The Bravery: The Bravery

(Herald rating: * * *)

No doubt those behind the runaway success of the Killers' Hot Fuss are hoping for the same from the Bravery. It seems as well as a record label, the two bands have an early 80s record collection in common.

Only the black-clad eyelinered and quiffed New York gang - who have more in common with fellow Gotham-dwellers Interpol and the Rapture - have a bigger thing for the glum world of New Order, the Cure and countless others who drove the first wave of goths on the dance floor.

Singer Sam Endicott has more than a touch of the Robert Smith about him, but the best songs rise above the retrospective influences and all that icy detachment. That's whether it's opening track An Honest Mistake with its shades of Strokes-with-a-synthesizer or the album's other Blue Monday-tribute, Fearless.

Elsewhere, standouts include the twitchy No Brakes, the Devo-metal collision of Swollen Summer, the very Bauhaus Out of of Line and the Cure-rock of Unconditional.

It all comes with a compelling sense of urgency as the Bravery fire out 11 songs in a tidy 37-plus minutes, managing to sound downcast in an infectiously upbeat way.

Label: Island