Stars

Expectation is a bitch. When Stars made the scene in 2003, it was on the strength of Heart, one of the best and most beautiful Canadian albums of the ’00s (so far). Trouble is, when you release something that flirts with perfection, where do you go from there? Set Yourself On Fire, while well received, barely held a candle (please forgive the pun) to its gorgeous predecessor. In Our Bedroom After The War also misses the mark, being a flawed and top-heavy release. Granted, there are a few wonders, including the Amy Millan-fronted love song "My Favourite Book.” But after the seemingly Prince-inspired "The Ghost Of Genova Heights,” the latter half of the album is a blur of indistinct tracks. Not even the wonderful, penultimate "Today Will Be Better, I Swear!” or the epic sweep of the title track at the album’s end can redeem it. Yet it’s certainly a testament to the band that even their sub-par efforts contain moments of magic. In Our Bedroom After The War is like the smartest kid in the class getting a B. In the grand scheme of things, they did reasonably well but it’s disappointing that they didn’t go for the gold star.