'Stars' shines (sometimes) on new album

09/28/07 - Canadian dream-pop quintet Stars takes a turn toward the dark on its latest release, In Our Bedroom After the War.The album begins on much the same note as 2005's Set Yourself on Fire opening with a quote to set the tone of the album. This time around they've chosen the melancholic, as evidenced by lyrics such as "All the blood and the treasure and the losing it all, the time that we wasted and the place where we fall; will we wake in the morning and know what it was for up in our bedroom after the war?"

Certainly, that does seem to sum up the album's general feel- but that's not to say the entire album is doom-and-gloom.

What is by far the album's most optimistic track, "My Favourite Book" features vocalist, Amy Millan, singing along to a jazzy melody, which is new ground for Stars.

It's the perfect fit for them, unlike their other experiment on the album, the uninspired "The Ghost of Genova Heights" whose only memorable bit is vocalist Torquil Campbell's shockingly Michael Jackson-esque falsetto in the chorus.

However, even their bleaker tracks are fairly catchy, sticking true to form. "Take Me to the Riot,"which tells the story of an addict looking to escape his dull lifestyle, is one of the best song Stars has ever recorded, right up there with the bittersweet fan-favorite "Your Ex-Lover is Dead."

Campbell's theatrical voice may be Stars' most divisive characteristic, but "Take Me to the Riot" showcases how powerful it can be: the desperation in his voice is amplified by heady synths and crashing cymbals.

Unfortunately for every "Take Me to the Riot" out there, there's a "Barricade," a piano-driven track in which Campbell's dramatic vocals seem terribly forced. While his voice sounds as appealing as ever, it doesn't have the same force it does on the more sensational tracks.

Two of the albums standout tracks, "Personal" and "Midnight Coward," follow the format of many of Stars' most successful tracks by allowing Campbell and Millan to play off each other.

"Personal" is particularly memorable because despite its rather gimmicky lyrics (telling the tale of an ill-fated couple meeting through the personals) it's one of the album's most powerful songs.

Campbell and Millan give stunning performances. Campbell is remote and passionless, while Millan is sad and vulnerable, turning the gimmick into something heartbreakingly poignant.

The closer changes the pace, ending the album on a hopeful note with its expansive, layered sound. The closer ends with a rousing chorus of "After the war!" fading into a traditional Stars instrumental end.

This song leans much closer to the lush, optimistic feel of Set Yourself on Fire than most of the album, which is considerably darker in feel although many of its darker songs still have that deceptively buoyant feel that marks many of Stars' best tracks.

While In Our Bedroom After the War may not be the orchestral powerhouse that Set Yourself on Fire was, its got its own new and exciting twists and is, in many ways, much more mature in nature than its predecessor.

Stars may be mellowing out, but it's a welcome change that brings with it new possibilities for the talented quintet and I, for one, can't wait to see what they come up with next.