Starfucker-Miracle Mile

            How far can one make it with a ludicrous name and infectious hooks? Portland, Oregon band STRFKR (That’s their abbreviated name) is certainly pushing the envelope to find out. The origin of this story begins in the early 2000’s with lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Hodges. STRFKR originally started under the name of Pyramid and was designed as a solo project for Hodges alone. However, as time passed and Hodges met bassist Shawn Glassford, drummer Keil Corcoran and guitar keyboardist Patrick Morris, STRFKR was finally formed in 2007. They released their self-titled debut in 2008, and the success of their song “Rawnald Gregory Erickson The Second”, which was featured in a Target commercial, gave the band all the confidence needed to prosper despite their controversial name.

Prosper, they did. In 2011 came the outstanding sophomore effort Reptilians, a refreshing mix of electronic and dance music that was designed as “music you could both listen and dance to.” Apparently plenty of people were doing just that, as STRFKR’s steady rise into the consciousness of the mainstream continued.

That rise continues here, with Miracle Mile, the third and best album from the Portland quartet. Beginning with opening track and lead single “While I’m Alive”, Miracle Mile is a blast from the first few opening bars. That song oozes a confident but not cocky bravado; Once again, it’s the sound of a band who has found exactly their place in the music world, and is completely happy and content with the artistic direction they are taking. It really shines through on “While I’m Alive”, complete with funky bass and groovy electronic breakdowns. It’s a must listen to anyone with a working set of ears.

Luckily, the great songs just keep on coming. Excellent is “Atlantis”, a song that will challenge you to not move your hips while listening. Its steady drumbeat has Corcoran keeping pace with the guitars tying things neatly into a dance-friendly package. It’s good stuff, and will certainly make one wonder “How have I not heard of these guys before?”

Considering the strength of songs like “Kahlil Gibran” and “Fortune’s Fool”, hopefully fewer people will ask themselves the aforementioned question. If you like rock, you should check them out. If you like electronic music, the same applies. Their music is quite versatile and appeals to a wide audience because of the variances in style that they exhibit. Speaking of variances in style, there is the atypical STRFKR song in “Beach Monster”, which as the title suggests, has a beach type influence that hasn’t been seen in their music before. It’s not a fantastic song by any means, but the diversity is applauded. There is also the M83-esque “Leave It All Behind”, which is a new style for them and is something I would enjoy seeing in the future.

Without question, I consider this an early favorite for album of the year. STRFKR won’t receive the hype they deserve because of their band name, and thus the strength of Miracle Mile will be undersold. However, once you get past the initial shock of the name, you can peel back the layers to reveal an album that is not only consistent in execution, but also seeping with personality.

9/10