Album/EP

Starcrawler - She Said (Album Review)

Walladmin

Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Sep 18, 2022

7 min read

Starcrawler – She Said
Released: September 16th, 2022

Line up:

Arrow De Wilde // Vocals
Henri Cash // Guitar
Tim Franco // Bass
Bill Cash // Guitar
Seth Carolina // Drummer

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If you’ve ever wondered what glam would sound like if you brought it into the 21st century and mixed it with punk and classic rock, you would have LA’s own Starcrawler. Fronted by Bowie-esque vocalist Arrow De Wilde, this five piece signed to Big Machine Records and have just released their third album She Said.

First up is 'Roadkill', which the music video sees the band working in menial jobs and being chased by a very pink seemingly killer car, with a surprise ending which makes it worth a watch. It’s one of the shorter songs on the record at just under two and a half minutes, but the upbeat tempo of the song makes it very fun. Tim Franco and his bass are my personal favourite parts of 'Roadkill', but the way Henri Cash and Bill Cash compliment each other with the rhythm and lead guitar parts are great too. Arrow De Wilde’s mix of sung and whispered vocals are also a fun little twist. Title track 'She Said' is next up and it has a very The Runaways-esque kind of vibe to it, as well as being a bit slower than the previous track. “Please, please, please like me” is a lyric in the track I feel like everyone can relate to, and its repetitiveness makes it pretty easy to learn and sing along to. I’m also a really big fan of the way the song just ends a little abruptly after a guitar solo at the tail end of the track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_n4_PxA54Q

'Stranded' is track three and is the longest track on the record, and one of my favourites. The guitar riff that it opens on just makes you feel good, and after the first chorus it’s picked up by the bass as well and that harmony of the different instruments is just pleasing to the ear. Although lyrically very repetitive, it’s not a detriment to the song at all. I’m always a fan of an open guitar note to finish off a track, and once you’re done singing “Shine on me!” along with Arrow you’ll be sad the song is over. 'Thursday' is harder, faster and dirtier (in the best way!) than the previous track, and the change in beat and tempo reminds you that this is a rock band. Think windows down, sun shining, hair blowing in the wind as you cruise down the highway in summer, that’s what 'Thursday' makes you feel, musically anyway. Lyrically it’s a little sombre with the lead line in the chorus being “We will never fall in love again”, but it’s a nice contrast to what’s happening with the instrumental.

'Broken Angels' marks the halfway point of the record and has a bit of a sad vibe to it, musically and lyrically. It also has a tambourine, and tambourine will always get an automatic thumbs up from me! It was the fourth single released from the record, and I like that all the singles have very different vibes and feels to them. Arrow’s vocals are particularly haunting on this track, but in a totally beautiful way. After 'Broken Angels' comes 'Jetblack' which opens with Seth Carolina’s drumming which is always a great way to open a track, and he and Tim Franco compliment each other really nicely in the rhythm section. It’s a mix between a toe-tapper and a dancing kind of track and is another personal favourite off the record. The closing lyric of “Crazy is how I like it” is a fitting sentiment I think everyone can relate to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cjOlbO8tvQ

'True' is the shortest track on the record at just over two minutes, and to me it feels like if you crossed 'Miss Nothing' by The Pretty Reckless, and 'Calypso' by Spiderbait, which in my opinion are two great songs and sounding like the love-child of those is not a bad thing. The only ‘bad’ thing I can say about the song is that it’s too short! Track 8 is 'Midnight', and Starcrawler change the tempo again with this one being a slower track than 'True'. It almost has a tiny bit of a country kind of feel musically, especially with the guitar parts, and changes up the record in a way that stops it from being too repetitive.

Second last is 'Runaway' and it’s fast, punchy and rocky. 'Midnight' chills you out and then 'Runaway' is like oh you were chilling? Nope, let’s go rock out and break stuff! It feels almost like a revenge song to an old lover and would fit nicely in a teen angst film when the main character is just losing her mind before the climax of the movie.

'Better Place' is the final track on the record and is my personal favourite. It’s the most different feeling track vibe-wise, as well as being sonically different. The country vibes we were teased with earlier on during 'Midnight' comes out in this track and really gives the whole record the feeling of being a journey. While parts of She Said threaten to be a little repetitive, 'Better Place' really changes things up and is the perfect final track for an album.

This is Starcrawler’s third record, but their first major label outing and it’s a strong debut for the band on Big Machine Records. It’s comprised of ten tracks that could fit in any era from the 70s, 80s, 90s or now and with She Said, Starcrawler have proved that music is timeless, and rock certainly isn’t dead.