Silver Starling Soars High at CMJ Showcase

Posted on Oct 22nd 2009 11:45AM by David Chiu
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The small stage of Cake Shop on New York's Lower East Side may have not been the most ideal place for Canadian indie rock quintet Silver Starling to perform their CMJ showcase Wednesday afternoon. The stage, which is located underneath a cafe, was so small that the band members were cramped together, yet they rocked in spite of the space limitations throughout their six-song set .

Hailing from Montreal, Silver Starling -- vocalist/guitarist Marcus Paquin, violinist/keyboardist Marika Anthony-Shaw, guitarist Gab Lambert, drummer Liam O'Neil and bassist Peter X -- just released their self-titled debut album in the US. It's a collection of poignant melodic rock songs with atmospheric guitar and the heartfelt vocals of Paquin.

There is a backstory to perhaps why the material on this album is so affecting: a friend of Paquin's passed away from cancer last year, according to the band's website. The sweeping and expansive approach to this album carried over well onstage. Silver Starling delivered some driving rockers such as 'Caught in Your Glow' and 'Love and a Broken Heart,' as well as a moody tune, 'Blue Light.' However, the very poppy 'Ghosts' brought a little levity to the set with its whimsical, romantic lyrics and catchy melodies. But for the most part, Silver Starling's music was driven on pure adrenaline.

For those who wonder what a starling is, it is defined by Merriam-Webster's as a European bird "that is often considered a pest." If that's the case, then it's to the band members' advantage that they push those buttons, which they did very well during their performance.