REVIEWS

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The Stars and the Sea
8

Posted: Monday, June 21, 2010
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Hailing from Baltimore, MD, The Stars and the Sea is not an unusual entity in the world of independent music. With the band's debut six-track EP, dubiously titled 8 (and with a track titled "Seven" no less), Shane Gardner and Joe Amey make for enticing blend of gothic-drenched post-punk rock & roll with lyrics that are melancholy as they are romantic, as sweet and saccharine as they are bitter and black. What's interesting about this band is the latent familiarity to its style. The song "I Am Black" resonates with a slow rock beat and simple repeating chord progression of shimmering guitars, sounding like something Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers might have churned out in a moment of quiet introspection, with Gardner singing "I am black, I am useless" in a bellowing croon that belies the almost juvenile gothic despair such a lyric would indicate. The addition of Katie Chambers' cello on "Seven" adds to the song's somber atmosphere, which is raised to an almost morose bliss in the chorus when Gardner reaches a lovely falsetto note augmented by a subtle yet beautiful harmony accompaniment, all the while featuring a chord progression that could have easily been a song by Bauhaus or even Jeff Buckley. This writer must admit to even hearing a bit of HIM vocalist Ville Valo in Gardner's dark bravado, emotional in its darkness, but not above letting loose in true rock star fashion. This is especially true on the opening track "Come to Me," which is the most upbeat and straightforward rock song of the EP, hitting hard and fast from the get-go until "Fly Girl Fly" shines anthemic with its solos and uplifting melody. The diversity of The Stars and the Sea is something to behold while at the same time exemplifying a simplicity of songwriting style that makes it instantly accessible. This makes 8 a pleasant listening experience, though it can be a shortcoming to some listeners struggling to identify the band as an entity unto itself and more than the sum of its influences. Of course, this is not to downplay the enjoyment factor that The Stars and the Sea hold; the songs are catchy, moody, but intelligently written, and if nothing else, the band does bring a welcome tinge of independent spirit to its brand of rock that should appeal to a wide range of tastes.