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Title: Genius.
Review: LEAVE HERE A STRANGER is nothing less than pop perfection, it's Jason Martin's masterpiece, it's a classic that resonates with modest charms and effortless brilliance, and it's easily my favourite album of 2001. While I'll happily give this 5-star accolades, I just want to point out that Wayne Everett (Lassie Foundation) is sorely missed on this record. There was a complex, intuitive elegance to his drumming that added an extra something to previous Starflyer albums, especially EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES, which is replaced here with a more conventional but nonetheless effectively steady beat (which maybe is what Martin was after). Also, Everett's falsetto vocals that backed Martin's was a secret Starflyer power that's rarely acknowledged. But otherwise, LEAVE HERE A STRANGER is absolute genius and highly recommended!
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