STARRY EYED AND LAUGHING

(COLUMBIA)

by Jeffrey Spalding

Perfect three part harmonies gently gliding and then soaring over a jangly network of six and twelve string Rickenbacker guitars and a thoughtful, lucid blend of country sounds caress a persistent, cutting bass line. For over a year now, Starry Eyed And Laughing have made their admiration of Roger McGuinn and the sound of the early Byrds no secret. The young British quartet has absorbed the sun soaked sounds of the Byrds. "5-D" - Younger Than Yesterday" period, rendering a perfect replication of that music on their debut album. And surprisingly, the result is every bit as much a rejuvenating (and dare I say satis­fying?) experience as listening to the original.

Where similar Byrds soundalikes have been perhaps too self-consciously imitative, Tony Poole and Ross McGeeney of Starry Eyed have 

dissected the distinctive qualities and show a firm grasp on each component part which has been reassembled with a studied allegiance to the original.

The twelve original compositions are laced with harmonious l1ght folk arrangements as well as an Eight Miles High" type overdrive. Their execution is radiantly crisp, and full sounding, with Poole's twelve string guitar sound creating enveloping melodies as in "Everybody", a "Lady Came From The South". Especially evocative are McGeeney's opening numbers, “Going Down", and "Closer To You", which use force and restraint in re-creating the quicksilver dynamics which marked the Byrds' middle period sound. "Money Is No Friend Mine", while being a poor choice for a first single, romps through some 

finely woven chord structures, while "Never Say Too Late" is a supple country voicing with B.J. Cole lending support on Pedal steel guitar. 

While Starry Eyed achieve a good percentage of success with their self-penned compositions, a couple of non-originals would have been an excusable indulgence. On stage they have been known to cover several Byrds and Jackie DeShannon tunes to great effect. Their inclusion here would have been a welcome change  of pace. Regardless, the album succeeds admirably well. And to prove they've got class, They copped their name from a line in Dylan’s' "Chimes Of Freedom".