Civilized

Stellastarr* | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: July 7, 2009
• Release Date: July 7, 2009
• Label: Stellastarr
• Copyright: 2009 Bloated Wife Records
• Total Length: 37:15
• Genres:
• ASIN: B002EHNJCS
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,335 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Reverse the drought., July 24, 2009

By 

Jason Stein (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Civilized (Audio CD)

With their third album, "Civilized", stellastarr* continue much in the same vein as their first and second albums. Although lead singer Shawn Christensen may be singing in a higher note than before, the music is still unmistakeably stellastarr*.

The main issue I take with the band is the fact that, unlike their contemporaries, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, White Lies, Interpol, etc., they still haven't quite found their musical direction. They have not quite been able to take from the past, and add their own spin on the old punk/new wave genre. Instead, they come across like Joy Division, The Cure and The Psychedelic Furs tossed into a blender.

That being said, "Civilized" does show some progress, just not that much, especially considering how long the band has been away. The band doesn't waste our time with bloated epic song lengths, they don't drown in slow balladry, no, they rock out, and it works for the most part. The overall result is a slightly above average effort. I just keep waiting for them to break out of this box they've put themselves into much like The Bravery have.

"Robot", "Freak Out", "Tokyo Sky", "Graffiti Eyes" and "Move On" are the better half of the disc. "Numbers", "Sonja Cries" and "Prom Zombie" are the next best tier of tracks. "Warchild" and "The People" were the weakest tracks here.

Here's how "Civilized" compares to the band's previous works:

2003 stellastarr*: Three and a Half Stars
2005 Harmonies For The Haunted: Three Stars
2009 Civilized: Three and a Half Stars

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RiddleMeThis, July 9, 2009

By 

Michael Riddle (Kennett Square, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Civilized (Audio CD)

I was very much anticipating their third album and they definitely didn't disappoint. They continue to elevate their music to another level. I love their sound and their style, especially Shawn's guitar and vocals. Amanda's background vocals are way cool, too! They're a 'must-see' live, too!! A fantastic CD. Love it!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid return album, July 29, 2009

By 

The Voice Of The Jellyfish (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Civilized (Audio CD)

Like their first two albums, this album isn't spectacular, but it is solid and worth a listen. Like some others, I thought the single "Graffiti Eyes" wasn't that good at first, but it really grew on me. "Tokyo Sky" is another excellent track. But the best song on the album is "Robot"...it's both spacy and catchy, and represents the band's best traits. In my opinion, "Robot" is worth the price of the album. Those three tracks are definitely the highlights, but the rest aren't bad, either. Stellastarr* isn't the most original band and they wear their influences on their sleeve, which of course means that pompous, self-important rock critics dislike them. But they definitely sound different and more original than on Harmonies For The Haunted. And it's just an enjoyable album to listen to...very upbeat and a good summer CD.