Building on the lush, orchestral beauty of their 2006 debut, Russo and his seven-strong band layer harmonies and easy melodies reminiscent of the Eagles in the decorative brass, synths, bass and cello. But beneath this sweet trifle of sounds lie heavy-hearted lyrics that suggest Russo may be embroiled in a mid-life crisis, struggling to reconcile what he wanted with what he's got.  Full text...

The Silent League, a sprawling group led by sometime-Mercury Rev collaborator Justin Russo, have been worryingly quiet of late. The unexplained hiatus since the release of their critically lauded debut, The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused in 2005, had led to rumours of a split, and sightings of some of its number appearing with alt-country staples like Calexico and Beirut only added to the mystery of where this most beguiling of chamber-pop groups had shuffled off to.  Full text...

At times 'Of Stars...' takes The Silent League's widescreen voyage further, but for the most part it's simply nice, from single 'Victim Of Aeroplane''s brass rumble, to 'Kings And Queens'' majesterial pomp. And one thing's for certain: the likes of Lambchop's 'Nixon' and The Flaming Lips' 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' were a lot more than merely nice.  Full text...

Overall, the tracks on Of Stars and Other Somebodies fall into two distinct camps. There are the “voice and piano” numbers, which echo around sadly, shuffling in a sad sack fashion until you take the hint and start feeling bad for yourself.  Full text...