The North :: Stars

I discovered Stars originally through Zach Braff, either from one of his films or some connected community. I used to say that I wanted Zach Braff to make me a mix tape, and I still feel strongly about that. Your Ex-Lover is Dead soon became a favorite song of mine, one of those bittersweet songs that delivers the right kind of punch when I have felt sad and heartbroken, served up with a smile and a side of jaded regret. Their songs are both beautiful and bitter, like a strong cup of coffee early in the morning, and their since that first listen, their songs have fit well inside of my beautiful and bitter heart.

I stumbled on The North quite by accident early this morning, strong cup of coffee making its hand to mouth journey to me, this discovery one of those happy accidents that happen on occasion. I needed this album right now, especially while I am in the midst of writing what is, to me, a beautiful and bitter novel. These songs are quickly being dragged over into my writing playlist of songs that I will stream and repeat, over and over, while writing, which is quite a compliment as far as I am concerned.

Lyrically this album is full of stories of the battles of true love, the crazy. messy, sometimes desperate, sometimes lovely, ever challenging fight that we all at some point cling to, endeavor towards, or run like hell away from. Do You Want To Die Together? plays like an answer to Death Cab For Cutie’s I Will Follow You Into The Dark, both a dark and somehow hopeful take on isolation, loneliness, and that forever kind of love. Lights Changing Colours touches at both an intellectuals scoff at love battling with the internal longing for love, a philosophical crossroads that has no right answer. And, Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Get It is equal parts advice and confusion on love, something that rings both real, and relatable.

The 400 is one of those songs that brought tears immediately, and on every re-play since. It reminds me of any time I have tried to give love a second, or third, chance even when deep down in the pit of my soul I knew the love was doomed. This song, well, it just hurts to hear.

My favorite of the moment is The Loose Ends Will Make Knots which is that two sides of the story, he said she said kind of love song that is both an ode to beginnings and endings. A Song is a Weapon is right there, too, fighting to be my favorite while it proclaims the power and danger of both love and music, the ability they both hold to slay and save, or in some cases, the power to do both; anyone who holds both love and music close will know how fatal both can be. I truly believe I could be killed by a song.