Starbenders - "Take Back the Night"

Fun, sexy Glam Rock

Starbenders are a Glam Rock outfit from my home state of Georgia. And if the album cover and invocation of “Glam Rock” doesn’t make it clear enough, let me spell it out:

This is sex-forward, high-energy rock n’ roll of the sort you’d hear in the late 70s and 80s.

And the album starts with nothing but energy on “The Game” and “Sex”, but the band quickly demonstrate their flexibility, as the next three songs gradually step down from that all-out level.

“We’re Not OK” is a contemplative track which acknowledges the problems of our generation. And “Cherry Wine” is a post-breakup lament, which still builds into a solid rocker by the end.

This is pretty much how the entire album proceeds: waxing and waning, but never fully losing energy over the course of its 13-track, 47-minute playtime. Some songs are clearly better than others, but none are outright bad (no matter how nonplussed Louder Sound’s reviewer was).

The album includes, near the end, a cover of Alice Cooper’s “Poison”, which is good, but doesn’t feel like it’s pushing any boundaries.

That song aside, the final run of tracks from track 9 (“If You Need It”) to album closer, “Say You Will”, is one of the strongest sections on the album. “Say You Will” is also the most unique song (and one of the best) on Take Back the Night.

The album, as a whole, doesn’t seem to have any throughlines. Sex is a frequent topic, but doesn’t feel fully thematic in any sense.

In the end, Starbenders have delivered a fun, energetic collection which is likely an absolute BLAST to hear live. I really enjoyed this album.

Rating: Teal Green