Stars/Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/High Highs

Still touring behind 2011's The North, an album that emphasized the synth-pop side of their sound, Montreal's Stars are part of the same scene that produced label mates such as Broken Social Scene. Their indie pop has a real exuberance, something that can be heard on "Wishful," the band's new 7-inch. The song starts slow but the tempo escalates as the guitars and synths kick in, combining to sound something like a cross between New Order and Cocteau Twins. (Niesel)