It’s hard to tell if the past year has marked the end of the lo-fi/no-fi era, or if we’ve just been enjoying a momentary lapse in that sound’s near-domination of the indie music scene. Either way, it’s clear that bands aren’t satisfied to just rock out, throw some fuzz all over everything and call it good. Case in point, Starred. On Prison to Prison they mix and match, throwing distortion out generously while at the same time refining the mix when it comes to Liza Thorn’s vocals. What emerges is a distinctive idiom, one that draws as much from grunge as it does from landmark goth rockers like Bauhaus. The result? An earworm of an EP that’s clearly playing by it’s own rules.
“LA Drugs” was the first taste we got of this record, and remains the best way in to it. As the softly modulating rhythm gives way to a rolling guitar, Thorn’s voice rises against it, allowing
The last half of Prison to Prison registers much more heavily in the ‘dreamy’ vein, not that that softness should be confused with a lack of will. “Committee” features a west coast style lilting delivery, while “Cemetery”, embraces a smilar progression while calibrating it down into a darker space. And with closer “Light” we get perhaps the rawest taste of the whole album, where Thorn sings over a simply strummed guitar, ‘someone in my life is taking it all. You only just got one, and then you’re dust.’
It’s a sentiment that seems straight out of early 90s Seattle, and as the electric guitar begins to growl behind her, it’s understandable if you find yourself wondering if what you’re listening to is really a vintage tape from that era. But where those bands were at their best when they really unleashed the full force of their music, Starred seems more focused on remaining constrained. “Light” peters out, as if Prison to Prison had worn itself raw and really just needed to take a break. It’s an ending that leaves you a little bit frustrated, though far from dissatisfied with everything that’s come before. Suffice to say, then, that we best keep our eyes on Starred once the calendar flips over.
4 / 5 bars
