Where have these guys been?! Sweden of course, but this scratches a hard rock itch that I never knew I had! Formed in 2018 as a fun idea to make music in the style of 70s and 80s classic rock, the band Starmen is carving a name for themselves in their own right. In the style of bands like KISS, they embraced a stage gimmick of painting a star on their faces and taking stage names (although their identities are not a secret). Of their not-so-secret identities, Jonatan Samuelsson as Gold Starman was familiar to me as the bassist for Narnia.
In 2020, they released not only one, but two full length albums: “Kiss the Sky” and “Welcome to My World.” They followed up in the next year with their third album “By the Grace of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” After a two year break they came back with the current offering of “Starmenized.” All were released to great acclaim through Melodic Passion Records which is owned by Christian Liljegren, another Narnia reference.
Starmen do a great job of setting the stage for their act, starting with the album art. The band is in makeup illustrated in a superhero comic style posing with rock machismo. But then beyond the art, the cover looks like it is printed on a well-loved LP complete with the worn sides and bashed corners. You can even see the circle of the record’s edge hearkening back to the age when LPs were king. So let’s hear what they’ve got!
I am instantly hit with the energy that Starmen bring to the super-well worn road of classic rock. Given the gimmicky presentation, I was trying to figure how seriously I needed to take them. The quality of the songwriting and skill of the musicians, including all four of them helping out in vocals, made it clear this is top quality rock ‘n roll made seriously fun. The opening of “Liar” showcases the quality lead/solo chops of Purple Starman with his super fast picking lead and solo passages. Starting with the opening track, there is a seamless transitioning between sections that are diverse keeping me engaged. After one listen I was hooked.
The songwriting on this album is Starmen’s strongest suit. There are ten songs, each with their own unique identity where I could spot them in a lineup. We start off with “Liar” which is high energy hard rock, then to the swaggering “Rockstar.” There is the essential power ballad “I Die for You,” an 80s heartthrob track “Renegade Jenny,” and the heavy blues-tinged closer “Starmenized.” They cover all the classic rock bases without a weak song in the bunch creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Catchy melodies flowing across both voice and instruments make these tracks quite infectious.
The performances by the musicians is very strong. Red’s rhythm guitar combined with Silver’s drum beats lay down the strong rock grooves that drive the energy on the album. Purple is not a one trick pony in performing technical pyrotechnics, but tailors his performance to the song and connects well with the different sections. Gold’s bass work is period accurate with some personal flourishes that make the low end interesting.
The lead vocals have a great mix of grit and emotion. There is a great soulful performance on “I Die For You” and the emotion is palpable on “Renegade Jenny”. Even though the performances were great, the lead voices didn’t rise as high in the mix. Regardless though, Starmen’s use of backing vocals adds additional depth to the songs. A great example is on “Just a Stranger” where each of the backing vocalists are doing something a little different, but it all fits together well. It got me to think more than I had before about backing vocals.
Although I struggle hearing lyrics, because I always mishear lyrics, I catch many rock ‘n roll clichés adding to the fun element. An example of this is “Radioactive” which mentions about a lady being radioactive, presumably about a relationship. But you never know, it could have been about a lady actively listening to the radio, another classic rock subject. Beyond the lyrics, “Radioactive” is a killer track and one of my favorites.
The only drawback, and it certainly is surmountable, is that production left something to be desired. I just don’t know what. The mix is a little soft which may translate to a less punchy sound compared to other modern rock/metal mixes, but I just played the album a little louder and after a while I didn’t notice it.
This is a super fun album flowing with infectious melody that sticks for days. High quality songwriting, excellent musicianship, and swaggering showmanship that I think eclipses many of the 70s and 80s classic rock heroes that they claim as inspiration. Starmen are true rockstars! If you like melodic hard rock or haven’t dusted off those old classic rock albums in a while, this album is for you.
Rating: 9.0/10
Written by Sean Bailey
Tracklist
1 – Liar
2 – Rockstar
3 – Tears Never Dry
4 – I Die For You
5 – Radioactive
6 – Black Moon Rising
7 – Renegade Jenny
8 – Just a Stranger
9 – Word Up (We All Bleed Red)
10 – Starmenized
Starmen is:
Red Starman (Kristian Hermanson) – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Gold Starman (Jonatan Samuelsson) – bass, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals
Silver Starman (John Hector) – drums, backing vocals
Purple Starman (Andreas Lindgren) – lead guitar, backing vocals
Release Date: 8 Sept. 2023
Record Label: Melodic Passion Records
Discography:
Kiss the Sky (2020)
Welcome To My World (2020)
By the Grace of Rock ‘n’ Roll (2021)
Starmenized (2023)
Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
Video for ‘Liar’
Video for ‘Rockstar’
Video for ‘Radioactive’
Video for ‘Starmenized’