Vanity is Starflyer 59’s 16th full release, and it’s treading the same ground as the last four, except without a near-great tune like “Young in My Head.”
After jaw-dropping work by Dog Fashion Disco/Polkadot Cadaver, Jim Thirlwells’ Foetus projects, and Tod A.’s Cop Shoot Cop/Firewater, this is rudimentary.
“Chris recorded this song in March 2016 at Henson Studios. While he was working on his own album, he was teaching his daughter Toni how to play ‘Patience.'”
Randy Newman’s bouncy piano work and raspy, optimistic female vocals feel like the first sip of coffee in the morning or a cool breeze coming across the park.
The sound is ’70s enough, the vocal snarl is acceptable, and the sing-song “no more pencils” is delightful, but there’s really nothing new brought to the song.