Listen to the “Wrongtime” Single From Starflyer 59’s Next Album

Just the other day, I was wondering if we’d ever hear another album from Starflyer 59, the venerable indie-rock band fronted by Jason Martin. (Starflyer 59’s most recent album was 2013’s self-released IAMACEO). It was, therefore, a delightful surprise to read the announcement that Martin was returning to Tooth & Nail Records (which has released nearly all of Starflyer 59’s music) for album #14, titled Slow.

Martin sums up his decision to release Slow on Tooth & Nail in one word: consistency. As he puts it in the announcement, “I like looking back and seeing over a twenty year history with the label. I’m comfortable being on Tooth & Nail, it feels like home.” “Consistency” is a very good word to use with Starflyer 59; for more than two decades, Martin has released album after album of solid, well-crafted music stretching all the way back to 1994’s self-titled debut. And that consistency is on display with Slow’s first single, “Wrongtime.”

“Wrongtime” has everything you could want in a Starflyer 59 song: no-nonsense bass and drums, some nicely reverbed guitars, a few ’80s-sounding affectations, and Martin’s laid-back, even world-weary vocals. According to Martin, the new album’s lyrics “are more of a reflection on being a middle aged adult instead of a 20-year-old kid talking about a girl he likes.” Which sounds like Slow will pick up where 2008’s Dial M left off. So basically, more consistency.

Slow will be released on June 17, 2016 (click here to preorder).