Golden Mixtape

Before I spend the rest of the day watching anime and Cartoon Network (yup, that’s one of my jobs), I wanted to tell you about a band you may’ve heard of if you know my friend Jamie. See Jamie is a passionate music fan who, when she loves a musician, will tweet the latest about them until you know their Twitter handle by heart. So I’ve known about Satellite for years now and I’m sure she could tell you about their new album Calling Birds in a way that’d be fit for Behind the Music. But since I’m writing these words down, you’ll have to settle for the surface of Calling Birds; an album I expected one thing from, but ended up with a familiar pace.

A month or so ago Satellite frontman Steven McMorran told us that Calling Birds would have a more Americana feel. When I sat down this morning, I only felt that with their lead single “Brooklyn.”  The rest played like “Say The Words,” a song that they had out when I first interviewed Steven back in 2010. I wasn’t mad at it being there because it’s a strong song. That, along with “Ring the Bells” were both older tracks from a 2010 EP. So I guess if you weren’t able to get that, no worries? Both of those tracks are what I call their Snow Patrol vibe.

Okay, so I was going to tell you about “Turning On My Own” and “Saving Us Tonight,” but it turns out those were on their Ring The Bells EP as well. I’m going to tell you about them anyway. The vocals are what stick out in these two. They’re sensual and sound like the best from American Idol winner David Cook. Who? Yeah, I loved him but where’s he now? I don’t know but Satellite can fill that void. To me the best from Calling Birds is what you can already find on their EP.

So if you already have Ring The Bells, you’re buying the new record for familiar faces and a handful of new songs that come across preachy and their Americana “Brooklyn.” Again though, if you don’t know my friend Jamie, then none of the tracks from their EP are old news to you, so if you like Snow Patrol and Ryan Star, then Satellite’s Calling Birds if just perfect for you. It’s out March 5^th, so check it.