The Silent League – ‘Of Stars And Other Somebodies’ (Something In Construction) Released 18/06/07

Led by sometime Mercury Rev member Justin Russo, The Silent League popped up briefly in 2005 with an album - 'The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused' - which garnered boundless critical acclaim, then promptly vanished as quickly as they arrived. All went quiet and members were loaned out to Beirut, Calexico and Brazilian Girls amongst others, and that was that - until tracks from 'Of Stars And Other Somebodies' appeared, without fanfare, on their Myspace page. Opener 'Canary In The Coalmine' wouldn't sound out of place on a Mercury Rev record, brooding minor key piano backing up Russo's distinctive vocals, before giving way to the glorious upbeat pomp of 'Victim of Aeroplanes'. Arcade Fire comparisons are inevitable, but the chord structures and trumpet parts more strongly recall the widescreen indie of the criminally underrated Beulah. 

The majestic 'Let It Roll' could be a less jangly Belle & Sebastian or The Shins in reflective mood, and the line You're too old for rock and roll and too young to give up may provide a clue as to the reasons behind the band's unexplained hiatus and indifference towards the press. 'Character Assassination' meanwhile is indebted to the Beach Boys and Sondre Lerche.

Further compelling pop moments come in the form of 'Untied' and 'Out of Reach', perhaps the most straightforward and rocking song on the album. Only a couple of tracks let the side down: 'The Tolka, Not The Liffey' and album closer 'A Dry Hallway' rely on the instrumentation to carry them through, whereas elsewhere the orchestral web woven around the songs serve only to complement the melodies already present. 

'Of Stars...' is at heart an orchestral pop album, a genre somewhat in vogue given the Arcade Fire's current ubiquity.  But while Arcade Fire could be faulted for sometimes sounding like they've thrown the kitchen sink at a track, leaving the listener to battle through to the tune, 'Of Stars...' revels in subtlety and understatement.  Pianos, trumpets, xylophones, violins and countless other instruments drift in and out almost imperceptibly, creating a lush backdrop without ever being overwhelming. It's hard to imagine a more brilliantly arranged album being released this year, and for the most part the songs are strong enough to warrant.