Trembling Blue Stars
Broken by Whispers
[Sub Pop]

He may tremble and be perpetually blue, but Robert Wratten is certainly no star. He does hold a venerable position in the pantheon of twee-pop, having fronted the Field Mice, the late-'80s missing link between the Smiths and Belle & Sebastian. But as always seems the case with these sensitive fey-pop types, Wratten's never quite gotten over the girl, and his music remains as resolutely precious now as ever. This is both good and bad news. For devotees to the softly sung, broken heart aesthetic, Wratten's mournful nuggets from the old- school of twee are just what the doctor ordered. For those whom the twee phase has come and gone, Wratten's pleasant work merely betrays a stylistic cul-de-sac.

In either case, Wratten's mastery of the form and elder statesman status merit acknowledgment. The man can write a catchy tune, and what's more, his work with the Trembling Blue Stars evinces a greater appreciation and grasp of texture. Working closely with producer Ian Catt, noteworthy for his work with St. Etienne, Broken by Whispers shimmers and glitters, alternating from hushed ambience to ringing guitar and synth interplay.

Opening with lingering bird chirps and a softly picked acoustic guitar, "Ripples" soon erupts into emotively detached guitar pop reminiscent of '80s balladeering. Wratten intones: "I want to write songs about/ Two strangers starting out." Things get pastoral on "She Just Couldn't Stay," with soft percussive effects and strings accompanying a smart melody and a chorus that laments, "The person you were/ I know you're not her." Curses upon the cruel woman that broke Wratten's sensitive soul, for confining his wretched lyrical muse. "Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise" is a touching slice of new wave synth-pop, and on "To Leave It Now," Wratten enlists a French chanteuse to realize his passive mixture of melancholy and melody.

The songs on Broken by Whispers are resolutely catchy, simply bogged down by tried-and-true heart-on-the-sleeve sentiment. It's too late in the game to entertain the notion that Wratten might venture off his beaten path. But for folks smitten with heartbreak, it's just as well.

-S. Murray