In Amsterdam after the trip

It took me four and a half hours of trains, busses and trams to get to the Stars concert last saturday but as soon as they started 'Take me to the Riot' that exhausting journey was instantly forgotten. I was treated to an exhilirating set of songs from their 2005 break-through masterpiece 'Set Yourself on Fire' (please don't), new favorites (or rather favourites) from 'In Our Bedroom After the War', some old songs and the Smiths cover 'This Charming Man'.
Stars are a romantic indie-pop band from Canada (yes, from the Arts & Crafts label) who specialise in narrative songs about the intricacies of relationships. The songs in which Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan both sing parts from a male and female perspective are their trade-mark. Like on 2005's 'Your Ex-lover is Dead' where two ex-lovers meet again and we hear that their thoughts about each other are way off, or 'One More Night', a cruel tale about sex with an ex. The new album has 'Personal', which is sung as a personal ad ("Wanted single F/ Under 33/ Must enjoy the sun/ Must enjoy the sea") and slowly turns crueler and crueler.

Okay, so maybe they're not so much a romantic band as a band that sings about romances.


From 'Set Yourself on Fire': Stars - Your Ex-lover is Dead (video)

Fantastic set-opener: Stars - Take me to the Riot (myspace)

Moving: Stars - Personal (myspace)