Stars, ‘Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It’ – Song Review

Beloved Canadian indie rockers Stars gave fans a taste of what to expect from their forthcoming 'The North' album last month when they offered up the track 'Theory of Relativity,' a synth-heavy cut that we suggested would "sound right at home in your iPod playlist containing MGMT, Passion Pit and the Naked and Famous." The latest offering to tide you over until 'The North' arrives on Sept. 4 is -- deep breath -- titled 'Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It,' and tide you over it will.

Maybe it's not fair to name drop so many influences on a band that clearly wants to forage its own path, but the sonic fingerprints of New Order and Arcade Fire are just so obvious that it's too tempting not to mention them. Here they have the tone, tempo and cadence of New Order's chief writer Bernard Sumner down perfectly, and they filter that through the more epic and organic aspects of a classic Arcade Fire cut -- perhaps something off 'The Funeral.'

Ultimately, the result is purely its own beast -- No Order and Arcade Fire are mere touchstones -- and quite a stunning beast it is. If the rest of 'The North' reaches these heights, we could easily have an Album of the Year contender on our hands.

Listen to Stars, 'Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It'