Burned

Eleven echo-drenched songs that zero in directly on the modern-rock jugular. A blend of latter-day U2 and pre-In the Pink Psychedelic Furs, this four-piece swings hard and intense on gritty fare like "Feel My Pulse," "Zephyr," and "Who's Been Sleeping in My Head." Ex-Bunnymen Ian McCulloch has rarely been this focused, while Will Sergeant's inventive guitars are a revelation throughout. --Jeff Bateman