Stars

Don't call it The Comeback, they've been here for...well, not years exactly, but Stars earned such uniformly strong reviews for the cosmopolitan synth-pop of their debut LP Nightsongs that the title of this follow-up EP seems more than a little tongue-in-cheek. Ironic, really, given the darker, more ominous approach this time out -- the harmonies of Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan are still radiant, but the lyrics are far more sinister, especially on the creepy stalker narrative "Violent." Conversely, "The Aspidistra Files" is utterly beautiful, a lush piano ballad evoking of all things early Bee Gees, a nod intimating a far vaster worldview than the Smiths/New Order homages of the debut would have suggested. Despite its brevity, a major step forward. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide