Stars, Set Yourself on Fire

Here's the list of bands that the new Stars record reminds me of:

• Delgados
• Postal Service
• Weakerthans
• Seafood
• Bjork
• Smiths
• Hefner

That's a pretty impressive list. Which is why I can't quite figure out why I don't find this record compelling yet. After listening to it a few times, I still haven't found a song that grabs my attention and won't let go. If I find one, I'll be sure to let you know.

Stars are part of the white hot scene in Montreal along with buzz bands like The Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and The Dears. Right now, however, I'm putting them behind all of those bands. I'm going to keep listening, though. With a pedigree like that, I wouldn't be surprised if there's something there I haven't heard yet.

Preliminary Rating: 3.5 (of 5) donuts