Stellastarr – Civilized
Let me first get this out of the way: I am not really a big fan of rock music nor do I know much about the genre. I hate to admit my ignorant generalization, but I used to think rock music was just loud, abrasive and unnecessarily aggressive. Well, needless to say, I was wrong. After listening to Civilized, the 3rd studio release from NYC-based quartet Stellastarr*, I might just be one of their many converts.
Released nine years after the bands formation, Stellastarr*’s Civilized is nothing short of a fascinatingly solid and exciting rock album with unorthodox tracks such as the sparse ‘Robot’ as well as more classic rock tunes ‘Numbers’ and ‘Warchild’ among others. The follow-up to Harmonies for the Haunted (2005) and their debut Stellastarr* (2003), the band has once again recorded an album that will surely please their growing fan base worldwide. With a total of ten tracks, Civilized is a cleverly compiled musical amusement park with a ride for everyone.
Civilized’s first single ‘Graffiti Eyes’ was released on Itunes on April 20th, and was featured on the CW’s hit Gossip Girl later that same night. If the Teacups ride is your ride of choice then this upbeat track is for you. At first seemingly innocent, the infectious whirling guitar riffs, the grooving walking bass, and the propelling rhythm of this track quickly spin your mind into a delightful frenzy. ‘Freak Out’ is this amusement park’s bumper cars: energy-filled, something everyone will surely love, and addictive. Trust me, you can ‘Freak Out’ all you want but no one will get hurt on this ride. ‘Robot’, an electro-inspired tune, has the same eerie ambiance and dizzying effect as the infamous Mirror-House, yet somehow you just can’t get enough of it. The Ferris Wheel, ‘Tokyo Sky’, is a mid-tempo scenic groove perfect people watching from up above – you can almost feel the wind blowing through your hair when you listen to this track. And although you’re not in Tokyo, you can just about see it from up here. Last but not least, the ride everyone’s waiting for ‘Prom Zombie’ is surely this albums’ Rollercoaster. With spinning rhythms, a slow but epic build, and a catchy hook, his track will definitely get the adrenalin pumping. You’ll want to go back to this ride over and over again, I promise.
Lead vocalist Shawn Christensen shows that he is indeed a true vocal chameleon on this album. Throughout Christensen shows that he is able to morph his soaring voice into sounding like a handful of different people making it hard to believe that the same person sings each track on the album. The entire band goes through a complete transformation for every song on this record. For example, ‘Move On’ has a Death Cab for Cutie-esque quality about it that greatly differentiates it from the retro sound of the über catchy ‘Freak Out’ and the 90s British rock inspired, almost Oasis-like ‘Tokyo Sky’. This album brings to mind artists from a sea of different genres such as The B-52’s, Placebo, Crystal Castles, Depeche Mode, and Metric.
In addition to this diversified sound, there is also a noteworthy live quality to this record. After all, the quartet largely accumulated their devoted fan base from touring across the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, and several other destinations in Europe. Also noteworthy are Bassist Amanda Tannen’s backup vocals that frost almost every track on the record. Like cotton candy you just can’t get enough of her catchy, angelic yet facetious, and guaranteed-to-get-stuck-in-your-head-for-days melodies, which add so much richness to the instrumental world of each track.
Overall, Civilized is an eclectic rock album with great beats, catchy melodies, and get-up-on-your-feet-and-dance guitar riffs. And like any good amusement park, you’re guaranteed to have a good time and you’ll want to come back to visit this album over and over again to discover something new and exhilarating each time.
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Stellastarr* is Shawn Christensen (Vocals, rhythm guitar), Amanda Tannen (bass, vocals), Arthur Kremer (drums, percussion, keyboards), and Michael Jurin (lead guitar, vocals). Civilized was released on July 7th, 2009 by the band’s own Bloated Wife Records.
By Malia Franklin-Apted
