stars
Many people have already noticed that one of eMusic’s favorites, the indie pop collective Stars, has a new album out. And, while it doesn’t quite reach the master class level of pop songwriting of its predecessor, it’s pretty amazing in its own right.
In Our Bedroom After the War is a much more understated record. There are fewer instant hooks ala “Elevator Love Letter” or “Ageless Beauty,” fewer genre mash-ups ala “He Lied About Death” and (what seems like, at least) fewer boy/girl call and response tracks.
These aren’t bad things, by the way. You can’t argue with the sophisticated modern pop of “My Favourite Book” (featuring, of all things, a flute on the chorus) or the naked piano ballad “Barricade.” (More than ever, the group either directly or obliquely compares love to a battlefield, hence the title.) But, for my money, I’ll take tracks like “Take Me to the Riot” and “Midnight Coward,” where the group relies on their airtight formula they’ve built their career upon.
Barricade is easily the worst thing this band has done. Torq needs to stop singing altogether.
I’d actually give that title to “The Ghost of Genova Heights” which sounds a bit like Maroon 5 at times. But you might be right.
I’m going to download the new Stars disc, because they have all the right (80s) influences for me and I want to like them. But they’ve always left me cold. Can’t say why.
I think the new album is pretty great, with the exception of Torq’s torch songs.