Customer Reviews

Baby the Stars Shine Bright

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Most of the reviews for this album have been derogatory, some calling it overblown and too middle-of-the-road. But I rather like listening to albums that have been looked down upon and rejoice in the fact that the critics must have had something up their butts while they were reviewing it. BABY THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT is case in point. It was as a techno duo that Everything But The Girl found success, causing people to ignore the fact that before then EBTG had made some great yet poorly received albums without all the synthesizers and tape loops. STARS is quite possibly EBTG's most organic album. Not a hint of electricity is found on here, but the orchestral arrangements are hard to miss. The songs EBTG wrote for the album could only have come to pass with the glossy production, so if this MOR thing was an experiment, it was a successful and unjustly criticized one. "Come On Home", "Don't Let The Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart", and "Sugar Finney" are just as essential as any of the many remixes of "Missing", EBTG's long-overdue breakthrough hit. For Everything But The Girl, the stars should have shown bright with this album...but it would be another decade before EBTG hit what resembled the big time. If there's any other albums that I might be interested in that were unfairly panned, please let me know!

The melodies in this compilation are hauting! It has been five years since I heard it last and it's as if it were yesterday. I have yet to forget ever lyric and every melodic rift. This collection deserves your best bottle of red wine, many candles, a chill, rainy, Sunday evening and a special someone you love. Whether you sit and listen or dance to the beautiful ballads, you will not be disappointed. Each song has its own story and its own message. It touches the scale from ballad to big-band and should appeal to listeners of all ages. If you are a romantic, THIS IS A MUST-HAVE! I don't even begrudge the person who stole it from me. At least s/he will get a chance to experience this modern masterpiece.

Many have criticized this older EBTG record in light of the duo's new "Walking Wounded" drum n' bass sound, which I also love. But "Baby the Stars Shine Bright" remains a great EBTG record. It may be overly-produced for 90's "unplugged tastes" or for fans who loved the jazzy, sparse art house sound of their first two albums. But for fans of the group's music and lead singer Tracey Thorn's voice, it offers moments of musical brilliance with swirls of Burt Bacharach, swashes of Hollywood musicals and even a dollop of Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline on songs like "Don't Let the Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart" and "Baby Come Home". Tracey's voice is powerful, elegant and heartbreaking on tracks like "Sugar Finney" and "Don't Leave Me Behind". The CD is a huge pop production with great lyrics and haunting melodies.

This album epitomises perfection, and yes the stars do shine bright. I have bought this album three times as I have had friends "borrow" it. The music is haunting, with every word and every lyric, every piece of music having some form of meaning. Perhaps I could say it's like Shakespeare, except it's EBTG. The album takes the listener on a musical journey, starting from "come on home" right through to "Little Hitlers". The music is symphonic, tied in with the ever haunting voice of Tracey Thorne. The duo's lyrics appear to etch out every human emotion ever felt, and put it into truly original music. If you are ever looking for an album which has lyrics that actually mean something, and evoke emotions in the listener's heart - then buy any of EBTG's albums. This one is my favourite, it reminds me of Punga trees in Auckland's Eastern suburbs, with stars shining above the metropolis. Truly, this album makes one believe that baby the stars DO shine bright.

Although I like a lot of dance music I never liked EBTG with tech-pop beats. HUGE fan of this cd and earlier work. Her voice is so majestic and piercing here and the orchestra channels this voice to pure perfection. Brrrrilliant

This collection will enthrall you. The swinging lyrics and delivery are impeccable. The only drawback here: these tracks are not danceable.

Although I don't feel that this is EBTG's best work it is still a nice listen. My favorite song on this CD is by far "Cross My Heart" because Tracey Thorn's voice is impeccable and very rich on this song. The other songs are carried by the instrumentality which compliments Tracey's voice so well. Even though I gave it only three stars,(because EBTG's other CDs are more superior)I would still recommend it to this group's fans if not for any other reason than to have a complete collection of this talented band's works.

I don't know whether it's the nostalgia of my 20-something years or whether this is just an outstanding album, but I adore this album. This album, "The Language of Life", and "Idlewild" are my favorites. I prefer the melancholy sounds of EBTG. The tech stuff of their later years does not appeal to me. But during the late 80's and early 90's, EBTG was just way cool....in a sophisticated martini-lounge type of way. They have abandoned that great music in favor of techno garbage. I do hope they consider returning to this type of music...where Ben's talent and Tracy's voice really shined....

EBTG was not this kind of band. They had some pointed tracks like "Nativeland," "Mine"(I don't need his name thank you, mine fits me nicely, mine will do), and the like. "Baby the Stars Shine Bright" was weird, not like them......in the same way "Walking Wounded" was weird and not like them. After being turned off at first, "walkking Wounded" grew on me, as it was still Ben & Tracey. The important thing on this record is not the orchestration, a somewhat misbegotten big band sound that doesn't fit their normal style, but to listen to Tracey and Ben's lyric. After you hear "Come on Home" here, try it on Acoustic. To me, it was a maturing process. "Cross My Heart" is one of their best "who's fault is it really?" songs.

This album was a strange turn in their development process, but I was able to enjoy it for what it was. I really recommend it for completists, but don't come here for truly representative work, nor as an immediate step after "Walking Wounded." Take it for the nice pop that it is.

The ones that know EBTG as pop electronic duo usually dont know that they have more to offer than electro sounds, and this is an example of how far good music can be. In their career Ebtg has improved album after album. The first ones on ingenuos times as Sade and Style council - they were labelled as the new bossa style - wery influenced by the jazz and brazilian music. After the so jazzed early ones ..theres Stars shine bright ..the voice of Tracey never was so limpid and crystal..the blend of contry and soul music with classical...why not?? you can almost cry as you hear her sing "I was a backwater girl, home most nights.." on A thousand mile...the bitter on Cross my heart ....the feminism on Little Hittler ..the strings so well arranged and so perfectly recorded at Abbey road studios...make this one a really shinning star, a very special one, unfortunatelly, Alfie -Bacharatt's cover so well done that could make Dione Warwick blush...with all my respect to her- doesnt features on this album, but only as a B side of Dont leave me behind single ... a plus to this time. Stars shine bright is a delight ..despite all the criticism about this album.. for a very few ..be one of them.

cheers