Impressed last year by a demo from Lakes of Russia, we here at the TSB camp were anxiously awaiting the proper debut from this emerging Australian act. Although solo guitar + pedals is still the main focus of the project, Stars Decorate the Fire sees LoR branching out into fuller compositions and providing the listener with a lusher listening experience. It's hard to pick a favorite among the six tracks on the album, as each and every one brings something memorable to the table, but it's hard to resist "Dead Trees" and "Fireflies" after several spins. This isn't an album to pass up, Lakes of Russia is quickly becoming a hot Australian export.