STRFKR - Parallel Realms

Electronic/Indie Rock – Released March 1, 2024 – 17 songs, 55 mins

ROZ

This week, Too Sweet Reviews takes a trip through the solar system and deep dives into the creative mind of Joshua Hodges and his indie rock/synth-pop passion project known as Star fuck…sorry, STRFKR. Now, I enjoy a good vowel-less name as much as any other red-blooded music lover but this one might take the cake for the most ridiculous. Be that as it may, STRFKR is a tenured group that has been making music and touring for over 16 years so, who am I to judge? It’s clearly been working out for the Portland Oregon band. And with that, this is Parallel Realms.

As I said, STRFKR was originally a solo project for talented front-man Joshua Hodges, a band name devised as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the shallow, superficial social circle Hodges found himself in on the music scene. As many ‘fun, who cares” bands tend to go when there are talented individuals at the helm, STRFKR quickly grew legs and now looks to the future as they release their seventh studio album. Backed by the talented Arian Jalah (guitar, keyboard), Shawn Glassford (bass guitar, keyboard) and Keil Corcoran (drums, vocals and keyboard), STFKR’s connective tissue and overall timbre stems from the fact that all members are sufficiently adept at playing the keys – my personal favourite instrument and one that takes great liberties throughout Parallel Realms near-one hour run time.

Synthesizers, how you make me swoon. Analog meets digital from one side of this realm to the other, with no specific theme or concept sticking around for too long as tracks abruptly morph from one idea to the next. Synth-pop melodies meet dance-focused drum arrangements and dream pop textures as STRFKR toys with a vast assortment of warbling, glitched out effects throughout the track list. Here’s some listening advice: dampening your senses, shedding all distractions and letting the sound waves wash over you using over-ear headphones is my recommended method for taking in Parallel Realms. Not a necessity mind you (and a very difficult task in this busy world we all live in today), but I did find that of all the listening environments I put myself in this past week, this one was the clear winner for really soaking in the details on this album.

Parallel Realms pays no heed to my craving for balance – it’s all over the place. Ideas change on a whim and songs break into completely different ones (Armatron being a leading example of this). To put it bluntly, the pacing was clearly an afterthought. And yet even while being mindful of this, I'm still excitedly pulled into this loosely woven together realm as if by some imaginary force. Soon I fixate on the technical beauty of this 'interstellar jam session' that I'm suddenly a part of. The surf rock psychedelia of Always / Never; pulsating synth bass lines and an almost whisper-like performance of the vocals completing the laid-back feeling of the track. The exceptionally wavey Holding On; echo and reverb washing it out as if the band itself was underwater, like something I’d hear late night on the Adult Swim network. Finally the lo-fi, stylish Waited For It; a catchy beat that's light and repetitive vocally while also being chock full of dissonant synth progressions and delicious drum fills to keep you on the edge of your seat. Interludes pepper the track list, which I find nice but only add additional runtime to an already long album. Still, Interspace 2 and 4 are exceptional, with soundscapes that make me reminisce about one of my favourite experimental electronic acts Boards of Canada. As we reach the end, a staggeringly long 7 minute closer ends the show and validates my belief that this album could have benefited largely if it had its own trademark Roz Cut.

A splash of MGMT and a dash of Hot Chip. Try not to let the run-time intimidate you; hop on board the starship ride that is Parallel Realms. Wavey laidback serenades, catchy synth-pop dance tracks – there’s a lot of fun and interesting music waiting for you on this record.

Overall Rating: 8.0/10

Favourite Song: Holding On

REID

Defining a genre has become increasingly difficult as artists continuously diversify their sonic portfolios. Incorporating different elements allows them to scratch their creative itch and deliver something fresh to the world. Researching online often leads to a multitude of descriptors in comparison to a singular word or phrase of the past. In most cases you’ll have to fire up the album and decide for yourself if it piques your interest. 

This week’s band reignited the topic in the TSR group chat. STRFKR checks off several boxes on their seventh studio album, Parallel Realm. The project originated as a solo venture in 2007 by Joshua Hodges out of Portland, Oregon. It evolved into a group over time and has experienced a turnstile of members along their journey to 2024, led by Hodges on lead vocals with additional contributions on keyboard, drums and guitar. This versatility is shared with Shawn Glassford (bass, keyboard, backup vocals), Keil Corcoran (drums, keyboard, backup vocals) and Arian Jalali (guitar, keyboard). The result is a group with a seemingly infinite toolkit and a sound reflecting just that. Indie rock. Indie/synth pop. Electronica. Hell, even some dreampop. Alone, they only scratch the surface. Together, you get much closer to an accurate classification.

In a vacuum, Parallel Realm is an uplifting album with catchy, pop hooks to get you dancing. Always / Never, Together Forever, Running Around and Waited For It have me longing for a care-free festival environment with my dudes. Armatron is an anthem, stacked with several singalong moments. Once again I envision myself with a likeminded crowd, bouncing in my own square, with Roz doing his arms-crossed smirky-bop and Lundi doing that thing he does with his arms. The five Interspace interludes offer pause and reflection with dreamy soundscapes. Lot of Nice Things is straight out of the 80’s, reminding me of the scene in Scarface when Tony Montana and Sosa are cashing in on their booming business. 

STRFKR does an excellent job adding new elements as songs progress. New bass grooves, synth hooks or guitar solos surface mid way to transition the tracks in a new direction, simultaneously offering a different feel and a welcome boost. These build ups and pay offs resonate well with a live crowd and I see it garnering attention for them on festival grounds in the near future.

Now the band was a certainly a little ambitious with the 55 minute runtime. Could they have trimmed the fat? (I’m looking at you, Feelings). Maybe a few less interludes? Absolutely. Quality over quantity would’ve been the best choice. With that said, a record with this many bangers overshadows the missteps and deserves the recognition.

Parallel Realms is a stimulating ride and has many songs that’d fit nicely on your party playlist. STRFKR’s deep toolkit and ability to mix things up elevates the track list and is the album’s biggest strength. 

Overall Rating: 8.0/10

Favourite Song: Running Around

LUNDI

Oh the sweet, sweet sounds of that late 2000’s indie synth rock. One of my favourite era’s of music and certainly one that generates the most nostalgia. With no TSR to keep the finger firmly on the music pulse back then, this week’s artist had escaped me until now. Fellow millennials stand the fuck up, this week is for you.

There are some general rules I follow when reviewing music. One particular concept is never get too high or too low with the current album based off the previous album. While STRFKR’s Parallel Realms is the most palatable and widely pleasing entry in the TSR 2024 review log, it’s also my lowest score, and I can’t help but feel the timing of this album couldn’t be worse. Coming off a trio of entries that flawlessly executed the concepts of layout and pacing, this album couldn’t be more opposite and the scheduling just made the issues all the more glaring. 

The crux of the problem lies with the album first half. It’s hard to fault STRFKR for sounding eerily reminiscent of the late 2000’s as that’s when they got their start, but when I’m left googling “Does Thomas Mars (Phoenix) or MGMT have side projects?” I’m not exactly being blown away with anything unique either. This issue is compounded by the band seemingly flipping a switch and pushing their musical talent and creativity from the mid point onwards. A bit of an outlandish take but the first 8 tracks should have been cut completely. They are somewhat strong songs in singularity but when you push 55 minutes over 17 tracks you simply cannot play things safe. You drown the listener in fatigue and ruin any semblance of a well architected album structure. 

Another rule I generally try to follow: don’t lead with the negative. Sorry STRFKR, you really gave me no option but I’ll try and redeem myself in the back half like Parallel Realms did. Oh just imagine the possibilities and musical intrigue if the echoed synth of Chizzlers was the album opener. Immediately locked in, invested in the soundscapes about to be explored. Wow moments like fluttering bluesy riffs, artfully utilized vocal decoders, and beautifully designed synth progressions fill the back half. The album redeems itself and more. A complete flip of the script like the entire first half was a twisted practical joke. I’ve heard of bands coming back rejuvenated after a lacklustre album but did they ever just think of, I dunno, not releasing the first half? The sour taste remains and the payoff isn’t quite worth the 55 minute runtime, but I’ll certainly continue to spin this one from the mid point onwards for some feel good vibes. 

There’s a lot to like and an equal amount to nitpick about STRFKR’s 7th studio album. You have to play it safe or go for broke. You cannot try and do both. Parallel Realms is a good album that could have pretty easily been great. 

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Favourite Song: Chizzlers