Stars - The Night Starts Here

Canadian indie-poppers Stars involve three members of Broken Social Scene, but don't show any of their verve or bluster here. With over-polished production and twee spaceman synths, Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan make unfathomable drama out of whispered clichés like "forget your name, forget your fear" and "we'll be angels after all." Perhaps in the context of the album it's a barnstormer but, on its own, The Night Starts Here is as sweet as melted marshmallow, and as sickly too. [Ally Brown]