A
few years ago I heard about a band called Minky Starshine & the New Cardinals. You guessed it: I was intrigued by the male lead
singer's voice... So, I got the album, enjoyed the music but never
really found a good way to approach it. There were after all perhaps
too many songs on the album: sixteen in total. Since then Starshine has gone solo.
It
took a few more years and a second album to get a hold of Starshine.
I slowly began to like the second album Unidentified Hit Record more
and more... And I still enjoy it a little bit more each time I hear
it. This album has definitely become a classic for me.
What
is not to like here? The general production is awesome. There are
fantastic drums and guitar, sax, cool piano, harpsichord, even
strings, generally very energetic playing. Ken Stringfellow and Mike
Musburger play (Ken also sings) on this album which certainly adds
some familiar elements to the mix. And of course, Minky's vocals are
fantastic.
This
is pretty much a love song album. Love shows its bittersweetness and
uplifting sides, misery and happiness as the usual counterparts.
There are many moments that are just plain beautiful, and other parts
are often dominated by a more complicated bittersweetness, that
certain feel that isn't all happy or all sad, instead both at the
same time.
You
could say that Minky likes to use a certain type of hooks a bit too
many times on the same album. Now that I have listened to the album
probably more than twenty times, I just can't blame Starshine for
using such great hooks. Everything comes together like a dream. It is
not perfect, but not being perfect is an essential part of making
humane music. And even though I don't cherish every song on this
album equally much, it is just how the things usually are. If I have to mention a few favorites, I will give you Bitter End, Paper Rain, and of course Brand New.
Yeah,
I know I am still one album behind because a third Minky Starshine
album (Womanity, 2012) has already been released. I will check it out
more carefully when I think it is time. There is also still the first
album to explore more deeply.
1 comment:
I'm a huge Minky fan and have been since the beginning! Quite honestly, the fact that he has not made a bigger impact into the mainstream by now is surprising to me. Especially, with the collaboration he's made with some great names in the industry.
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