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