Talking Voice Vs. Singing Voice

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Starflyer 59 frontman Jason Martin hints at dark obsessions and lurking corruptions on <i>Talking Voice Vs. Singing Voice</i>. The veteran Christian indie-rock outfit reaffirms its ties with such ‘80s British units as the Smiths and My Bloody Valentine in these moodily atmospheric tracks. As on past releases, Martin views the temptations of the world from a faith-based perspective, though his songs more often capture shadows than reveal light. His languid, ominous delivery compliments the cool sonic shimmer of tunes like “The Contest Completed,” “Night Life” and “Something Evil.” “Good Sons” pokes through the gloom with its surprisingly poppy chorus, while “Softness Goodness” applies a layer of glistening strings to swooning guitar washes. The minor-key furtiveness of “A Good Living” typifies the melancholy that blankets the album. By closing the album with the explicitly prayerful “Longest Line,” Martin offers hope for redemption amidst the earthly bleakness. In these tracks, Starflyer 59 doesn’t offer an easy, joy-filled ride. But as Martin makes clear, a heavenly destination waits at the end of the journey all the same.

via Apple Music

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