THEY ARE
Welsh emo-poppers who've had to struggle hard to be taken seriously after cartoonish break-through single Monster.
SOUNDS LIKE
they're getting closer, with this choppy little tune, at times reminiscent of a merry Silversun Pickups (imagine that!) or Red Light Company. That's until the na-na-nas start showing up and it turns into Cheap Trick.
RELEASE
Interstate (single) Dec 6
Tear the Signs Down Feb 15 2010

THEY ARE
London quintet aiming high with major label backing.
SOUNDS LIKE
they were gonna play Oasis' Rock'n'roll Star, but somehow ended up doing Lips Like Sugar by Echo & the Bunnymen instead.
RELEASE
Running Away (single) Dec 6

THEY ARE
Indie rock foursome from Stoke-on-Trent, which is where the Slash comparisons starts and ends.
SOUNDS LIKE
the more thoughtful moments of Oasis (yes, they actually had them), think Slide Away or Where Did it All Go Wrong.
RELEASE
Arcane (digital single) Dec 7

THEY ARE
Florida trio devoted to cinematic Bacharachian pop.
SOUNDS LIKE
NYC lounge poppers Ivy or perhaps St. Etienne without the electronics. See also recent C11 includees Codeine Velvet Club.
RELEASE
Memoirs at the End of the World Aug 25 (US) Feb 1 2010 (UK)
TRIVIA
The Ivy connotations strech further than the sound, as the album is mixed by Ivy founder Andy Chase (who even runs the label to which they are signed).

THEY ARE
Dubliners emigrated to London.
SOUNDS LIKE
a somewhat soberly produced (and less neurotic) Placebo. Indie also-rans Lukas Kasha may also pop into mind for Norwegian radio listeners with good memory.
RELEASE
Lies (single) Nov 30
Animate TBC

THEY ARE
Swedish electro-pop duo (or "pop noir" as they call it themselves) making it big in Eastern Europe.
SOUNDS LIKE
The Mission on a night train to, well, Berlin.
RELEASE
Kino International [EU] Nov 27
TRIVIA
They may be tired of Depeche Mode comparisons, but the fact is that when they played Istanbul the same night this spring, DM were the ones to cancel.

THEY ARE
NYC post-punk quintet three albums into their career.
SOUNDS LIKE
David Bowie's "Heroes" cross-bred with their own 2004 breakthrough Unconditional (which arguably is still their best song to date).
RELEASE
Stir the Blood Dec 1
TRIVIA
Indie rock fans would probably be surprised to learn that the band's frontman Sam Endicott has co-writing credits on the recent albums by Christina Aguilera and Shakira, including the latter's single She Wolf.