In Our Bedroom After The War
by Stars

Album details

US: 25 September 2007 on Arts & Crafts
UK: 1 October 2007 on City Slang
DIGITAL RELEASE: 10 July 2007

"War" is the fourth studio album for the melodramatic Montreal-based indie-pop outfit featuring vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan.

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The critical consensus

Although the focus of most Stars reviews is usually a slew of Smiths comparisons, or Torquil Campbell’s love it-or-hate it, over-the-top vocal delivery, this time around, the determining factor seems to be whether or not critics find War to be comparable to its predecessors. And many critics feel that it’s just not up to the band’s usual standards–although it is by no means bad.

Stars’ previous album was very well-received, and CMJ finds the new disc to be of a similar nature: "It was going to be hard to follow-up 2005’s Set Yourself On Fire, but Stars seem to be adding pages instead of letting that book close." PopMatters, too, hears a worthy follow-up: "If you like Stars, or intelligent pop, you’ll discover something in just about every song here." Although Lost At Sea is generally positive, it finds the disc a bit too long, and notes, "While the album is certainly a solid effort by true masters of the indie pop craft, few of the songs reach the heights of the best from Heart or Set Yourself On Fire." Hot Press is likewise disappointed, saying War "fails to hit the shuddering heights they’re capable of with anything like regularity." Similarly, The Onion determines that the album, while pretty, doesn’t compare with Stars’ past glories, a thought also seconded by Pitchfork.

Blender finds that War "toughens things up immeasurably" compared to their previous "polite" output (although Rolling Stone finds it a "mellower" album). Chart Attack notes "chorus lines so sticky they’ll be gumming up listeners’ brains for months," though the danger of that–as Slant points out–are songs that veer closer to cruise ship or James Blunt territory. The Stranger concludes, "It’s not revolutionary or revelatory, but it will connect with those pining for rounded pomp." Exclaim!, however, finds the album "a flawed and top-heavy release."

In Our Bedroom After the War, though it contains nothing on the level of the band’s best or worst, is the handiest inventory yet of Stars’ obsessions, M.O.s, strengths and failings.

- Theon Weber, Stylus

Review roundup

Tracklisting and media

1. The Beginning After the End
2. The Night Starts Here
3. Take Me To the Riot
   
   
4. My Favourite Book
5. Midnight Coward
6. The Ghost of Genova Heights
7. Personal
8. Barricade
9. Window Bird
10. Bitches In Tokyo
11. Life 2: The Unhappy Ending
12. Today Will Be Better, I Swear
13. In Our Bedroom After the War

Also on the web

• Stars @ Arts & Crafts
• Stars @ MySpace