Search - Stars :: Heart

I cannot believe all the time I wasted not listening to thi

Nathan Beauchamp | Oak Park, IL USA | 12/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How is it that music this good, this beautiful, this well written, this well sung, this poignant on so many levels, escaped my attention for most than 5 years? I can only blame myself. Through some failing in my character, I managed to avoid all contact with the Canadian band Stars until the fall of 2008. Introduced through a friend to their single "Your Ex Lover is Dead" on youtube, I immediately realized that I simply had to own that song, and any other music by such a gifted band. I made up for my inexcusable ignorance of Stars by buying all of their albums in one fell swoop.



I am so glad that I did. Each album feels perfect while I listen to it, better than their others, until I put on the next and my opinion sways towards the one currently playing. I can only say that about a very few other bands (and bands quite dissimilar to Stars. Smashing Pumpkins for one). Combining my love for smart lyrics with my love for all things electronia, Stars is the band that The Postal Service never could become, and whom the inferior Death Cab For Cutie cannot touch when it comes to emotional resonance and musical skill.



Heart, Stars second studio release, is among my favorite albums in the last decade. Songs with a lyrical, narrative style that blurs the lines between a song and short fiction, this collection is profound on several levels. First, the musical quality and instrumentation is outstanding. Second, the writing present in the songs is very well done. Third, this is a complete album and moves from song-to-song in the way a great album does. Lastly, the vocals are perfect and spot on for music of this depth and substance.



This is a rich, rewarding album. A must have for indie music fans."