Purplespace + Starring Me

We have a fairly long history of being smitten with the music of Jacksonville, Florida trio Starring Me. First mentioned on MML with an introductory post in October 2007 and then again in July 2009 for their seven track CD release Parallels, primary musicians Tara Clendenen (vocals), Reed Clendenen (bass/vocals) and John Hashtak (guitar/vocals) have become a staple of our listening regimen. Along the way, the band enlisted musical assistance from friends and formed a side project, Purplespace, which was also featured here in both Feburary 2009 for the LP A Tiny Little Spark and August 2010 with their follow up EP Eventually Juliet. Since 2002, this music collective has been writing and recording music together and have now remastered some of their early tracks with added accompaniment of synth/drums for an 11 song collection, simply titled Purplespace + Starring Me, earlier this year. The result is an exceptional listen and an opportunity to revisit a range of years when shoegaze was just being realized again for the first time in well over a decade. Although this particular genre of music has been poked, prodded and dragged in less fortunate directions by many similar artists, Starring Me/Purplespace maintain a consistent and signature sound that escapes remix-cliche while managing to give admitted purists like ourselves a reason to stay tuned. In other words, this is great shoegaze...of the electro variety.

MP3: Never Be The Same

As a bonus, we also have a lovely cover song of a favourite 80s alternative band as recorded by Purplespace a few years ago. You don't want to miss this one.

*Bonus* MP3: Pretty In Pink (Psychedelic Furs cover)