FLAMING STARS
NAMED + SHAMED
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
***

Far more appreciated in their native Europe, the Flaming Stars nevertheless have generated a cult following in the U.S. of which I’m proud to be a member. Combining moog organ and tropicalia-leaning musicianship that often calls to mind the more optimistic work of the Black Heart Procession, the band achieves that rare combination of songwriting and sound to yield something unique. Tethered by the sing-speak of vocalist Max Decharne, Flaming Stars’ topics of booze and broads (“Spilled Your Pint” and “She’s Gone”) fill much of the album, hinted with a nice touch of Joy Division-style malice. Newcomers to the band would be better served to check out the band’s earlier, more accessible catalog, but existing fans will find little disappointment in Named & Shamed.

JT

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