THEY ARE
"New wave of britpop" trio who probably don't need much warming to idea of being the biggest Manchester band with a mouthy frontman called Liam.
SOUNDS LIKE
The Rolling Stones' Miss You made listenable by replacing the godawful falsetto squeals and the impotent funk with a chuggy disco stomp reminiscent of Blur's Girls & Boys or the chorus of Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out.
RELEASE
You Overdid it Doll (single) Feb 15
Falcon Feb 22

THEY ARE
likely lads from Liverpool with one single under their belt, on which it's the B-side that steals the show - a gloomy rocker that builds and builds until it reach epic heights.
SOUNDS LIKE
the hate child of Editors and Doves.
RELEASE
Stop to Start (single) 23 Nov
TRIVIA
The band has presumably taken their name from a song by eighties cult band (and fellow Scousers) The Pale Fountains.

THEY ARE
from Manchester. That's about all you need to know.
SOUNDS LIKE
big guitar rock of the eighties, like Echo & the Bunnymen, Simple Minds and perhaps more curiously, The Cult.
RELEASE
Outside (digital single) Dec 7

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
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
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.

THEY ARE
Scottish alt-rockers who you'd swear were American, weren't it for their accents.
SOUNDS LIKE
Their muscular indie rock blend includes elements of pop, prog and emo and recalls the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters.
RELEASE
Only Revolutions Nov 9
TRIVIA
The guitar solo is actually played by QotSA frontman Josh Homme.

THEY ARE
Trio from from Northern Ireland that list their drum machine as their fourth member. Echo, is that you?
SOUNDS LIKE
geeks on the dancefloor, see The Young Knives, The Futureheads or even early Bloc Party.
RELEASE
I Can Talk (single) Nov 23
TBA (album) Feb 2010
CLEVER MOMENT
Two tunes in two days that kicks off with a human synth riff (see also Kent). What are the odds?

THEY ARE
British lads who has released three singles this year, each one a bit better than the last.
SOUNDS LIKE
Think Doves getting ready for a space trip.
RELEASE
Remains (single) Nov 2
TRIVIA
"White Belt Yellow Tag" is the second lowest grade in Taekwon-Do.

THEY ARE
Identical twins with the surname Quin.
SOUNDS LIKE
the omnipresent Chris Walla struck producer gold once again.
RELEASE
Hell (digital single) Oct 09
Sainthood Oct 27
TRIVIA
The two sisters live on either coast of Canada and hardly ever write together; Tegan co-wrote this tune with AFI bassist Hunter Burgan, which also contributed bass and producing skills on their previous album The Con.

THEY ARE
Manchester quartet bringing the grunge into new decades. For some reason.
SOUNDS LIKE
Curiously enough, Utopia Parkway-era Fountains of Wayne on this particular song, which is a welcome break from the exhausting grungy noise which makes up the rest of the album.
RELEASE
Locked out from the Inside Oct 05

THEY ARE
Alt.rock spearheads from Seattle.
SOUNDS LIKE
They've applied the dark, sinister groove from I Will Possess Your Heart to one of their strongest tunes up until now. Should suit the vampire vibe excellently.
RELEASE
New Moon (soundtrack) Oct 20
TRIVIA
The fang flick soundtrack also features non-album tracks from The Killers, BRMC, Editors and Thom Yorke.

THEY ARE
Digable Danish duo specialicing in film noir aesthetics and twangy retro sounds. You'd imagine Quentin Tarantino having them on fast dial, really.
SOUNDS LIKE
the best songs off their own Pretty in Black, where dirty guitar meets sugary girl group melodies and is sprinkled with shoegaze noise to melt into something best described as "surf twee".
RELEASE
In and Out of Control Oct 06

THEY ARE
Indie quartet from Canterbury, Kent with a bandname that make them virtually un-searchable on all music services.
SOUNDS LIKE
a slightly more uplifting take of the anthemic gloom of Editors, The Cinematics and (inevitably) The Departure.
RELEASE
Departure EP Sep 07
The Shapes We Fear Are Our Own TBD

THEY ARE
Oasis-approved Swedish/English five-piece that looks like The Black Crowes did in 1992.
SOUNDS LIKE
Band of Horses setting (a few more) words to Pink Floyd's One of These Days - or Kings of Leon if they were any good and had a vocalist that didn't sound like Anastacia.
RELEASE
Broken Side of Time Sep 21

THEY ARE
LA noise-poppers who appearantly enjoy a good old game of musical chairs.
SOUNDS LIKE
Angsty lyrics? Slightly whiny vocals? Big Muff pedal? Melancholy and (infinite) sadness? OK, the Smashing Pumpkins references might not be too far off, then.
RELEASE
Swoon Apr 14
CLEVER MOMENT
The angsty desperation after the bridge at 3:25-3:35.

THEY ARE
Birmingham quartet forever imprisoned by Joy Division and/or Interpol comparisons.
SOUNDS LIKE
They're trying to escape by replacing guitars with Soft Cell/Eurythmics synths.
RELEASE
In This Light and on This Evening Oct 10
TRIVIA
The song takes its name from Henri Charrière's memoirs from doing time (and finally escaping) for a murder he didn't commit.

THEY ARE
Brooklyn quintet best known for haunting sounds on a Mazda commercial (left).
SOUNDS LIKE
they've gone for a straighter anthemic sound on their second album. They may reach more listeners, but it probably won't sell as many cars.
RELEASE
Sunshower Sep 17
TRIVIA
They're named after the spaceship in Lost in Space.

THEY ARE
Nuclear power trio specialicing in tales about space travels and supercontinental power balance.
SOUNDS LIKE
The villain theme from a Lloyd Webber MUSEical (ahem), with Robert Miles on piano.
RELEASE
The Resistance Sep 14