As far as standard-issue iPod compendia go, In Our Bedroom After The War, the latest album from Stars, is pretty big-hearted. The fourth album from these Canadian electro-indie soulsters finds them tackling political unrest as seen through the eyes of young and restless lovers.
Among the album’s many smart moves, Bedroom never exists in its own time as much as it exists in its moment. These twelve-and-a-half songs of war and apprehensive love mean to make a statement about the world’s current state of affairs.
To the credit of vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, the songs are never exactly topical. They are instead rich with interpersonal detail (as heard on “Personal”), restless intrepidity (“Take Me To The Riot”), and nameless dread (“The Night Starts Here”).
It’s austere stuff to be sure, but the melodrama is a necessity given the nature of the subject. What else could carry such weight? Well, the music helps. It’s stark by their standards, even a tad vanilla (see “My Favourite Book”) , and somehow crammed with as much detail as the lyrics, the mark of craftsmanship. A telling example is “Barricade,” which primarily relies on a lovely piano melody that Campbell hams up marvelously.
It’s overreaching but self-serving, as is the case on most of this fine album. Occasionally, as with all of Stars’ best music, the melodrama is particularly tasty, as heard on the finale of the soaring title track. Bedroom still is a bit vanilla, yet almost every track is a standout. Of course, that’s if you’re into electro-soul iPod compendia.
– Mike McGovern
Stars: www.myspace.com/stars
Arts & Crafts: www.arts-crafts.ca