For some reason, stellastarr* has a unique grasp on my heart. I can't seem to shake it. I don't know if it's Shawn Christensen's deep brooding vocals, the hypnotizing, jangly guitars, or even Amanda Tannen's sweet backing harmonies. Perhaps it's the fact that they're able to evoke a certain 1980s nostalgia with their post-new-wave charm. It's as if they've created a glimpse into the lives of the characters in John Hughes' films from 1984 to 1987. A musical expression of cinematic heroine Molly Ringwald in all of her innocence or the naiveté of underdog Anthony Michael Hall. Whatever it is, on Harmonies for the Haunted, stellastarr* seem to be channeling the same frustrations of youth that those Hughes films did.

The similarities in sound are obvious, with ties to 80s acts like Modern English, hints of Robert Smith, and even familiar sounds of an early-era U2. The opener, "Lost in Time" is like the Cure's "Pictures of You" part two, with its endless unrequited tension, while the single "Sweet Troubled Soul" is pure post-new romanticism. But the strongest song of the lot is "The Diver." Its haunting bass-line and catch-line linger in your head as Christensen sings "They're gonna love you when you've died, it's the last wave goodbye." Regrettably though, Harmonies only offers a handful of songs that embody that same quality of nostalgia, while the rest are as fleeting as most synth-pop groups' entire discographies.

Harmonies for the Haunted doesn't fall victim to sophomore slump status however, and it is better than its self-titled predecessor, but it will never be as remembered as those classic Hughes' films. It's a solid step forward for the band, but stellastarr* seem destined to be the Modern English of this decade's new-wave revivalists, not quite able to stop the world long enough to make a lasting mark.