Combining three-fifths of Velocity Girl plus drummer Nick Pellicciotto (Edsel, New Wet Kojak, etc.), Starry Eyes were an immediately interesting proposition a quarter-century (!) ago. Hell, any band who took their name from that magnificent single from The Records would've probably gotten a few spins in the Griffith household. That said, the Starry Eyes material was solid, revealing different sides of the talents of these VG folks. Not entirely jangle-pop and not corny power-pop either, the music on the self-titled Starry Eyes EP stood on its own admirably.
Now, here in 2023, the original four-track EP is being reissued with newly-discovered demos and bonus cuts, with enough stuff here suggesting that band had a full album in them. Had they not broken up fairly quickly, that is. Fans of the newly-released Sarah Shannon demo set from 1998 should find this reissue invaluable, fitting in as the last piece of the sonic puzzle between 1996's Gilded Stars and Zealous Hearts and her steps towards solo releases. And for fans of Foxhall Stacks, Jim Spellman's band with Bill Barbot (Jawbox), Peter Moffett (Government Issue), and Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, etc.), this EP should serve up a harder, robust sound that -- at times at least -- seems closer in spirit to that of Foxhall Stacks and not Velocity Girl. And I'm saying that not only because Brian Baker is on this Starry Eyes reissue.
In this set, the original 4-track EP is here, sounding better than ever. "Radio!" remains one of the great lost college rock numbers from the Nineties. It's got bits that recall both Veruca Salt and Britpop stuff (like Sleeper maybe). And in a perfect world, this would have been as big as "I Can't Stop Smiling", even though the riffs are a good deal harder here than on that VG classic. While "Disappearer" benefits from a synth assist from Geoff Turner (Gray Matter), it's "Getting Over My Surprise" that lingers in the ear. The lilting gem will get attention from the harDCore crowd due to the presence of Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, etc.) on additional guitar, but the tune is more Oasis-y than Dischord-y.
There's an acoustic version of "N-N-N-Nervous" here that I almost prefer to the original on the EP. The acoustic version lets Sarah Shannon's vocals have a more prominent position in the mix, and this acoustic number is a nice stylistic detour for the group, as is the Britpop stomp of "Bring It On Down", the first of five demos rounding out this 2023 issue of Starry Eyes. The wonderfully-titled "Nothing Saves the Morning After" sees the band stretching even further afield. Sarah's vocals are fantastic, warm and nicely emotional, but it's Jim Spellman's lap steel guitar which gives this one a nice flavor. "Send Send" written by Sarah Shannon and with a main guitar part by her as well is one of the highlights here. Roaring like the best songs on the neglected second album from Belly, this number is bright, catchy, and really easy to love.
This 2023 edition of Starry Eyes sounds great, and offers an idea of what this band could have done had they stayed together longer. It's more college rock than indie-pop, but there's room in the world for both, and certainly in 1997 there was. Starry Eyes had chops, but maybe not a long-term game plan. As it is, Starry Eyes is an essential document for those interested in American alt-rock of the Nineties, and especially so for anyone with a fondness for the sounds of this city and its suburbs in the era.
Starry Eyes by Starry Eyes is out via Bandcamp today. Details below.
[Photo: Maria Hoey]