Idolator

Have you ever wondered how certain acts manage to go from complete obscurity to moderate obscurity in just a matter of weeks? Are you curious as to how a small cabal of twentysomething white guys dictates the tastes of the entire indie-rock population? Do you like jokey, lazily researched charticles? If so, then you'll love Track Marks, in which we perform an autopsy on the latest whisper-down-the-lane band du jour.

After the jump, we break down the Internet-aided ascent of Portland trio Stars of Track and Field, which floated to the upper regions of the elbo.ws chart this week.

Artist: Stars of Track and Field
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Album: Centuries Before Love and War, available only on iTunes
First online mention: A since-deleted post from Fresno Famous touting a July '05 show at Club Fred.
The Build-Up: Posts about the Stars were intermittent between July and the late winter, but the momentum started growing around the time they played the NYC blogbuzz fest Movable Hype. Days after that show, the band posted to its official site that its album, set to be released by California label Sidecho Records on June 6, was postponed ... and that some mysterious good news was on the way.
The Dam-Break: In July, Wind-Up Records—the independent behemoth that launched Creed into the world—announced that it had signed the Stars, and that Centuries' release was being pushed back to early 2007. iTunes Music Store customers got a chance to buy it early on Aug. 22. Wind-Up helpfully leaked a DRM-free MP3 of the gauzy power ballad "Movies of Antarctica" earlier this week, and it quickly shot up the blog-aggregators' charts.
Odds of Backlash: 5 to 1. Expect those odds to narrow if people get uncomfortable with the idea of liking a band that's labelmates with Scott Stapp and his ex-bandmates. (The reaction after the signing was announced was surprisingly muted, although a Portland writer relished his chance to razz the band about it.)
Are They Worthy? "It's really too soon to name your band after Belle and Sebastian songs," a friend said after spotting a reference to the Stars. While that may be true, that hasn't stopped them from being big-upped by music bloggers. Their quiet, whispery pop has been mentioned in the same breath as the Postal Service—and they love big-upping their nine drum machines. While we can hear a few electronics straining from underneath the layers of O.C.-ready pop, what really stands out are the Stars' chiming guitars, which bring to mind Northwest six-string heroes Built to Spill and Aveo. But, hey, saying you're "totally into electro" is what gets press these days.

Stars of Track and Field [MySpace site]
Stars of Track and Field - Movies of Antarctica [Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good]
Stars of Track and Field - Centuries Before Love and War [iTunes Music Store]
[Photo by Anna Maj Michelson]