[Watch] Stars - "Backlines" (Official Video)

Apparently Canadian indie rockers Stars were the victims of the comedic antics of Rick Moranis, as they take to the stage in the vide for "Backlines". It's no ordinary stage, though, as the now-shrunken band performs on a minature stage within a steam-punk style store display. They better have gotten a decent paycheck for this performance. Watch the replay above via RollingStone.

Stars' latest LP The North is out now via ATO Records.

[Reviews Roundup] September 2012

With all the craziness of music blogging, from concerts to press releases to interviews to festivals, it can be hard to find time to sit down, listen to an album and give it an honest, thorough review. With that in mind, we came up with the Reviews Roundup, a way for us to look back at all of the major releases in the past month and give them an on-the-spot review. Whether we like them or not, we'll spout out a quick blurb about the album to give an overall impression of what makes it good or bad along with a score based out of five.

This month, we've had majors releases from Animal Collective, The xx, G.O.O.D. Music, Grizzly Bear, The Raveonettes, Mount Eerie, The Presets, The Vaccines, and many more. After the jump, you can read our quick thoughts on this month's offerings.

September 4th:

Animal Collective - Centipede Hz:

AnCo deliver an elaborate exploration of spacey sounds and psychedelic soundscapes.

SCORE: 4.0

Mount Eerie - Ocean Roar:

Phil Elverum's second album of the year is a beautiful-yet-eerie emotional journey, exploring the ideas of order and chaos.

SCORE: 4.5

Cat Power - Sun:

Chan Marshall returns after six longs years of dark hibernation with a sun-soaked gem.

SCORE: 4.5

The Vaccines - Come of Age:

The UK outfit's sophomore album is a grittier, more raucous outing than their debut, a welcome maturation for the band.

SCORE: 3.5

Stars - The North:

One of Canada's indie stalwarts offers up a catchy blend of electronic sounds and sprawling instrumentation.

SCORE: 3.5

Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon:

The band's sophomore outing retains the catchiness of Tourist History, but feels a bit forced at times.

SCORE: 2.5

September 11th:

The xx - Coexist:

This sophomore effort shows a great progression for the band, who have an incredible talent for evoking vast depth through subtle minimalism.

SCORE: 5.0

The Helio Sequence - Negotiations:

The Portland duo explore the intricacies of themselves and their instruments, building layer upon layer of delicate and engrossing instrumentation.

SCORE: 4.0

The Raveonettes - Observator:

Observator is an intriguing venture into the allure of Los Angeles, a mental journey in despair and loneliness amidst lush instrumentation.

SCORE: 3.5

David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant:

The ever-lasting talent and creative drive of David Byrne mixes beautifully with Annie Clark's undeniable charisma.

SCORE: 4.0

The Presets - Pacifica:

Pacifica is an electronic gem, weaving grandiose synthesizers around a complex tale of the future.

SCORE: 4.5

Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II:

The San Francisco psych rockers put all they've got into this diverse, hazy psychedelic package that shouldn't be missed.

SCORE: 3.5

The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter:

Yet another exploration into the intricacies of death from a band obsessed with the notion. With soft, solemn moments and charming, upbeat arrays of acoustic goodness, fans will feel right at home here.

SCORE: 3.0

September 18th:

G.O.O.D. Music - Cruel Summer:

The G.O.O.D. Music crew feels fairly disjointed here, with a lot of different artists and styles to take in, but a few solid performances help it from falling apart.

SCORE: 3.0

Grizzly Bear - Shields:

Grizzly Bear delves into a myriad of dream-like sounds, moments later being swept into an uproar of chaotic instrumentation. This expansive array constantly tears apart and rebuilds itself, struggling constantly in a beautiful war.

                                        SCORE: 5.0

September 25th:

Django Django - Django Django:

This Scotland quartet knows how to do harmony right, blending their vocal stylings with an addictive and quirky blend of spacey sounds and psychedelic influences.

SCORE: 4.0

[Listen] Stream New Albums from Cat Power, Stars, and Deerhoof

NPR's First Listen has numerous treats for everyone to start their week with, streaming new albums from Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power), Canadian indie outfit Stars, and San Francisco experimental band Deerhoof, all of whom have new albums dropping next week.

Cat Power's highly anticipated album Sun is her first in four years, and the first since 2006's The Greatest to feature original compositions, so the hype is well deserved. The 11-track effort drops on September 4th via Matador. Head here to stream it.

Canadian indie rockers Stars are offering up their sixth studio LP The North for release on September 4th via ATO Records, and today you can stream it in full here. The band is also going on a co-headlining tour with fellow Canadian indie outfit Metric, so head here to check out their tour dates.

San Francisco noise rockers Deerhoof's eleventh full-length Breakup Song drops on September 4th via Polyvinyl, and you can stream it here one week ahead of its release.

[Listen] Stars - "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It"

Stars are back with yet another single from their forthcoming sixth studio LP The North, and it will easily win this year's award for lengthiest song title (the award for lengthiest album title goes to Fiona Apple). "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It", title aside, is a fantastic indie pop arrangement, with a catchy, rhythmic guitar hook and relentless percussion offering a wholly pleasant listen. Listen to the single below.

As well, if you've yet to hear "Theory of Relativity", the lead single from The North, head here, and check out the band's full tour itinerary after the jump, including a Canadian co-headlining tour with Metric.

Stars 2012 Tour Dates:
09/20 – Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
09/21 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
09/22 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
09/25 – Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater
09/26 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
09/27 – Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theatre *
09/28 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse *
09/29 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge *
10/02 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall *
10/03 – Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre *
10/04 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe @ Old National Centre *
10/05 – St. Louis, MO @ Plush *
10/06 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note *
10/09 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck *
10/10 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom *
10/11 – Little Rock, AR @ Revolution Music Room *
10/12 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Upstairs *
10/13 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre *
10/14 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/17 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues *
10/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater *
10/19 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre *
10/20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *
11/07 – Portland, OR @ The Aladdin Theatre
11/08 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/09 – Victoria, BC @ Save on Centre #
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena #
11/12 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place #
11/14 – Calgary, AB @ Stampede Corral #
11/15 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place #
11/17 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre #
11/19 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre #
11/23 – Kingston, ON @ K-Rock Centre #
11/24 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre #

* = w/ Diamond Rings
# = w/ Metric

[News] Stars Announce Headlining Tour

Before their Canadian co-headlining tour alongside Metric, Stars will go on a headlining tour of their own. Starting on September 20th in Portland, the tour will take the Canadian indie outfit across the continent, keeping them busy for over a month and a half. Check out their full tour itinerary after the jump.

The band's sixth studio album The North will hit stores on September 4th via ATO Records.

Stars 2012 Tour Dates:
09/20 – Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
09/21 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
09/22 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
09/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
09/25 – Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater
09/26 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
09/27 – Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theatre
09/28 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
09/29 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
10/02 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
10/03 – Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
10/04 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe @ Old National Centre
10/05 – St. Louis, MO @ Plush
10/06 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
10/09 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
10/10 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
10/11 – Little Rock, AR @ Revolution Music Room
10/12 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Upstairs
10/13 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre
10/14 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits *
10/17 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater
10/19 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre
10/20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
11/07 – Portland, OR @ The Aladdin Theatre
11/08 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
11/09 – Victoria, BC @ Save on Centre #
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena #
11/12 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place #
11/14 – Calgary, AB @ Stampede Corral #
11/15 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place #
11/17 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre #
11/19 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre #
11/23 – Kingston, ON @ K-Rock Centre #
11/24 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre #

# = w/ Metric

[News] Metric and Stars Map Out Tour Together

Later this fall, Canadian indie contemporaries Metric and Stars will team up for a co-headlining tour across Canada. In support of Metric's recently released album Synthetica and Stars' forthcoming sixth LP The North, which is out on September 4th, the two bands will kick off their tour in Victoria, BC on November 9th. Check out both band's full tour details, including Metric's massive worldwide tour schedule, after the jump.

Below, you can listen to a selection of tracks from Metric's Synthetica along with Stars' "The Theory of Relativity."

Metric 2012 Tour Dates:
06/26 – Berlin, DE @ Postbahnhof
06/28 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter
06/30 – Istanbul, TR @ Mono Festival
07/02 – London, UK @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
07/03 – Paris, FR @ Le Trianon
07/04 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
07/06 – London, UK @ Wireless Festival
07/07 – Manchester, UK @ HMV Ritz
07/08 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy
07/14 – Montreal, QC @ Quebec City Summer Fest
07/15 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/26 – Sydney, AU @ The Hi-Fi
07/27 – Melbourne, AU @ Billboard
07/28-29 – Byron Bay, AU @ Splendour in the Grass
07/31 – Singapore @ Esplanade Concert Hall
08/03 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/05 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival
09/06 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
09/08 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
09/09 – Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre
09/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
09/12 – Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
09/14 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
09/17 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
09/18 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
09/20 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
09/21 – Washington, DC @ The Strathmore
09/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theater
09/23 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
09/27 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock
09/28 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore
09/29 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
10/01 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
10/02 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
10/04 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
10/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
10/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
10/10 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
11/09 – Victoria, BC @ Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre *
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
11/12 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place *
11/01 – Calgary, AB @ Stampede Corral *
11/15 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place *
11/16 – Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre *
11/17 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre *
11/19 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre *
11/23 – Kingston, ON @ K-Rock Centre *
11/24 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre *

* = w/ Stars

Stars 2012 Tour Dates:
10/14 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
11/09 – Victoria, BC @ Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre *
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
11/12 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place *
11/01 – Calgary, AB @ Stampede Corral *
11/15 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place *
11/16 – Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre *
11/17 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre *
11/19 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre *
11/23 – Kingston, ON @ K-Rock Centre *
11/24 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre *

[Listen & Download] Stars - "The Theory Of Relativity"

To celebrate the announcement of Stars' sixth full-length album, The North, which is slated for a September 4th release on ATO Records, the band is offering a free download of their single, "The Theory of Relativity" in exchange for your email address. If you need some convincing first, you can have a listen to a stream of the track below. Once you find yourself in love with the song head over to their official website to download the song.