Artist: The Morning Line
Title: Stars (Big Stir Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Matthew Sweet, Psychic Rain, Teenage Fanclub, Wilco
Tell me more: Set for release on Friday, Sept. 18, The Morning Line's stellar audio collection Stars shines a welcome light on the San Francisco Bay Area-based indie troupe's signature sound. Somehow masterfully blending 1980s college rock (think early R.E.M. and Let's Active), postpunk (the acclaimed Hüsker Dü and Cracker) and power pop (Matthew Sweet, Psychic Rain, Gin Blossoms) with the masters of melodic '90s alt rock (Teenage Fanclub and Toad the Wet Sprocket come to mind), The Morning Line features the top-tier talents of frontman/singer-songwriter Stephen Smith, guitarist Brian Mello, drummer Peter Craft and bassist David Knupp.
Stars is a double-LP length title made up primarily of songs that have appeared on earlier The Morning Line releases; for this ambitious 21-track title all of those previously-issued songs have been remixed by the aforementioned Peter Craft. The wealth of compelling originals bolstered by literate lyrics, Smith's strong lead vocals and potent musicianship include the introspective melodic alt rocker "Anhedonia (Start Again)," snappy power pop nugget "90s Pickup," bewitching "Spellbound," alluring jangle pop cut "All Mine," torn romance-aimed foray "The Minutes," acoustic gem "Last One of the Losers," and the catchy single "Los Angeles." The collection closes with the one-two punch of the thought-provoking "Antennas" and captivating genre-blending "This Lens."
Robert Kinsler
