Star Collector – Game Day (2021)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Vancouver band Star Collector have just released their fifth album Game Day full of fuzzy guitars, old school licks, crashing drums and ear-catching hooks and harmonies. The Canadian band describes itself as mood-influenced and their latest offering certainly harks back to the golden ages of Rock ‘n’ Roll, back to the 50s and 60s. The first track on the record is the album’s namesake and it packs a few punches. There are elements of The Who and the Monkees in ‘Game Day’. The guitars are heavy, almost groovy and the vocals twist around the music in swirls and roars. It’s a bit of an ear-worm so get ready to have the words “it’s Game Day” stuck deep in your head.
‘Rip It Off’ is a real crowd-pleaser. I listen and have visions of crowds crashing together, spilling beers and screaming the chorus out loud. Lights flash and an incredible guitar solo mesmerises an unruly sea of bodies. The song is a feel-good romp, it’s a whale of a time. The next track slows things down a little, but the guitars do not let up during ‘Stranger (Renting Space in my Head)’. They howl and moan to clashing and bending notes. I love the melody of this track and its lyrical introspection. ‘Cayenne and Caramel’ is a fun light-hearted track about a woman who “will burn you but she’s so sweet”. Female vocals accompany adding another layer to the song’s subject matter.
For lovers of classic Rock ‘n’ Roll Game Day hits every high note. I recommend this album be played as loudly as possible and that it’s washed down with bourbon, or perhaps more fittingly a Canadian Club.
Find out more about Star Collector on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
