Starflyer 59 Ranked (For Real)
Saw a SF59 ranked list and it only had Gold and Silver on it and I got sad.
So I'm making my own.
Only thing is I'm excluding IAMACEO because it's the only one I don't have...and Young In My Head because honestly, I've only heard it twice so I can't really recall much of it. I remember it was pretty much SF59 just doing their thing. |
| 13 |  | Starflyer 59
The Changing of the Guard
I could never really get into this album. It's very tame and that's about it. Probably the furthest from their roots they got but unfortunately, not in a particularly interesting way.
Best Tracks: Fun Is Fun, Time Machine, The Morning Rise/Frightening Eyes
Worst Tracks: Kick the Can, C.M.A.R. |
| 12 |  | Starflyer 59
I Am The Portuguese Blues
It's okay but so many songs are forgettable. Nothing about this one offends me or anything, just most of it just goes on by without sticking with me at all. It is very bluesy though which is neat.
Best Tracks: Destiny, No Revolution, I Need Some Help
Worst Tracks: Teens In Love, Not Funny |
| 11 |  | Starflyer 59
My Island
A more straightforward rock album from them. Not too much to say on that. Decent enough.
Best Tracks: It's Alright Blondie, My Island, Lifeguard
Worst Tracks: I Win |
| 10 |  | Starflyer 59
Dial M
Somewhat cheesy synth driven indie rock, but very fun and catchy. Not to mention a few late-career highlights. I have fond memories of this album helping me during a rough time in my life.
Best Tracks: Who Said It's Easy?, Mr. Martin, I Love You Like the Little Birds
Worst Tracks: Concentrate, Taxi |
| 9 |  | Starflyer 59
Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice
This album marks the start of what I consider the later-era SF59 and it's a very good one to start with. Drenched in syths and string arrangements, lovely. A couple tracks with that corny 80's electronic drums should be awful but are actually a lot of fun because of it.
Best Tracks: The Contest Completed, Night Life, Softness Goodness
Worst Tracks: A Good Living |
| 8 |  | Starflyer 59
SLOW
Probably controversial but either way, I genuinely love this album. It's one of my favorite of SF59's later period. It didn't do much new with the formula, but just delivered on his modern sound in spades.
Best Tracks: Slow, Wrongtime, Runaround
Worst Tracks: Hi Low |
| 7 |  | Starflyer 59
Old
A big turning point for the band in my opinion. Jason Martin's voice really started to deepen around this album and they drifted even further away from their roots into a more catchy pop/indie rock direction. Still very catchy and also focused very heavily on the inevitability of growing older...which comes up a lot in the albums past this one.
Best Tracks: Old, Unbelievers, First Heart Attack
Worst Tracks: Passengers, A Kissing Song |
| 6 |  | Starflyer 59
Leave Here A Stranger
Super good album. Just SF59 honing that dreamier indie rock they had been doing the previous two albums. The previous two just have stronger songs overall in my opinion.
Best Tracks: All My Friends Who Play Guitar, Can You Play the Drums?, I Like Your Photographs
Worst Tracks: Things Like This Help Me |
| 5 |  | Starflyer 59
Americana
The last of the shoegaze era didn't quite reach the heights of Silver and Gold, but it was still another solid as hell entry in that original trilogy. (Bear with me too, I haven't heard this one in a long while)
Best Tracks: The Voyager, The Heartaker, Help Me When You're Gone
Worst Tracks: You Think You're Radical |
| 4 |  | Starflyer 59
Everybody Makes Mistakes
Love this one. It feels so dreamy. It's less experimental than The Fashion Focus but the songs are still some of the most gorgeous they've ever written.
Best Tracks: 20 Dollar Bills, A Dethroned King, The Party
Worst Tracks: My Name |
| 3 |  | Starflyer 59
The Fashion Focus
Shifting away from their shoegaze roots seems like a bad idea, but it paid off well on this one. So many different ideas at play and for the most part they all turn out wonderfully.
Best Tracks: I Drive A Lot, Fell in Love at 22, Card Games and Old Friends, Too Much Fun
Worst Tracks: All The Time |
| 2 |  | Starflyer 59
Gold
Predictable, I know. Honestly it's nearly tied for first too. They took the sound from Silver and stretched it out and made it more epic. Love this thing to death.
Best Tracks: Stop Wasting Your Whole Life/Messed Up and Down, Do You Ever Feel That Way, One Shot Juanita
Worst Tracks: Indiana |
| 1 |  | Starflyer 59
Silver
Predictable as well but honestly, who cares.
Album's a masterpiece and a perfect slice of heavier shoegaze. Also it's nearly tied with Gold but Gold is dragged down a bit by feeling a TAD bloated.
Best Tracks: Blue Collar Love, Hazel Would, Droned
Worst Tracks: She Only Knows (not that it's bad by any means) |
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