stars "set yourself on fire"

when her voice starts in that first song, you just MELT.

http://www.arts-crafts.ca/stars/freedownload/

everything else is perfection. REALLY.

I'm hoping to see them live in a week.

Still don't like 'he lied about death', though.

this band is magic.

In other news I just found out there is a video for "Elevator Love Letter" and that MuchMusic has been playing "Ageless Beauty"!

I think "your ex lover is dead" and "reunion" and "the first five times" are my immediate faves. It's definitely more rambunctious then Heart. (I quietly and selfishly hope they never get too political.)

come on spencer. admittedly, stars is kinda gay

anyway, here's a pic of some geek who met Torquil in Montreal last weekend! (photo credit: felicity redwell. Torque said they'd be in the nyc come march.

Cheers!
Guy Upthread

Many thanks.

Either through arts & crafts or amazon, I'm looking at around $18 US which isn't bad. I'll wait til payday.

Does Amoeba do online sales? (I'm in Portland, OR y'see)

Have you tried Half.com?

I got mines for $11.84 (plus $2.49 s/h).

"the comeback EP" was pretty bad. though the disc was clear and had a pretty rainbow on it. I still like "Nightsongs" the best. and the hot keyboardist

They actually had like 1 copy that I managed to snap up in mid-november. What's the deal with Canadian imports being so much more difficult to obtain than UK or Japanese!?!

14 tracks of pure heaven. Celestial slices and sidereal sounds. 'Nightsongs,' the long-awaited debut album from Stars contains beautiful beats, heartfelt lyrics, and enough injections of Morrissey, Marr, Derrick May, Bjork, The Blue Nile, New Order, Frazier Chorus, Style Council, Electronic, Marvin Gaye, The Chimes, and De La Soul to move St. Etienne and all the angels up in heaven to tears. Tears of joy. Salty tears the likes of which they've never wept before. But it's not too late. It's never too late for 'Nightsongs.' A million dancehall dreams will be built around these words and rhythms. Most of those dreams will be shattered: She'll break your heart. He'll never call. You'll never even say a word. All else might vanish, but these songs will last. Painful and perfect reminders of the hope. Reminders of that salvation in desperation, the living and the moving, the dancing and the grooving. Those moments of madness and sadness, of elation and vibration! These songs are already playing in your head. You can almost hear them. Put this disc in your system, turn it up and just let the music flow. A dizzying array of words will fall from the mouths of Stars, while bandmates Torquil Campbell, Chris Seligman and their gaggle of electronics and associates play poet to your past and pervert to your present. They even put "motherfucking" to use in a way that is both tactful and sublime. Their clubby cover of the Smiths' "This Charming Man" is sure to win them some instant fans, but their original compositions will have this band living up to their moniker in no time. The soft revolution starts here!

HACK LA VOMIT

OH FUCK OFF

and thankfully, bad reviews (and that one is horrid, "nightsongs" is hardly dancey at all) don't mean bad music!!!!!!!!!11111111

"Elevator Love Letter"
"Ageless Beauty"
"Counting Stars on the Ceiling"
"Look Up"

and many many more.

"Look Up" is incredible, like a sweet worm wriggling under your skin!

The Comeback EP is really lame, despite the awesome clear CD.

counting stars on the ceiling
my radio
going, going, gone
on peak hill
the very thing
better be heaven
tonight
what the snowman learned about love
elevator love letter
heart
time can never kill the true heart
look up
don't be afraid to sing
ageless beauty
reunion
the big fight
what i'm trying to say
sleep tonight
soft revolution

...anyone who listens to that and doesn't fall completely in love with this band... god help you.

in retrospect, I would like to change my response to Tomaggrobot to:
http://parentsofbpkids.freeservers.com/Words/kisses-bambilove.gif

this will be a great "summer record," although it is helping elevate my mood amongst the torrential downpour which is now Vancouver.

is the keyboardist the female vocalist? becuz she seems hot. i love her voice much.

it is indeed very postal service-y. i think i like the postal service cd a bit better. but syof could grow on me. it already is.

my friends who like poppy, accessible stuff are gonna love this.

i hope this record get its due. but i hope it doesn't become too huge. ;)

amy millan plays guitar and sings.

http://www.thirdeyemusic.co.uk/cura.jpg

do your own research CHOW.

1. Counting Stars On the Ceiling
2. My Radio (original mix)
3. Going Gone
4. On Peak Hill

5. What the Snowman Learned About Love
6. Elevator Love Letter
7. Heart
8. Death to Death
9. Romantic Comedy
10. Time Can Never Kill the True Heart
11. Look Up

12. Your Ex-Lover is Dead
13. Set Yourself On Fire
14. Ageless Beauty
15. Reunion
16. The Big Fight
17. What I'm Trying to Say
18. Sleep Tonight

(chronological afaik - I put in spaces to indicate which album the tracks are from, 78:15 - it is sublime and I listen to it all the time - there are many other good songs too)

xxpost to myself

STARS - Set Myself on Fire for Ticket (s) - $90
Reply to: ahsueh@messagelabs.com
Date: 2005-03-03, 12:28PM EST

I'm so sad I don't have tickets...

Tickets were Going, Going, Gone.
This Charming Man now only has My Radio left to listen to.
What I'm Trying To Say,
All I want, is to see these International Rock (Dead Child) Stars and their Romantic Comedy.
So anyone with a Heart,
I don't want to be Counting Stars On The Ceiling.
Pleaaasee...1 or 2 tickets are The Very Thing I want.

2 for $90? 1 for $45?

FYI for other ticketless people - Stars are playing again in NY April 27th at Bowery.

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

62130326

Speaking of the girl, and the drunk assholes, I overheard the following conversation from them:
Fellow A: Dude, the girl is pretty hot.
Fellow B: I don't know, man, but her voice is really hot.
Fellow A: Yeah.

I had to deal with this sort of inanity from them for a solid 30 minutes... ugh. How I long for someone to stage a 21- show.

And apart from that, they didn't say anything too funny. Oh except one time when Stars was getting ready to play a song and they accidentally got some feedback. Torquil says "That's the My Bloody Valentine part of our show..." and the crowd laughs. They then launch into that synth spiral that begins "What I'm Trying To Say" and one of the drunk guys yells "M83!!!!!" That was pretty amazing.

But the bit about them that was actually annoying was that they would remember the beginning of every line of lyrics and then forget the second half.
"All I want is one more chance to show you... you.. something" being yelled drunkenly in my ear during "Reunion" wasn't too much fun.

yes plz

i'll post pics soon.

Ageless Beauty is the best song on the album. But I like The First Five Times quite a bit with the faux-New Order synths and Amy Millan's "ah-ah" bit at the end.

They're in Portland on 4/1. Looking forward to seeing them then.

TS:
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00061F8M8.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
vs.
http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/SLANG1033792.JPG

?

I'm trippin' and it feels gooooooood.

The Sunday Times were all over them at the weekend, even going as far as to use the band's name as the theme to their weekly word association songlist. One of the other tracks got played loudly in Virgin a few hours ago. New sleeve doesn't compare to the old one. Has anyone heard their current UK B-side, 'Petit Mort'?

I'm in love.

*new non-broken social scene answers please

Honestly, it was the kind of show that lifts them into "favourite band" status. Fucking briliant.

Also, "This song is about fucking someone IN ORDER TO KILL THEM" is possibly my favourite introduction to a song, ever.

http://videos.antville.org/topics/Stars/

The vid for Reunion is class.

And if you can find the "a lot of little lies..." ep, it's absolutely fantastic. The "This Charming Man" cover is perfect.

That made me cringe! As did the "OK, that concludes the existential love song part of the show – I think it's time to do some songs about FUCKING"

Indie bands shouldn't try to talk like that. It's just embarrassing.

I liked the show though.

As per usual, I pop out of the housetechdancefloor foxhole of my own creation to "discover" a band that people much cooler than myself have probably tired of by now. I bought "Reunion", "Stars", and the "This Charming Man" cover off of iTunes a few days ago. All three are amazing, and "Reunion" is set to replace Interpol's "Evil" as my New Favourite Thing Ever (tm).

What else do I need?

Lovelace- are you the denizen of the Lyra Lovelace blog?

and no, that lovelace is not me.

Except this is their "Nightsongs" version.
http://s56.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2BBE3ZR4IDW5L37P5BGOXYI24H

I have another Stars rendition somewhere else that I prefer more...I'll see if I can find it.

so they've done two versions?

Ageless Beauty <3

I think this song will always be able to cheer me up

there is an acoustic version of this song for download on last.fm apparently

Found the clip on youtube a couple of weeks back. I liked it! They sound like Lush. Well in that song anyway. It was very lovely.

Good strategy:

"On September 25th, Arts&Crafts will release Stars' fourth studio album, In Our Bedroom After War.

We love it and are excited and proud to be bringing it to the world.

We enlisted Joe Chiccarelli to mix the album. He finished in early June, passing the tapes along to Emily Lazar at the Lodge for mastering. Last Friday, July 6th, a final master was delivered to us.

Traditional music business practice says we are to begin sending out copies of this album now. We give advance copies to print publications in hopes of securing features that coincide with our September date. We meet with radio stations in hopes of securing airplay. etc, etc.

Inevitably someone will leak the album.

Throughout this process, the most important people in this value chain, the fans, are given only two options - wait until September 25th to legally purchase the new album or choose from a variety of sources and download the album for free, at any time.

We hope you'll choose to support the band, and choose to pay for their album. However we don't think it's fair you should have to wait until September 25th to do so.

We believe that the line between the media and the public is now completely grey.
What is the difference between a writer for a big glossy music magazine and a student writing about their favourite bands on their blog? What differentiates a commercial radio station from someone adding a song to their lastfm channel? or their myspace page?

As such, we are making the new Stars album available for legal download today, four days after it's completion. The CD and double vinyl versions of the album will still be released on our official release date, September 25th. We hope you will continue to support music retailers should a physical album in all it's packaged glory be your choice of format.

It's our hope that given a clear, legal alternative to downloading music for free, you will choose to support the creators.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Sincerely,

Stars and Arts&Crafts"

oooh

wow. good on them. hope it works out.

Classic albums released after a 4 day break (or less)

The fact that they're doing this makes me want to support them more than I'd have done otherwise. So yeah, I'm probably going to be legally downloading this album, which I'm already excited about, since I liked the last one quite a bit.

woo! me bai now!

shame about the apostrophes

can't figure out how to buy it...

On first listen: oh no.

so smart--i just bought it

why "oh no" though? haven't listened yet

link to buy??

http://www.galleryac.com/product_info.php?products_id=60818&cPath=

or itunes

thanks guys!

oooooh, didn't really feel the track that was on pitchfork, but these others are wonderful!

Not sure why anyone would say "oh no", it's not like it's anything other than Stars (and quality Stars at that!).

Getting those same goosebumps I always do when I listen to their albums for the first time.

i trust you, spencer, looking forward to a good listen with this

their albums always make me want to fall in love

go ahead, make fun of me

This is a Stars thread, indulge yourself!

I think my "oh no" comes from not being able to shake a nagging feeling I have about them that's developed over the past year or so. I still like quite a few of their songs but over time I have hit a wall with them. I think it has to do with their "love songs for the idle rich" vibe.

Although "Tokyo Bitches" sounds nice.

"Elevator Love Letter" is all about people who work too hard. In general, I think their lyrics are about urban professionals who find it hard to make real connections.

I think that the emphasis on the work routine in that song is the key to its emotional payoff, and it's still their best song - the rest of their ouevre lacks drive by comparison.

might still be their best song but your second statement is untrueth

I mean I get the rabid fandom, I used to be there myself (look upthread!), it's just that a switch got flipped and now I can't take their music to heart like I used to.

track 2 is too dirgey for an opener. 3 is decent. 4 just melted me when amy came on :)

midnight coward is everything great about this band rolled into one. genova heights - decent, there's a little r&b in this album. personal is like old school stars, soft and dramatic, still effective. barricade is a torch song, I like torq's voice but this will get the skip button most likely :/

i'm happy to have more stars but this album could use more hooks. Maybe it'll grow on me. The ending is v. nice.

amy millan is the shit...i saw her with BSS awhile ago and she was amazing

Have never been able to get into Millan's solo stuff even though I love her voice. Maybe it's cos it seems to lack the layers that I'm so fond of on Stars' stuff, like Emily Haines' + Soft Skeleton work compared to her Metric material.

Always loved "Set Yourself on Fire", still do, and then I heard "Heart" which, if possible, I'm even more fond of. Even though it's a bit soppier.

And naturally very excited aboot the new one. I will pay real cash-monay for it.

This album is melting me into a puddle of goo. Rocketing up the 2007 list.

...although "Barricade" is, um... maybe a little embarrassing.

I wish I had better headphones and my iPod cable so I could curl up with this.

A double-dip for Stars with this idea I reckon; have just paid for the download and will definitely buy the album come September. That said, the download is only 192kbps, so not *ideal* quality (A&C should do a Warp style 320kbps or lossless option).

Have only had a chance to listen a couple of times, but am already feeling the Stars magic working - repeat play on Genova Heights this morning, the chorus is purest Scritti Politti loveliness. As a whole it doesn't seem to be AS good as Set Yourself On Fire, but that was a slow-burner for me too and ended up my favourite record of the year. Am also not 100% on the production this time round, seems a bit muddy compared to the fantastic sound of SYOF - might just be the less than perfect mp3s though.

oh, what the hell. i'll buy this. i still think for me there's "ageless beauty" and, er, everything else i've heard by them, but hey. i'll take the risk.

... heheheh, i've just remembered the PAIN AND MISERY i put myself through d/l-ing SYOF in dribs and drabs (right after a glasgow FAP, oddly ... "ageless beauty" will forever be linked inextricably with ally c). the least i can do is buy this. for them and for me.

I love this thread. Even though I wrote something embarrassing waaaayyy back. Please keep the impressions of In Our Bedroom... coming. I should probably rephrase that, but...

I hate to come across as some SQ obsessed chump, but there's definitely something peculiar about either the production or the mp3 encoding on the downloadable version of this - on lots of tracks there's a kind of fluttery distortion in the background on vocals, and also during quiet moments; a good example is in the last couple of seconds of Genova Heights.

Has anyone else noticed this or heard it in their copies? Or is my tired old brane playing tricks again...?

Just wanted to say that I haven't heard the new record yet, but "Reunion" still fills me with unspeakable glee.

Just dl'ed this off emusic...On Midnight Coward, Amy Millan starts the song off with "Sweetness, sweetness..." and I almost started singing "...I was only joking..." Unfortunately, she sang something else. But if she had sung that line, well, that would have been awesome.

Halfway through nothing's immediately grabbing me, but I can tell that with a couple more listens, this should be great. A fabulous grower. Oh, wow: the Ghost of Genova Heights!

Have just got a copy of 'Heart', having never paid any attention to this band before July. Am slowly becoming obsessed with them to the point of purchasing the entire back catalogue.

Apparently 'In Our Bedroom After War' gets a release in the UK on October 1st. I'm seeing them at the Scala on October 8th - can't wait.

http://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2010/04/Stars-The-Five-Ghosts.jpg

Loved Set Yourself on Fire and In Our Bedroom After the War. Sad Robots, uh not so much. Still, psyched!

kinda liking this but it def. feels like a guilty pleasure.

set yourself on fire is 1 of my fav records of the decade

Yeah, it's an amazing record and I *still* listen to it pretty regularly. I liked the Sad Robots ep ok, esp. "15 Forever" and the version of "Going, Going, Gone". There's a free download of "Fixed" from the new one:here.

Pretty good to these ears, although a little insubstantial maybe. Not had a chance to really blast it on the hi-fi yet, which might be the tipping point. Hopefully they'll bring a tour for The Five Ghosts to Europe, I find that seeing them live always bolsters my love for Stars all over again.

I really loved that "Going, Going, Gone" version on the ep

"Fixed" is great, get chills from the chorus.

they turned down Owl City!

If only more people would do the same!

uh... what?

would I like this?

"Elevator Love Letter" is all about people who work too hard. In general, I think their lyrics are about urban professionals who find it hard to make real connections.

haha, I love this! Oh spencer

Can't believe there's not more buzz about this new album.

You mean the album thats not out for two more months? Shocking.

Going to be a long two months. Can't wait for this.

Pitchfork has a stream of the new single.

In traditional fashion my lukewarm initial response to "Fixed" has turned into pure love. That new single is terrific too, thanks for linking.

Oh yes...

Fantastic performance of "Fixed" on Jimmy Fallon a couple of nights ago. The bit towards the end where Torq joins in on "it's not your fault" is *so* great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHR8EdOpK1w

they are on vagrant now in the US. can't wait.

whoa, we don't want your body!

Oh, that is fucking aces - I've been all over that p'fork stream like a tramp on a kipper since James posted it.

Pre-ordered the regular CD & digital download of The Five Ghosts from their website yesterday as well, I figure I'd rather give them the cash direct.

"Fixed" is OK, but "We Don't Want Your Body" is one of the worst songs I've heard in a long time.

ha, yr a dick!

i'm just now listening to set yourself on fire -- i really like it!!

i know, behind the times LOL

never too late for a classic

Eisbaer, you'll probably like Heart too. "Elevator Love Letter" and "Look Up" are two of the best songs of the last decade.

Was in the Apple Store here in MTL today and noticed that Stars are playing an instore gig there tonight.

Heart was playing in a drugstore last week and it made me stop in my tracks. That album sounds good!

I mean, I listened to it when it came out and enjoyed it but filed it away. But the production on it sounds really, really beautiful.

nb: i listened to heart -- and yes, it gets my seal of approval!

:D

"We Don't Want Your Body" is one of the best songs of the year!

YO SPENCER!!

Another song - Wasted Daylight - from the new album is at http://www.myoldkentuckyblog.com/?p=5670

nb: i listened to heart -- and yes, it gets my seal of approval!

:D

― No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (Eisbaer)

:)

Ówen, yes, the production on Heart is exceptional.

ooooook this is fucking amazing. swoon.

The Five Ghosts is now streaming at npr.org.

Also in other, less legal places.

jams mitchell, i kiss u

ya thx dude

the passenger & wasted daylight & fixed are the highlights 4 me

also, i think i want the end of fixed w/ "is it your faaaaaaahhuuult" as my ringtone cuz it sounds like "is it your phoooo-ooh-oohone" 2 me

really enjoying bonus track "The Black House, the Blue Sky (Stars vs. Montag)"

Yeah, it's a peach. Of the stuff I'd not already heard, "I Died So I Could Haunt You" is current favourite - Amy's verse into the chugging bass of the chorus is stupendous.

As a whole, I really like the album with a couple of reservations: I never thought I'd say this, but there's almost *too* many vocals from Amy, or at least not enough tracks where she shares duties with Torq - I love their voices together (almost as much as those of Alan and Mimi from Low), and The Five Ghosts is bit light on that kind of interplay. My only other problem is that the production (in parts) feels a bit too dense for Stars compositional and arranging skills to shine. It seems odd, because Tom McFall did an incredible job on Set Yourself On Fire, but this time the songs don't have that space in them - fully recognise this might be an artistic decision.

That's the nitpicking done. It's Stars and I fucking love them. Now I just wish they'd get some proper UK dates on the tour list.

anyone fuck w/ memphis? they have a new album out that im liking on first few listens...tbf id probably like/listen to anything torquil sang on

didn't know about that, will check out.

Rapidly becoming enormously fond of here comes a city. It felt a bit slight initially, and there's a handful of filler, but the good stuff is wonderful, esp. "Apocalypse Pop Song", "I Want The Lights On After Dark" and (current favourite)"I Am The Photographer". Perfect music for breezy spring days, it's getting many replays when I'm commuting / walking about / procrastinating at work etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn0cS5CKOKA

sounds worth a try!

geez, that's what i said 4 months ago.

their last one, a little place in the wilderness is def worth checking out also; same hit or miss quality but there are some killer, beautiful songs

new demos album out, mostly songs from in our bedroom after the war & a few from the 5 ghosts - streamable here:

http://www.thebedroomdemos.com/secretshow/streamthealbum/

Moments have their moments.

In the big deep winter of Montreal, 2006, STARS were drunk.

Two years had been spent carousing the globe, with 'Set Yourself On Fire' in their hands. Home again, they drove the van to a neighbourhood studio to play through some songs they were already planning to record again - in the future, all the way across the tundra, months later - in sun-addled British Columbia.

But the snow was still down in Montreal.

As can happen, these first recording sessions for what was to become 'In Our Bedroom After The War' lay claim to a particular beauty that would shift and differ thousands of miles away, months in the future, in Vancouver.

The studio was Breakglass, run by a dear friend named Jace Lasek, of the band The Besnard Lakes. At that time still a shitbox construction site on the north side of Montreal, Breakglass afforded STARS a refuge from the road, and a steady windowsill to pile up wine bottles. The songs came in bursts, were tracked quickly, given working titles like 'Flack' and 'Fuck U I Love You' and stored one by one in the hallway with the other boxes of tapes. Minds were lost, found again; arguments claimed teeth and nails - love got spit and wrangled back. The band once more became a band and pulled verses from the fumes, bridges from beneath their feet.

From the final, west coast version of the album, only one song, 'Midnight Coward' was not demoed in Breakglass. The others spilled forward. Torq sings both his and Amy's parts in 'Personal.' Evan plays guitar solo after guitar solo. Amy finds new lyrics in every next take. Chris holds the throughline, Patty plays the drums of his life.

With chutzpah, the band moved camp to Vancouver and did the whole thing over again, once more into the breach. New sounds and parts were found, the record was made and released, but something remained on those shelves in Montreal on Rue Clark.

In the spring of 2011, much had changed for the band. Parents had been lost and made, homes left behind and built anew. On a break from touring their new record, 'The Five Ghosts' the band reached back and remembered an affinity with the Breakglass sessions – 'Barricade' recorded with one microphone, an epic solo on 'My Favourite Book'. Jace found the tapes, wine lined the windowsill for a weekend, and the demos finally found their way out of the studio.

Here they are, please enjoy.

thanks, didn't know about this at all

huh, it's split into an explicit and non-explicit version on itunes? weird

New one The North is slowly burning its way into my goods books, which has been the story of Stars for me every time. Especially love this, such a fantastic performance from Torq.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxkcH4jTbtM

i have a chance to see them in a week but logistically it'd be a bit of a hassle. kind of on the fence about it.

I loved Set Yourself On Fire and played the hell out of it when I first got it, and still rate it now. I couldn't help but find In Our Bedroom After The War a bit of a disappointment, although its highlights for me are stellar: 'Take Me To The Riot' and 'Midnight Coward' especially. I remember liking The Five Ghosts more, but I haven't played it since it came out. Haven't heard the new one yet.

have you seen them before, phantompenguin? unreserved recommendation if not, they've been one of my favourite live bands for ages.

Heart and Set Yourself... are their most consistently great albums, although there's terrific songs on all their releases. I've returned to the last Memphis album a lot more than The Five Ghosts, but Stars never made it to the UK to tour that because of Amy and Evan's baby which was a shame (although not about the babs, obv) - I do find that some of their songs only really stick with me once I've seen them played live.

into 'theory of relativity', need 2 spend more time w/ the rest

Finally getting to the new record. Theory of Relativity, Hold On When You Get Love... and Through The Mines are lovely. Do You Want To Die Together is gross.

I hate to say it, but that song actually kind of ruined the entire album for me

I think I might have given up on this band. Set Yourself On Fire showed a HELL of a lot of promise, and lord knows they've got more than enough talent in that band to deliver the goods - but for some reason or other, they just haven't since.

Personally my favorite was In the Bedroom After the War so I've still got hope that they'll get it together again and make a solid cohesive album. Five Ghosts grew on me, I'm guessing The North will do as long as I remember to skip some of the bad songs (even Bedroom had "Barricade" which I couldn't stand).

Yeah, "Do You Want to Die Together" is, by some chalk, the worst song on the new one. Like the rest of it pretty well, and excellent in parts ("Theory of Relativity" is fuckin' amazing). Def. better than The Five Ghosts. Going to see them when they're in Manchester next week, pretty hyped tbh as it's been a good while since they were here.

Just revisiting upthread, Nhex did you ever get round to the last Memphis album? I still listen to that all the time, it's a real pearl.

Add "The Loose Ends Will Make Knots" and "The 400" to the list of songs I like; I was only halfway through the album when I posted above. Mercifully, nothing else on the record is as bad as "Die," but that still means that literally half the record goes by without leaving any impression on me. Still, after the disappointment of The Five Ghosts (speaking of icky Stars songs, remember "We Don't Want Your Body?"), this is mildly encouraging.

Bill: I did eventually get to it... It was all right, but didn't really hook me, it felt maybe a little too laid back? I should give it another listen sometime.

It is pretty relaxed in the main, I love Torq's lyrics on it though and some v. strong vocal work. It had an osmotic effect on me, various songs kept popping up on shuffle on my player and it wormed into my affections with repeated listens. Worth a revisit for sure :)

was just a few days ago wondering what these guys were up to

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2014/08/11/339428704/song-premiere-stars-from-the-night

this life is very heartbreaking and sad… so let’s get completely fucking arseholed and listen to some Dionne Warwick.”
this life is very heartbreaking and sad… so let’s get completely fucking arseholed and listen to some Dionne Warwick.”
this life is very heartbreaking and sad… so let’s get completely fucking arseholed and listen to some Dionne Warwick.”

I think I'm done getting excited about new Stars records, but I'd be happy if they could surprise me with something great again.

it took me the better part of ~18 months but i think the north is a p good album tbh

About half of the album is very good, while the other half is pleasant enough, and only one song (the last one--Stars go techno-rave!) is a gross genre experiment on the level of "We Don't Want Your Body" from The Five Ghosts. All in all, their best since In Our Bedroom After the War.

noo don't get my hopes up

i'd only heard like one or two songs from this band but devoured their whole discography last week after winning tickets to their show (which was fantastic)

kind of surprised they're not more ILX canon tbh, "no one is lost" is as good as any of my favorite albums from the last few years

like how is it possible that johnny fever has never posted itt

Amy's vocal performance on 'Are You Ok? is stunning. I think it's a great record.
Steven Hyden had this great line recently that I think applies here-"Sometimes the worst sin a band can commit is doing the same thing really well for an extended period."

they're kind of my comfort food of music at this point. likely my most played band of the last 10+ years.

Set Yourself On Fire was a very, very good album and I really don't think they've matched it since.

"no one of lost" sounds like an ilx top 20 album, no one even nominated last year

"no one *is* lost"

No One Is Lost definitely their best album since In Our Bedroom After The War imo, though not quite as good as that one and Set Yourself On Fire. still pretty dang good though.

hah oh yeah, that's why cryptosicko said. i agree!

im glad that gr8080 got into stars

me too.

still mystified @ no johnny fever posts itt tbh

http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2016/1/Stars-plan-to-release-a-cover-song-each-month-in-2016

https://soundcloud.com/youarestars/it-aint-me-babe-cover

https://soundcloud.com/youarestars/streetlights-kanye-west-cover

This month's:

https://soundcloud.com/youarestars/sets/monthly-cover-series

(I wasn't familiar with the original)

Haven't cared abot them in ages but the "Streetlights" cover is really nice. Maybe the only instance of white people covering Kanye without embarrassing themselves/the listener.

They have a new release, "There Is No Love In Fluorescent Light". it's good too.
8 albums in they are still churning out some consistently good-to-great albums. I mean "Are you ok?"'s new-orderism's may be one of my favorite songs in their catalogue. (also going through a break-up, so heavy rotation for Stars).