Pretty soon after I started this site, I realised this day would come. There have already been days like it: here and here. But I think this is the worst. I hope it is.
The story goes like this. In late May 2001 I stayed in Seattle for a few days with Mary Agnes. What a brilliant guide she was, taking me to the opening night of the Seattle International Film Festival, an unlikely karaoke bar, and a film quiz, which I thought was going to be like a pub quiz, but turned out to be more like an exam (in a classroom, silence, strict timings for when you could turn over the question paper). She sang the praises of Sonic Boom records and asked if there were any CDs I was looking for, because, she said, they'd be happy to order them for me. I mentioned the band For Stars, one of whose songs I'd heard and liked on Mixing It. Next I was off travelling again, first to Vancouver, and then to stay for a week with Melanie and Brian in Yellowknife. On my return journey I passed through Seattle again for a one-night stopover, and Mary took me down to Sonic Boom, where they had a clutch of For Stars CDs waiting for me. "Do you want any of them?" Well, I was so overwhelmed with the grace and efficiency of both Mary and Sonic Boom that I thought it would be churlish to do anything other than buy them all. This one was $11.99. Fast forward exactly five years (to within a week) and today I finally cut the shrink-wrap off the CD and played it.
The verdict after a couple of listens? I like it a fair bit. Quiet and reflective rock music. Reminiscent in different ways of Low, The Clientele or even some bits of Big Star — though not quite as good as any of those. If there's a weakness that I could point to, it's the lyrics, which sometimes are bit too oh-I'm-so-sensitive, and you'll-never-understand-me, even though you're-very-pretty-and-I'd-like-to-kiss-you. Well… that may be a bit exaggerated and unkind. Forgive me. I'm not very sensitive.
 MusicBrainz entry for this album
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