Starmother

I saw Starmother play a set in November to a crowd of maybe 50 people. At the release show for their debut album Electric Mistress this Saturday night, I had to push through a packed house at The Prophet Bar to get anywhere remotely close to the stage. The stage lights turned off, intro music came on, the crowd cheered in anticipation…I thought I was going to see a local band but somehow I stumbled into an honest to goodness rock’n’roll show. Bassist Robert Burroughs, drummer Troy Bruner, and guitar player Charley Wiles took the stage in the dark and began to play. Wiles, decked out in a full length fur coat, kicked into a slide guitar riff that could’ve just as easily been heard on At Fillmore East four decades earlier. Bruner and Burroughs locked into the groove as singer Blake Cheek sauntered onto the stage and plugged in a guitar. That’s when I noticed…three out of the four guys had X’s on their hands. Life just isn’t fair sometimes. A group of minors can’t possibly be this talented and professional and already have the presence of seasoned road warriors, can they? I thought, “Alright, frontload a little firepower, let’s see how long it lasts.” About halfway through their set, bodies started floating above the audience. Crowd surfing is the equivalent of “the people have spoken.” Starmother deservedly won over their crowd on Saturday night. This certainly didn’t feel like a band that hadn’t yet officially released their debut album. The audience had everything; babies with earmuffs, hipsters, highschoolers, and members of the very good Dallas band, The Roomsounds. When other bands are checking you out, there’s something special happening. I mention the crowd because the mix of people and personalities is important. There wasn’t just one type or group there because Starmother has done a great job of building a sound that incorporates everything from Jack White to Allman Brothers to John Mayer to Sabbath. You never know how these things will ultimately shake out, but the band I saw on Saturday night earned the right to confidently play on a stage with any band out there, past, present, or otherwise. - The Currency of Cool

Despite being a free show at Gas Monkey Bar & Grill, there wasn’t much of a crowd on this Sunday. That can’t be totally unexpected, given the bill consisted of a couple local acts and a touring band that I doubt anyone was familiar with beforehand.

Still, a little more than fifty people or were scattered around the massive patio that houses the outdoor stage; and those who did show up were rewarded with a show that they will not soon forget.

Opening the show was Starmother (who, until recently, was known as The Neckties); and while I had been aware of the band for a couple years, I had never managed to catch a show before this.

A new moniker also means new music; and in their 33-minute long set, they played many of the songs off their forthcoming Electric Mistress EP, opening with the title track, “Electric Mistress”. The instrumental piece got things off to a roaring start, with bluesy tones from lead and rhythm guitarists Charley Wiles and Blake Cheek, respectively; while Troy Bruner added a lot of tenacity with some pulse-pounding drumbeats, and bassist Robert Burroughs helped intensify that mighty rhythm section.

“How we doing tonight?” Blake asked everyone, while Troy bridged them into their next song. “We’re happy to be here with y’all,” he added, after letting everyone know who they were, and then they ripped into “Flat Broke Blues”. The band’s style is a mix of rock and blues, and it was demonstrated very well on that song, which was often rather fiery, with some sweet licks thrown in.

They kept the new songs coming, doing one that ended with a wicked instrumental finish, really highlighting these guys musicianship. The action packed end from it then spilled over into “I Don’t Need”, which was blistering from start to finish; and shortly into it, Blake sit his guitar down, embracing more of a frontman role as he belted out the lines on this soulful rock number.

They kept the adrenaline-pumping pace up with “Way Down”, incorporating a lot of energy into the song that was just a little more than two-minutes. Robert and Troy then took the reins, beginning a very rhythm driven intro for “Just Another Man”. It was a change of pace from everything thus far, as they slowed things down and showed off the softer side they are capable of. “…I don’t want to be just another man…” Blake crooned on the chorus of the song that was teeming with emotion. They also worked a great jam session into the song, which spiked once Charley knocked out a solo, and then the other instruments proceeded to escalate.

“We have an album coming out…” Blake told the onlookers, saying it would be out sometime this year. With that, they jumped back to the Chop & Change record they released under the old band name back in 2012, doing “Southside”. The name may have changed, but the style of music they play hasn’t much (apart from a little tighter sound), so that classic still fit with everything else. They had just one left after that, going straight into another jam that showed off their more tender side.

I’m really hating that it took me so long to see these guys. Their performance this night was great, and they put a lot of energy into it.

Blake possesses a great voice, often putting a lot of heart into his singing, while the music has a slightly fresh sound to it. They pull off the bluesy rock genre very well too, easily earning a top spot amongst other similar acts here in the D/FW area.

They have a couple of shows planned for October, one at Lola’s in Fort Worth on the 3rd, the other at Sundown at Granada in Dallas on the 11th. - The Music Enthusiast

Dallas/Fort Worth sure does have a lot of great bands; many of whom have made it to the national level and many, in my opinion, who should have. The music industry is an unpredictable mother, though, who spews out many musically-talented children in her years. One of those offspring on the scene today is a young, soulful band called Starmother.

A four-piece band that have been playing together since their elementary school days (that's right) and once known as The Neckties, they have metamorphosed into a tight, hippie-ish blues band with dedication and drive not found in bands so young. Their second effort, Electric Mistress, is a six-song EP that, if you didn't know any better, you would think was by a much older band.

Kicking off the EP with the instrumental title track, distorted guitars and a pounding, feedback-filled drum beat create the kind of sound that could only be caught during a live recording session. An obvious warm-up melodic number that is sporadic in nature and somewhat confusing (but in a good way), it is a totally great opening song mastered by guitarist Charley Wiles, who lives for the crazy vibe he gets from his guitar pedals. However, this by no means sets the pace for the songs that follow.

Track two, "Way Down," really grabs you as it falls into the realm of early Led Zeppelin. Catchy, with great changes, good rhythm and screaming vocals by singer Blake Cheek, The Black Keys’ influence shines through on this song, which also features organ by producer Nick Jay, former bassist for another great Texas band, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights.

Track three, "Flat Broke Blues," is the highlight of the EP with habitual bluesy riffs. A very energetic number that is somewhat funky with a bouncy beat, it is not a song you would expect from a young band in 2014. Nicely done!

The fourth number, "Just Another Man," slows things down. This song has Motown written all over it, complete with a background harmony you would be convinced came from Gladys Knight’s Pips. It’s soulful, sultry, and shows the band’s development in their style and lyrics. A rock and roll love ballad filled with heartbreak and torment - go figure!

Starmother Electric MistressJust when you think you have this band figured out, they throw in the kitchen sink. Track five, "I Don't Need," comes on strong with heavy lyrics, a driving rhythmic shake and nice guitar work by Charley Wiles, who goes all-out with his screechy seventies style - a bit dirty at times, but pure blues. Robert Burroughs’s bass riff really carries the song from start to finish and can only be described as fat and ballsy. This is another love song with male attitude painted all over it. What I like about this track is that you just don't know where it's going. Great rock and roll song.

Finishing the EP is a folksy number that throws you for a loop by slowing things down, "Old Winding Road." The newest member of the group, Troy Bruner, keeps the tempo at ease with a smooth drum beat that gives the tune a simplistic feel.

Overall, Starmother show great potential on their second release. Their writing skills and musicianship displays maturity and promise as they follow the beat of their own drumming into the void of today's music scene. - Jam Magazine