Recontextualization

When I heard that Starflyer 59 was releasing a new album hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed 2024 record Lust For Gold, I was a bit surprised. Once I dove further into the concept for the record, though, I began to understand why the band was able to put this out so quickly. This isn’t a collection of new songs, but rather a reimagining of previous material in a gently soporific, slumber-inducing format. I wasn’t sure about the premise, but I have to admit to being fond of the results.

The collection comes off as very similar to the Lullaby Renditions of… series that came together almost two decades ago. The series took the songs of popular bands and recreated them in a format that sounded like lullabies. Tracks by Nirvana or Radiohead or even Led Zeppelin were transformed into something that you would hear coming from the plastic mobile rotating over an infant’s crib. If it sounds hokey, maybe it was a bit, but somehow it worked. We had the volume dedicated to The Cure and used to play it to get my oldest son to settle down when he was a baby. 

While the stylistic shift is effective in a certain way, it usually leaves me with a desire to go back and listen to the original song. That's certainly true here, especially on tracks like "When I Learn To Sing" (one of my first Starflyer discoveries and still a favorite). Additionally, as is true in most of these sorts of collections, some songs work well in the new format and some are not as adaptive.

While I don't imagine picking this album up on a regular basis during the day, it makes for a pleasant night cap.

Starflyer 59 - Dejame Dormir

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