Stars

Canadian band Stars doesn't try to hide their love of The Smiths—their debut full-length, Night Songs, treated listeners to a splendidly low-key version of "This Charming Man." Several albums and side projects later, the Canucks are still digging on the Moz. Stars' newest album, In Our Bedroom After the War, boasts one of the band's best Smiths homages yet. On "Take Me To the Riot" lead singer Torquil Campbell croons like a young Morrissey circa "Bigmouth Strikes Again." "Riot" pumps out well-calibrated synth-pop riffs alongside harmonic lyrics about cells, pills, cash and neon lights—proof that the band is well-versed in the same subtle darkness that makes teenagers want to don "Meat Is Murder" shirts.

While Bedroom gives Stars the opportunity to perfect their Smithsian sound, the album also finds the band exploring new ground as well. On the ballad "My Favourite Book" vocalist Amy Millan murmurs sweet nothings against a background of disco-inspired string instrumentation reminiscent of The Bee Gees. Things get sexy on "The Ghost of Genova Heights" where Campbell ventures into Prince territory, complete with funky beats and falsetto vocals.

Despite the band's forays into disco, rock and funk-inspired realms, Bedroom still delivers the band's hallmark sounds. "The Night Starts Here" and "Window Bird" emanate the same dreamy rock pop vibrations that make Heart and Nightsongs so delicious. The instrumental track "The Beginning After the End" is a collection of organic synthesizer beats culminating in a near Shakespearean voice-over, an album element that has made cameos on the band's past two releases.

Unfortunately, because the band takes the old with the new, Bedroom sounds a little disjointed. The first half of the record is full of fight and gusto—the quality fans loved in Set Yourself on Fire—while the second half is like a slow-moving dream. And while the band is equally adept at making turn-up-the volume rock anthems and moody, soft-spoken ballads, having the best of both worlds isn't always the best.

—Elisa Jacobs
09.28.07

In Our Bedroom After the War may prove that Torquil Campbell would be better off orchestrating Broadway show tunes instead of playing the part of an indie pop frontman. The titular song that ends Stars' fourth album is a heavily layered theatrical production laced with birds singing and bells ringing as Campbell's relationship culminates with a choir of voices and a massive symphonic crescendo. Campbell and crew are striving for a bigger-is-better formula, watering down the majority of their rock sensibilities with heavily layered chamber pop and this makes for a mixed bag. While some of Stars' best songs appear on this record, others are performed with such an overstated bravado that it renders them too sour to digest. "Personal" is a character-driven melodramatic ditty that chronicles a protagonist who places a newspaper ad and is stood up because she is too obese. Two schmaltzy piano ballads feature Campbell delivering his best imitation of Morrissey covering Elton John, in a manner of campy crooning that could easily be interpreted as pomposity. With the exception of those decadent stinkers, and a few mediocre numbers, Campbell and Amy Milan churn out some of their best work and harmonize soothingly throughout. One of their most instantly catchy singles "Take Me to the Riot" capitalizes on a snappy hook vaguely reminiscent of Ned's Atomic Dustbin's "Grey Cell Green," and sits well alongside the candy-covered Rhodes and orchestral flavored breakbeat of "My Favorite Book," which could fit on a greatest-hits record by the Cardigans. The themes of sweet, sweet lost heartbreak are still evident, and the enhanced sheen makes the material sound more like contemporary easy listening music than ever. Since the group is on the Arts & Crafts label (home to Broken Social Scene), they can still be described as indie, but they're just barely holding on to that credibility. While it wouldn't be surprising to hear Set Yourself on Fire while shopping at Urban Outfitters, this album seems ideal for The Gap. As a whole, the band sounds tighter than ever, and if they continue down this road, and keep inflating their production like a balloon, there's a danger that they could easily go pop. Until then, keep your head up, there's no need to reach into their back catalog just yet. [Also released with bonus tracks.] ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide