The Other Stars “We Were Kids”

The Other Stars hail from Worcester (U.S. not U.K!) which is apparently a small town. This debut release certainly has the feel of a band who are looking to break out from their home town with aims to hit the big time. They “blend modern indie rock with 90’s alternative, while layering on top quirky, introspective lyrics”.

There’s an immediate upbeat feel to opener “You Looked Better At The Party”, which brings back memories of teenage times in the summer. A feeling that is further encouraged by the hand clapping sound that commences “Green My Eyes”.

Things get a little punkier on the Replacement’s esque “Home Is Where You Make It”. Although, when we hear songs like “Cape Cod”, our mind keeps wandering to REM. It may just be the vocals, but there is also the same kind of expansive alternative rock sound. However, we are more in to pop-punk territory on the appropriately bouncy “Caffeine”.

We were fortunate enough to listen to this release on a rare sunny day. It has a commercial alternative rock sound that is very much a sunshine America thing. This is a summers’ day record, or at least a day when you need a bit of cheering up. It’s not a sound which will change the world but it’s more than capable of brightening up your day.