| sad robots indeed |

// Stars //

// The Five Ghosts //

2.8 out of 5

I've got a soft spot for Stars. They were the first non-mainstream, non-rap band I ever followed seriously. They are true musicians. They represent Canada as well as any artists from north of the border. They were the first live concert I ever went to, and the excellence of that one performance spurred me on to attend a countless number of live shows since then. In short, they were my gateway to indie. For that reason, it pains me to give this album such a low rating.

Leading up to the release The Five Ghosts, I continued to hope that they B-list material found on the EP's since 2007's In Our Bedroom After The War was nothing more than filler. Considering the brilliance of Heart and Set Yourself on Fire, Stars have set the bar mightily high. Now that I've had a chance to listen through the album a few times, I'm unconvinced that the magic is still there. The same pieces to the puzzle remain, but there's a distinct lacking beyond the disappointment of "haven't they done that before?" The problem wasn't that the songs are poorly written or sung - Torq Campbell and Amy Millan have maintained their unique harmonic chemistry - it's just that the music sounds tired. Like what the hell is going on with "We Don't Want Your Body"? I haven't listened to the lyrics in depth, but boy does it strike me as a stupid song.

That said, the album isn't bad by any means. Beginning with "Dead Hearts", a typical Stars offering featuring back-and-forth couplets from leads Campbell and Millan, the album gets off to a good start. In search of the signature drama and grandure of the band's previous works, Stars fans will be happy with "I Died So I Could Haunt You", "How Much More", "The Last Song Ever Written", and "Changes". In all, the elements that make up the band's sound are still there; where the music suffers is in it's lack of urgency. Not to say they aren't trying, but there isn't any risk-taking going on here.


Summary: The Five Ghosts is neither here nor there. It isn't particularly heavy on style or substance. It just is. Once known for their emotionally gripping/satisfying music, listening to much of this album reminded me of watching Michael Jordan brick a dunk in the 2002 NBA All-Star Game (yes, they really do matter to me that much). Going back and listening to "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" is all but a confirmation that Stars are more than likely in the latter stages of their popularity and relevance. Hey, one perfect album and three outstanding ones is pretty damn good by any measure of success. Here's to hoping that Canada's original indie pop sweethearts will find a way to evolve their sound and come back strong for a sixth.

// Torrent DL //