Album Name: Love Potions (Zodiac Deluxe) Artist: Starbenders Kimi Shelter: Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Keyboard Kriss Tokaji: Rhythm & Lead Guitar, Keyboard Aaron Lecesne: Bass, Rhythm Guitar Emily Moon: Drums & Percussion Released: February 2021 Label: Sumerian Records Rating: 8/10
Tracklist
01. Hangin' On Tonight 02. Getting Harder 03. Precious (Ft. Remington Leith) 04. Holy Mother 05. BITCHES BE WITCHES 06. London 07. Push 08. Never Gonna Die 09. Cover Me 10. Can't Cheat Time 11. Coming Up Roses 12. Down & Out 13. Something Ain't Right 14. One Of Us 15. True Love (Japanese Bonus Track) 16. Salt 17. Plastic Touch 18. Green Eyes 19. Angel 20. Push - Remix 21. BITCHES BE WITCHES (Acoustic)
"Love Potions (Zodiac Deluxe)" brings a whole new level to the already great album. With the new songs that are featured within we see an almost heavier more in your face version of Starbenders. This band have never shied away from just completely being themselves and with such a varied style of music you can see that no ones telling them what to do. I want to focus more on the new songs that are on this album but first I have to mention that "Love Potions" before the deluxe is an album that really showed off the creative talents of the four piece and those songs are still equally as special. From loud in your face tracks like the popular "Holy Mother" to the deeper storytelling of "One Of Us", Starbenders have such a great versatility and ability to grab the attention of people with their music. The new songs are a mix of pop to rock to almost punky sounds and then on top of that they threw in a remix and an acoustic. There really is a song for every mood. I would like to start by talking about "True Love" the first of the new songs you will hear if you listen to the album in order.I was instantly excited by this song the intro just grabs a hold of you without asking your permission. The best way I could think to describe "True Love" is having a pretty punk like vibe or maybe more like hard rock. The whole song feels angry and emotional and you could imagine jumping around screaming it at the top of your lungs. Also the chorus of this song is so catchy, I found myself singing along word for word by the second listen and I have completlely fallen in love with this track. Another song that I really enjoyed was "Salt". The bassline at the beginning of the song, I was completely speechless it just blew me away. Then the vocals from the second they begin it's like "Shelter" is commanding your attention. As I listened I felt as though I was being fully submerged into this music. Something I found to be really cool about this track is the chorus, the instruments stick to this heavy pace but the vocals almost constrast that as they are so soft and I think that works so well. Normally you hear heavy music and its accompanied bysomething of the same tone, heavy or screaming vocals. Starbenders have discovered something that is very rare, the ability to take two sounds that work perfectly together but without hearing it for yourself you might not believe that. The other three of the five new songs reminded me more of the kind of sound that I am used to with Starbenders. A little bit more groovy rather than heavy and containing more of a pop vibe. I would however like to pick out the drums in "Green Eyes" as I think they really make that song. Also from "Green Eyes" the use of what sounds like a harmonica I thought fit the song so well and made it kind of something different to listen to. The only thing I didn't particulary love from this album was the "Push - Remix", for me I thought it was very similar to the original song and I don't feel like it was needed on the album. The track is already on the single version of "Push" and I think it works there just as something a little bit extra. Whereas on the album I feel like as a listener I went from being super excited and intrigued by what was hearing to hearing something that I would prefer to just have on as background noise. It's not that it's a bad song I just don't think it fits where it is. Overall, "Love Potions (Zodiac Deluxe)" is 100% an album I would recommend. Does it have it's downsides, yes but there are more songs than not in there that I think are really something special. I personally will be listening to this version of "Love Potions" on repeat as the new tracks that are within it are so interesting and really fully grab my attention. Starbenders are really giving their audience a full course meal with this and I think it is something everyone should check out.
Listen to "Love Potions (Zodiac Deluxe)" here:
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