This first album, one of that year's unexpected gems, arrived on these shores with little fanfare and precious little in-concert time. This journalist was lucky to have seen a markedly slimmed down version of the band play to a handful of people at London's Barfly, and it was obvious then that, even without their stringed backing, these were a pop group of rare majesty. While a whole country was going batshit-crazy for the Arcade Fire's astonishing orchestral bombast, here was a band delicately playing to many of the same rules to a just as jaw-dropping level.

Luckily, it seems that instead of disappearing in puff of gorgeous wafting smoke, they spent their break carefully honing their sound in a mansion amid the mountains of upstate New York. The result, Of Stars and Other Somebodies is an astonishingly polished record that both echoes the great American artists of the 1970's and puts a whole new slant on the 'orchestral pop' movement that appears to be currently making a mini revival with bands like The Kissaway Trail and The Cinematic Orchestra emptying everything but the kitchen sink into their recording process.

Of Stars... seems a natural progression from their debut. They do not try to reinvent themselves much – the same lush, multi-textured sound is all-prevading - but this time around they've bolstered it with more confident, boisterous melodies that should see them take the step up from being cult favourites to commercial successes.

Album centrepiece Let it Roll is a plaintive, soaring number that recalls Neil Young and George Harrison's Laurel Canyon period - heartfelt, searingly personal and utterly gorgeous. The moment the horns and backing vocals kick in will melt even the frostiest heart, and the lyrics "You're too old for rock'n'roll and too young to give up," are as jaded as the music is hopeful - a timeless showstopper worthy of Brian Wilson at his finest.

Lead single Victim of Aeroplanes is a superb exercise in infectious pop – starting out in much the same vein as The Arcade Fire's Keep the Car Running, before suddenly segueing into a Flaming Lips-esque joyous tub-thumper, engaging, catchy and stunningly ebullient. Kings and Queens is suitably majestical - Russo using his experience as Mercury Rev Keyboardist to good effect - the result is like Deserter's Songs classic Goddess on a Hiway if Win Butler had recorded it, a stunning mish-mash of elegant piano chords and throat-catching euphoria indicative of a record that consistently surprises and delights.

Of Stars... may not be to everyone's tastes - anybody suffering an allergic reaction to the whimsical high-pitched voice of Mercury Rev's lead singer Jonathan Donahue may want to look away now – Russo's vocals are eerily similar to his occasional bandmate's. This should not really be a barrier to enjoying the record - his are much more 'All Is Dream' than the histrionics Donahue had succumbed to by last album The Secret Migration - and it would be a shame if any prospective buyers were put off by this association. This is a joy of a record, and one that should be savoured by as many people as possible.

share:  Facebook | Digg | del.icio.us | more

Mercury Prize 2009 nominees