Changing of the Guard [Import]

I feel sorry for Jason Martin. Ever since Old there have been a lot lyrics about getting sold short in the music industry, or at least thats how I interpret it. How he isn't a 1000 times more popular I don't undertand. This album continues the legacy that is Starflyer. Each album is an evolution from the last, but retains that signature sound. Its a back and forth motion and I find myself more drawn to the darker sounds. "Morning Rise/Frightenening eyes" is the center piece sound of this album for me.
Overall, I feel the darker songs eclipse the brighter ones, but there really isn't a dud on here. I love Martin's songwriting and laser cut production. I hope he doesn't follow through on his lyrics in "A Song For the Ages" when he says, "So listen up closely, it could be my last." I want to see another Starflyer album and another and another. I swear, its an addiction once you start listening. Stellar songwriter, stellar album.

every Starflyer album for the past several years has been following a similar sound.

i mean this statement as a compliment. i am still a fan of Jason Martin, though it has been many years since i first stopped
listening to most of the Christian-associated artists i liked when i was a teenager in favor of better music. the reason i keep
going back to Starflyer is because Martin has carved out his niche - he has a mostly predictable sound, let's face it, but sonically
the songs are there, and lyrically they are quite earnest. Martin's understated lyrical style has always suited his melodic sensibility,
and he is consistent with this musical pairing which is why none of his albums have ever disappointed me.

the song "shane" immediately stood out, but shortly thereafter i began going back to "trucker's son," knowing that Jason and Ronnie have always helped to run their father's trucking business. the blue collar ethic of both of these brothers inspires me to be a better person and has for years. i come from a similar background and have similar populist sentiments.

another killer track is "coconut trees." note the completely badass ending to the song which almost comes out of nowhere but makes complete sense anyway by the time it hits you full force.

i think this album is excellent all the way through, and also one of the better indie albums of 2010. certainly it is one of the most instantly likable, not only for its sound, but for its emotional honesty. Martin even turns up the rock and roll on "Cry Me A River," placing this "I am the Portuguese Blues" themed heavyweight immediately after the epic close to "Coconut Trees." Truly, this is a purposeful sequencing choice we can all appreciate.

i can feel the personality behind these lyrics; listen to "the morning rise" and let me know if you're not feeling Jason's mid-life crisis through the words and the general vibe of this instant Starflyer classic.

listen to it from start to finish. perhaps use a decent set of headphones and tune out the rest of this mad world. become a fan of Starflyer if you haven't had the good sense to do it already. buy all of the albums starting with Silver if you've ever had a broken heart and start working your way up from there.

finally, if you are a musical adventurer also support Ronnie Martin, whose songwriting abilities are only eclipsed by those beautiful otherworldly synthesizers always trying to steal the show.

I wasn't sure at first, but after a few listens I put this up there among their top albums. It's definitely a grower, so don't be expected to be blown away right away. Stand out tracks for me include "Trucker's Son," "Shane," and "Lose My Mind."