Starcrazy - Played for Suckers Review

Sometimes working here is like a time travel. It’s like taking the time train to 1968’s San Francisco’s hippie summer of love with the flowers and beads and the nonsense lyrics. It’s possible to see smelly long-haired hippies with the flowers in their hairs playing acoustic guitars on the streets saying ‘Peace and love, man’ to all. Not to mention all the colorful clothes with collars of all kinds.

This Starcrazy with “Played for Suckers” reminds me of all those things. The nonsense is present in tracks as “Gimme Back My Stereo” with a cool instrumental that some riffs remind us all of Kiss. Well, the art cover tells a lot about Kiss too. In terms of music, Starcrazy deserve all the credit. Instrumentals are neat and well-played besides being very heavy. Vocals give the contrast singing as if 1968 were back and the hippies came to town. But the guitar riffs are heavy and strong as “Not The Only One” proves. The guitar strumming in the beginning and at the end makes us all remind The Cult “Sonic Temple” era. By the way, opening track “Rise” also reminds a lot The Cult, but this time from “Love” era. Well, as a matter of fact, both albums are great. Following track “Taking down the Brutes” hits the charts with a fast and insane mooding. The guitar riffing is insane and frentic. The track has some plot twists that contrast the moods. Sometimes sweet and gentle, the other times furious and frentic. I like this. Then comes “Long Way Home” with its nonsense lyrics and hippie rock instrumentals. ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’? Seriously?

I told about “Played for Suckers” being a time travel to 1968’s San Francisco’s hippie summer of love. It’s the partial truth. In fact, the truth is always partial. This album maybe fun or a nightmare. It depends on where one looks. A Rock fan find it amazing and fresh due to the modern instrumental arrangements it shows; a hardcore Metal fan will find it a nightmare for the same reasons. From where I’m standing the album is a good representation of the aforementioned epoch with great guitar playing, if you ask me. By the way, pay attention to the guitar riffing in “Disturb the Peace,” a mix of Led Zeppelin with Judas Priest. Have I mentioned how great the guitars are?

Starcrazy “Played for Suckers” will be self-released on January 29th.

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