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Remember back in the day when Hot Fuss came out and everyone thought the Killers had built the definitive aural bridge between Joy Division and New Order? Then it all went to shit as frontman Brandon Flowers chased down his inner Springsteen, accented by a Vegas-and-rhinestone flair, and pretty much lost the plot. Enter Sweden's Holograms, who are this year's stab at a slice of the Ian Curtis pie, creating a post-punk style with a rawness that recalls early Interpol and a twinge of mid-'80s SoCal punk; think Brats in Battalions–era Adolescents, evident on the clap-happy "Astray" and the equally frenetic "Fever." There are not-so-subtle hints of Clash City rocking, like the Cure's Robert Smith with more testosterone. The synths sell the package, though; check "Chasing My Mind," reminiscent of fellow Swedes Shout Out Louds but with more bite. The standout track is album opener "Monolith," which builds on a sparse bass lead-in, and a climbing, simplistic guitar riff that eventually explodes into aggressive, fuzzed-out bliss. It's nothing new, sure, but it's proof that mining from the past is a surefire way to keep things sounding familiar yet fresh.
