17th, 2010
JoshIVM

Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter
January 11th, 2010
Steve

Carlos Salazar of Before There Was Rosalyn
January 11th, 2010
Steve

Laz from ALLORNOTHING
January 8th, 2010
Steve

Chadwick Johnson of Hundredth
January 4th, 2010
Steve

Ben Crist of The Glorious Unseen
December 30th, 2009
Shawn H

Sons of God
December 28th, 2009
Brandon

Visit Ryfo.org Today!