If one were to read the title of Stars’ fourth album In Our Bedroom After the War literally, it might appear, at first that the band was offering up a political album. Certainly, there’s always been an element of social commentary, particularly on the anti-Bush track “He Lied About Death,” (from 2005’s Set Yourself on Fire) but what Stars does best is craft touching and vivid relationship memoirs, which is exactly what they do on this new set. The soulful and funky “My Favorite Book” finds Amy Millan comparing a lover to enthralling reading material, while “Bitches in Tokyo” runs a wide range of emotions before asking for reconciliation. In “Barricade,” Torquil Campbell’s lyrics find a happy medium between their political side and romantic side with a “Heroes”-like tale of finding and losing love while fighting a radical cause. It’s a bit on the dramatic side, but fares much better than the awkward “Personal.” Still, there are more than a handful of incredible songs here, the best being the Police-meets-Michael Jackson disco of “The Ghost of Genova Heights,” a steer away from the band’s comfort zone that pays off in spades.
--Jeff Terich
