Starflyer 59 - The Fashion Focus (full album)

Their curveball 4th outing, where Gene Eugene officially joins the band and makes his presence heard. From the opening the opening measures of "I Drive A Lot", it's obvious that this album is a sharp stylistic swerve, perhaps in compensation for too much time spent gazing at their shoes? Surf rock flourishes & New Wavy synth leads? Very telling that it's the first album in their discography not to be adorned with a simple monochromatic cover. Only 3 songs rely on that tired trope of thick, fuzzed-out power chords ("The Birthright", the ironically-titled protracted space rock freakout jam "Too Much Fun", and the last 2 measures of "We're The Ordinary"). The rest of the album coasts along in a lackadaisical clean-guitar-jangle Britpop or vaguely French indierock gear that keeps a sophisticated, almost European attitude, yet never sounds too far from the shore towns of Cali. They only break character for some sort of nocturnal leather-jacket / neon-light / sunglasses-after-dark posturing that makes a great case for the motorcycle-riding Jason Martin being secretly cooler than anyone else in Christian rock. Oh yeah, and they threw in a Christmas song that doesn't suck.
All in all, a killer effort that pulls off a pretty ludicrous amount of eclecticism. An ideal late Winter soundtrack, and one of those start-to-finish spotless records. In dire need of a critical reappraisal.
(C) & (P) 1998 Tooth & Nail Records
Tracklist:
1. I Drive A Lot
2. We're The Ordinary
3. Sundown
4. Fell In Love At 22
5. A Holiday Song (Happy Holidays)
6. All The Time
7. The Birthright
8. Card Games and Old Friends
9. Shut Your Mouth
10. The Fashion Focus
11. Too Much Fun
12. Days of Lamech