Three guys from Brazil who call themselves Herzegovina and play stripped-down new wave punk a la Standing on the Beach-era Cure. Or any of those great Flying Nun bands. Peppy, tuneful and more than a little bit of a downer.

Herzegovina Emergency (Wave Records)

Well, as down as one can get with the jaunty surf beats that provide the backbone for these songs. The more I listen, the more I hear Bird Noises-era Midnight Oil. Which is repeating myself a bit, but whatever. The sinewy lines of these songs are left just slack enough to provide a nice inner tension.

The hyper-clean production gives each member plenty of room. The remarkable part is how well these pieces mesh within such an expansive canvas. It helps that the rhythm section locks down each song--which is a large part of that new wave feel.

Kind of a throwback, and yet also a thoroughly modern indie rock band. In the end, these songs are cracklingly addictive. I can feel the blisters forming on my ears.

Jon Worley