Silver (Starflyer 59 album)
Encyclopedia
Silver is the name generally used to refer to the self-titled debut album
of rock band Starflyer 59
, released in 1994 on Tooth & Nail Records
. It has acquired the name Silver due to its cover art.
The album uses heavily distorted and effects-drenched guitars, influenced by British shoegaze and dream pop
bands of the early 1990s. This is in contrast with the band's later work, which is characterized by a cleaner, more traditional, "American rock" sound. CCM Magazine commented that the release was "quite unlike anything else in Christian music
" at the time.
The record was produced by Blood (producer)[aka. Jyro Xhan
(Mortal (band)
, Fold Zandura
) and Jerome Fontamillas
(Switchfoot
, Mortal (band)
, Fold Zandura
)]
The album was reissued in 2005 as an extended edition which also included the band's follow-up EP She's the Queen
. This edition is digitally remastered and is packaged with slightly different artwork from that of the original release, replacing a solid silver cover with an illustration of a silver crown. (The original cassette version had a fighter plane illustration on its cover, believed to be in reference to the band's name.) The album's original liner notes, which consisted of lyrics and cryptic illustrations, were omitted in the reissue. The last line of the original booklet reads,
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
of rock band Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59 is an alternative rock band from Riverside, California that was founded in 1993 by Jason Martin, brother of Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric. While Jason Martin has written nearly all of Starflyer 59's songs, the band has included a number of different musicians over the years, including...
, released in 1994 on Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
. It has acquired the name Silver due to its cover art.
The album uses heavily distorted and effects-drenched guitars, influenced by British shoegaze and dream pop
Dream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
bands of the early 1990s. This is in contrast with the band's later work, which is characterized by a cleaner, more traditional, "American rock" sound. CCM Magazine commented that the release was "quite unlike anything else in Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
" at the time.
The record was produced by Blood (producer)[aka. Jyro Xhan
Jyro Xhan
Jyro Xhan is the stage/pen name of Filipino American musician Jeff La Villa. He lives in California. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist and keyboard player. He has been in several bands such as Jyradelix, Cush, Juggernautz, but most notably Mortal and Fold Zandura. He was the main...
(Mortal (band)
Mortal (band)
Mortal was a Christian industrial/dance band fronted by Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan. Both members went on to found the alternative rock group Fold Zandura, and for a time were members of both bands simultaneously...
, Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura is an alternative rock band from California. They released four albums between 1995 and 1999 plus one white 7" vinyl. Each album was released under a different label. The two premier members also founded the industrial band Mortal. Their songs are "love songs and praise songs"...
) and Jerome Fontamillas
Jerome Fontamillas
Jerome Earl Fontamillas is a Filipino American musician. Jerome has played in several bands notably with industrial rock band Mortal and Fold Zandura, with long time musical partner Jyro Xhan. He currently plays with alternative rock band Switchfoot as a guitar and keyboard player.In 1985...
(Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
, Mortal (band)
Mortal (band)
Mortal was a Christian industrial/dance band fronted by Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan. Both members went on to found the alternative rock group Fold Zandura, and for a time were members of both bands simultaneously...
, Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura is an alternative rock band from California. They released four albums between 1995 and 1999 plus one white 7" vinyl. Each album was released under a different label. The two premier members also founded the industrial band Mortal. Their songs are "love songs and praise songs"...
)]
The album was reissued in 2005 as an extended edition which also included the band's follow-up EP She's the Queen
She's the Queen
She's the Queen is an EP that was released by the band Starflyer 59 in 1994, following the release of the band's debut album, Silver. It contains five previously unreleased songs and three alternated versions of songs from Silver...
. This edition is digitally remastered and is packaged with slightly different artwork from that of the original release, replacing a solid silver cover with an illustration of a silver crown. (The original cassette version had a fighter plane illustration on its cover, believed to be in reference to the band's name.) The album's original liner notes, which consisted of lyrics and cryptic illustrations, were omitted in the reissue. The last line of the original booklet reads,
"starflyer exclusively rides triumph motor bikesTriumph Motorcycles LtdTriumph Motorcycles Ltd is the largest surviving British motorcycle manufacturer, which was established in 1984 by John Bloor after the original manufacturer Triumph Engineering went into receivership...
."
Track listing
- "Blue Collar Love" – 4:04
- "Monterey" – 2:59
- "Sled" – 3:27
- "Hazel Would" – 2:53
- "The Zenith" – 5:36
- "2nd. Space Song" – 3:20
- "Droned" – 4:32
- "Happy Days Are Here Again" – 1:16
- "She Only Knows" – 2:07
- "The Dungeon" – 3:49
Extended Edition Bonus Tracks
- "She's the Queen" – 3:24
- "She Was My Sweet Heart" – 3:48
- "Blue Collar Love" (Joy ElectricJoy ElectricJoy Electric is the brand label for a series of electropop/synth pop productions by Ronnie Martin. Martin began producing music under the Joy Electric name in 1994, after the demise of Dance House Children, a band Ronnie was in with his brother Jason Martin of Starflyer 59. Starflyer 59 bass player...
Dub Mix) – 3:56 - "Monterey (Lounge Version)" – 4:47
- "Canary Row" – 2:52
- "Salinas" – 2:51
- "The Drop" – 2:26
- "Droned (In Love Version)" – 4:09
Personnel
- Jason Martin – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, songwriting, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Andrew Larson – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Dan Reid – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Blood – production, mixing
- Bob Moon – engineering, mixing
- Troy Glessner – digital re-mastering (Extended Edition)