Tuesday 29/11/05 Stellastarr*, The Sounds @ The Metro Club, London

Tonight’s support The Sounds are set for very big things; or at least, that is according to their merchandise seller who, in an attempt to flog one of the band’s t-shirts, tried to convince me that I would be buying into musical history. That said, the Swedish five-piece are certainly creating a buzz stateside where their mélange of punk, rock and 80s synth-heavy pop caught the attention of ex-Smashing Pumpkin James Iha, who subsequently signed them. Tonight, vocalist Maja Ivarsson screams a young Deborah Harry in every sense as she steers her band through a riotous set taken from their debut 'Living in America' and their forthcoming second album 'Dying To Say This To You' (produced by Jeff Saltzman who twiddled the knobs on The Killers Hot Fuss). Definitely one to watch.

It seems that nowadays, not a week goes by without the arrival of another New York retro/post punk/new wave band that, as well as the inevitable nods to either the Cure, Joy Division or the Pixies (or all if the reviewer is in an especially good mood), are instantly hailed as the best band since…well, the one that came immediately before them. Its seems baffling then that while bands such as The Strokes and The Bravery have enjoyed the fruits of mainstream success, fellow New Yorkers Stellastarr* seemed to have slipped under the radar. This might be the reason why Stellastarr* - with a second album in tow - still find themselves playing to a two hundred capacity crowd in a venue where the bar is only an arm’s reach from the stage. Not that one is complaining. The sweaty, claustrophobic surroundings of the Metro Club is the perfect setting for a band like Stellastarr* to get their creative juices flowing and tonight, they’re in their element. After a hesitant start to the set with the somber ‘Lost In Time’, the band launch into ‘No Weather’ like the proverbial bull in a china shop, with frontman Shawn Christensen throwing deranged robotic shapes that the late Ian Curtis would have been proud of. Elsewhere, bassist Amanda Tannen’s echo-laden backing vocals complement Christensen’s clear, deep lyrics while guitarist Michael Jurin thrashes out grunge-inspired rhythms on tracks such as ‘Jenny’ and ‘Sweet Troubled Soul’. Showcasing tracks from both albums in equal measure, it’s the songs from the band’s untitled debut that ultimately still stand out, offering a much edgier side to their toned-down follow-up.

It’s the eccentricity of Christensen’s voice that truly sets Stellastarr* apart from the plethora of hipster bands that have emerged from the big apple in recent years. Tonight however, it is clearly suffering by the end of the quirky angular ‘Somewhere Across Forever’. As if feeling the need to confirm, Christensen announces that he would need some audience participation to help his voice through the last song. Of course, being fan favourite ‘My Coco’, the punters are only too happy to oblige. As soon as Jurin’s sonically charged guitar riff kicks in, the whole crowd is bouncing up and down like Ron Jeremy on Viagra.
**** The Strokes, this is one New York band whose star will be burning bright for years to come.