Elect the U.K.: 5 Bands You Need to Know Now

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AMERICA'S SPENT THE last few months ignoring the rest of the world, but now that the presidential election is over, it's time to broaden your horizons again.

Take an opportunity to look at some of the new music our pals across the pond have to offer. Here's a quick look at our picks for the five U.K. bands you should know about, now.

And please pipe in with your own picks in the comments.

» If you like: Goldfrapp, Gwen Stefani.
» Check this: Blackpool-based Victoria Hesketh, aka Little Boots, is already a bit of a star on YouTube where she's been uploading cover songs every week, based on requests she receives on her MySpace. As lead singer of the punky girl-band Dead Disco — the Charlie's Angels of synth-pop — Hesketh thrilled U.K. clubgoers with her jerky, biting vocals and swooping synths. Her voice may have mellowed somewhat but, thankfully, little else has changed with her solo project, Little Boots. Boots' sound mixes the Italian disco-pop of Giorgio Moroder with the mainstream spit and polish of a Gwen Stefani club track. Hesketh's spot-on covers of MGMT's "Time to Pretend," and Will.I.Am and Cheryl Cole's "Heartbreaker," pale next to her own material. Look out for her U.S.-only release, "Aricebo EP," due November 18th.
» Download: "Meddle," "Stuck on Repeat," and her fantastically upbeat electropop rendition of Leon Jean Marie's "Bring It On."


» If you like: Phil Spector's Wall of Sound recordings, The Raveonettes, Jesus and Mary Chain.
» Check this: Not since Franz Ferdinand has the U.K. music establishment been swept up in a Scot-rock frenzy as big as the one that Glasgow's new kings (and queen) of rock, Glasvegas, with their pompadours and Arab Strap-accents, have succeeded in causing. After early support from Scottish music mogul Alan McGee (founder of the Creation label, and the man who brought the world Oasis), Glasvegas spent a good part of the last year in the middle of a major-label bidding war. Is it all hype? You decide: The band's self-titled debut — now available in the U.S. in digital form — charted at number two in the UK albums charts thanks to its unpolished, rockabilly-pop-meets-doo-wop sound, and songs that feature socially-conscious lyrics that would make Billy Bragg proud. Tackling intense subjects like murdered teens, UK knife culture, and absent fathers might make for a downer, but Glasvegas pull it off because the lyrics, backed by swelling guitars and rudimentary drums, are so bloody sincere.
» Download: "Daddy's Gone," "Flowers and Football Tops," "Geraldine."


» If you like: The Jam, The Libertines.
» Check this: Channeling late '70s England — The Jam's "Town Called Malice" anyone? — you could almost call The Rifles punk if they didn't sound so tight and radio-friendly. Saying that, the London-based band's catchy tunes, spunky guitar riffs, and energetic delivery make them a really enjoyable listen, and far better pretenders to the Jam throne than other bands of late. If you just missed the band's stint supporting the modfather (Paul Weller) himself at the 9:30 Club in September, it's not entirely too late for you. Until their new album, due out early next year, drops, you'll have to content yourself with pogoing around to the Rifles' debut album, 2006's "No Love Lost," which was produced by veteran producer Ian Broudie (Echo and the Bunnymen, The Fall). Any band who can claim Mike Skinner (aka The Streets) as a fan has got to be worth a listen, right?
» Download: The new single, "The Great Escape," "I Could Never Lie," "She's Got Standards."


» If you like: Nick Cave, Ennio Morricone soundtracks, the surf sound of the Tornadoes.
» Check this: If there were a prize for the best Mariachi-inspired alt-surf band in the U.K., London-based none-piece the Bookhouse Boys would win hands down. Actually, I'll give a prize to the first person who can find another Mariachi-inspired alt-surf band in the U.K. Bookhouse Boys (who aren't all boys, btw), named after the Freemason-like secret society from David Lynch's cult TV series Twin Peaks, blend blazing horns, scorching guitars, and haunting lyrics sung by a smoldering boy/girl vocal duo. Their impressive self-titled debut album came out in August. It's swirling and cinematic, and utterly unlike anything else out there. Quite simply brilliant.
» Download: "Dead," "I Can't Help Myself."


» If you like: The Germs, Black Flag.
» Check this: Former members of post-hardcore bands Kamikazee and the untouchable Murder of Rosa Luxemburg, Nottingham-based Lovvers adhere closely to the rules of punk: they play loud, fast, and messy. The seven songs on their 13-minute September release "Think" are raw and scrappy, each clocking in at under two minutes, with ripping guitars, bludgeoning drums, and a lo-fi production that would make the DIY crowd proud. Remarkably, they manage not to sound too shambolic or throwaway. Even more amazing is the fact that they are a British band, they do such a nice job of capturing that West Coast punk vibe.
» Download: "Talk Cheap," "Human Hair."

Written by Express contributor Ewa Beaujon