The sense of euphoria only found in the discovery of a "New Favourite Band" is an elusive phenomenon and as such all the more gratifying. Recently The Magic Numbers, Bright Eyes and Arcade Fire have elicited NFB twinges - typically through live performance.

On hearing Set Yourself on Fire I defy anybody not to have at least some semblance of the NFB phenomenon. The album begins with a poor quality recording of lead vocalist Torquil Campbell's father uttering "When there's nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire". Thus commences Your Ex-Lover is Dead the haunting opener. If Campbell 's simple, honest vocals don't floor you, then guitarist and singer Amy Millan's enchantingly pure delivery of the stunning line: "This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin" is sure to do so.

Although the former is certainly a stand out track, the remainder of the album is consistently good. There is not a single song that needs to be skipped, and several are excellent: The jazz-stained melancholy of The Big Fight sees Millan and Campbell assuming the roles of quarrelling lovers and Millan fronts the band on the beautiful, bittersweet Calendar Girl. Delicate orchestration is thoughtfully juxtaposed with guitar-driven electro-pop on this eclectic record.

I was grief-stricken to discover that Stars' UK tour coincides with my summer holiday. If a mere recording can trigger thoughts of NFBism, imagine what a gig could do... "Live through this and you won't look back," intones Millan on Your Ex-Lover is Dead . The "this" she refers to isn't Set Yourself on Fire, but it could be.


Lynn Roberts