Observing the album's use of heavily distorted and effects-drenched guitars,CCM Magazine commented that Silver was "quite unlike anything else in Christian music" at the time.[12] The record was produced by Jyro Xhan and Jerome Fontamillas,at the time members of the group Mortal,under the collective pseudonym "Blood".
In June 2005,Tooth &Nail released an extended,remastered edition of Silver. It features eight bonus tracks from its companion She's the Queen EP,released in 1994. This was accompanied by an extended,remastered edition of second studio album Gold,marking its 10th anniversary.
Background and recording
In the CD liner notes for the Easy Come,Easy Go compilation album released in 2000,band biographer J. Edward Keyes records that future Starflyer 59 frontman Jason Martin,having performed in various fledgling bands started by his enterprising brother Ronnie Martin (Joy Electric),frequented live shows of local California Christian rock act Lifesavers Underground (LSU) alongside Ronnie. Having learned that LSU frontman Michael Knott was starting a new record label,Ronnie Martin forwarded a demo that he and Jason had been developing. Impressed by their work,Knott signed the Martins to his new label Blonde Vinyl,with the Martins taking the name Dance House Children.[6]
By the time of the collapse of Blonde Vinyl in late 1992,Jason Martin,wanting to make heavier,guitar-oriented music,had been "privately working on a handful of songs [at home] that would eventually evolve into Starflyer's landmark Silver." Originally under the band name "Starflyer 2000" (changed shortly after to Starflyer 59),Martin recruited friend Andrew Larson for bass guitar,intending to release this material on Knott's following (and subsequently ill-fated) label Siren Records. However,in early 1993,the Martins ended up meeting Tooth &Nail Records founder Brandon Ebel at a local music festival. Ebel relayed to Keyes that after the Martins gave him a copy of Jason's demos,having begun listening,"I was just freaking. It started with Blue Collar Love,and I was just like,'This is just over the top. There is nothing like this in the market.'" Three months later,having prepared finances to sign his first artists,Ebel offered Martin a two-album contract as his third artist,stunning and exciting Martin.
Having been paired with Mortal members Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan as producers (under the collective pseudonym Blood),the "frenzied" two-week-long Silver sessions were recorded at Gene Eugene's The Green Room studio. With Silver having been released in March 1994,Martin received "sudden,massive,and smothering" positive reception from new fans at the 1994 Cornerstone Festival. Having started touring with Mortal and The Prayer Chain,Martin found himself "playing in front of like 1,000 kids a night." Various "leftovers and alternate takes from the Silver sessions" were later released in November 1994 as the She's the Queen EP. Having returned from touring "elated," Martin prepared to start work on second studio album Gold.
Artwork
The cover art of Silver features a plain,monochromatic silver background. Band frontman Jason Martin,having remembered his friend Jeff Cloud wanting to "release an all-beige album," put forward the idea of solid silver for the cover art.[6]
The album liner art contains a reference to Psalm 5:1–3 for "2nd. Space Song" (which features explicitly Christian lyrics):[13]
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. (NIV84)
Designed by Asterik Studio in Seattle, Washington,[14] the 2005 Extended Edition cover art features a plain silver background, along with a centered, ornate white emblem adorned by foliage and ribbons, drawn in woodcut style. The emblem depicts a royal crown, alluding to the She's the Queen EP, having been included as bonus tracks. The crown pinnacle holds a radiating cross, referencing the Christian worldview of Martin and record label Tooth & Nail. Beneath the crown, the bottom of the emblem features a frame holding a plaque of the album title (officially using Silver), and above the plaque is found a circular seal bearing the syllable initials and numbers of the band name.
↑ Jones, Brandon (April 14, 2019). "Jason Martin of Starflyer 59". Indie Vision Music. Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
↑ The original release of Silver was eponymously titled Starflyer 59 (as was second studio album Gold), where it was colloquially known as Silver. The album was officially titled Silver for its 2005 extended, remastered edition.[9] The cover art of a 2009 digital reissue of the original release features a plain, monochromatic yellow background,[10] not to be confused with Gold.
↑ The total length of the album release tracks on the Extended Edition reaches 34:02 due to track length variances caused by the remastering process.
↑ The total length of all tracks on the Extended Edition reaches 62:17 due to track length variances caused by the remastering process.
↑ Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Los Angeles, CA).
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