by David Wilikofsky
Seattle’s Star Party formed in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. The bedroom rock duo of Carolyn Brennan and Ian Corrigan (Gen Pop, Vexx) released a four track demo later that year consisting of two originals and two covers. That release made their musical identity crystal clear: they were a noise pop band through and through. Their debut album album continues to flesh out their musical universe, perfecting the sounds they explored on that first EP.
Star Party’s songs are built on contrasts: sweet melodies paired with somber lyrics, pop songs swathed in feedback and fuzz. It’s a tried and true formula, and as a result Meadow Flower is the kind of record that invites easy comparison. The band fits into a long lineage of noise pop purveyors, from progenitors like The Jesus and Mary Chain to contemporaries like Empath. Though there may not be much sonic innovation on Meadow Flower, it hardly matters when the songs are this expertly crafted. Jangle pop melodies fight through squalls of noise while Brennan’s vocals float angelically above the fray. It’s a delicate dance; any single element could easily overpower the others, but the band consistently manages to keep them in perfect harmony.
Though a typical Star Party song is brief (only one on this album breaks the three minute mark), the album sews them together into something much greater than the sum of its parts. Individual tracks don’t end as much as dissolve into feedback or static, out of which another song quickly materializes; there’s a breathless momentum (one I’ve most often observed in live performances) that drives the album forward and makes it feel more like an unstoppable force of nature than a short set of eight pop songs. More than the impeccable songcraft or musicianship, it’s this sense of irrepressible energy that will keep you hitting play over and over again.