Starmaker

by Honey Harper

Overview

The debut long-player from William Fussell, who dons a Stetson under the moniker Honey Harper, Starmaker evokes the sunset patina of '70s country-rock and folk staples like Ian Matthews Southern Comfort, Gram Parsons, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the Eagles. The self-described "celestial honky-tonk" enthusiast first tasted success in 2011 with post-punk outfit Mood Rings, but born and raised in Georgia, country music and its regional ubiquity helped to unconsciously shape his songwriting. All the markers of artifice are here, from the showy stage name to the sensual bespoke cover photo, but Fussell has crafted a remarkably moving album that feels both timeless and authentic. "There's no need to ask if I'm stuck in the past, you already know," he croons on the yearning title cut, one of a handful of lush ballads that suggest Harry Nilsson by way of Mickey Newbury. There are echoes of the soft rock-imbued pastoral folk of Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty on the rolling "The Day It Rained Forever," the psych-tinged Baroque pop stylings of Lee Hazlewood on the opulently orchestrated "Suzuki Dream," and the softly lit "Vaguely Satisfied" surprises with an out-of-nowhere and not-unwelcome flute solo. The blend of countrypolitan instrumentation and ambient synths that serve as the album's fuselage is consistently warm and inviting, as is Fussell's emotive and plaintive voice, which can rise from a throaty Sturgill Simpson warble to a soaring falsetto in a single measure. Starmaker is a subtle, yet quietly powerful record that feels like it's been hiding in your record collection for decades, just waiting for the right rainy day to make itself known. ~ James Christopher Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	03/06/2020
Label:	Ato
UPC:	0880882370114

Tracks

1. Green Shadows
2. In Light of Us
3. The Day It Rained Forever
4. Something Relative
5. Tired Tower
6. Suzuki Dreams
7. Vaguely Satisfied
8. Someone Else's Dream
9. Tomorrow Never Comes
10. Strawberry Lite
11. Starmaker

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Honey Harper   Primary Artist
Alex Bietzke   Primary Artist
Katie Stelmanis   Primary Artist
Henry Senior Jr   Primary Artist
William Fussell   Primary Artist
Olivier Heim   Primary Artist
John Kirby   Primary Artist
Mikey Sorbello   Primary Artist
Michael Mayer   Primary Artist
Sebastien Tellier   Primary Artist
Tony Berg   Primary Artist
Hungarian Studio Orchestra   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Matt Colton   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Mariangela Celeste   Composer
Oliver Heim   Composer
John Foyle   Mixing
Phil Jewson   Composer
John Kirby   Composer
Sebastien Tellier   Composer
Alex Bietzke   Recording,Producer,Composer
Alana Pagnutti   Composer
Aaron Denton   Artwork
Katie O'Neill   Producer
Olivier Heim   Composer
Tonje Thilesen   Photography
William Fussell   Composer,Producer