Kevin Courtney's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
This Dublin quartet started off murdering Beatles and Kinks songs -- auspicious beginnings indeed. They then decided they could perform similar tunicide on their own songs, four of which are debuted here, including A Smile'd Crack Your Face, I Try and Cop Yourself On.
Fronted by saucy singer Martina (you know her from Basement Jaxx's Take Me Back to Your House), these Canadian synthrockers have all the right ingredients to outsex Goldfrapp and Scissor Sisters. Such is their magic touch that Britney, Kylie and Cyndi have all been on their knees begging Dragonette to write a song for them. Listen to this on their website, www.dragonette.com
Columbia
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We all want to stay in people's good books, and here's a band that's sure to find favour with fans of intelligent pop that blends the youthful effervescence of The View with the artful experience of Coldplay. This is available on "flexi download" (hmmm) today, and you can hear it on the band's website, www.ilovegoodbooks. com
Apologies to Lazybird: we said Neosupervital was on that label, but Tim O'Donovan's cheesy syntho-disco sound is somewhat removed from the more reflective sounds of Dry County and Chequerboard. Still, robots can do the Hustle to this tune, so that deserves some respect, at least. Available to download via Vodaphone and 3 Mobile.
The Long Island outfit are keeping the grunge flame burning, and this slow, smouldering tune sounds like Interpol meets Modest Mouse. All they need now is a legendary English guitarist to join them and they'll be huge.
She's a guitar-strumming girl from Glasgow - check out this strident tune and suddenly you'll see what it might sound like if Nico was singing (in tune) with The Smiths. It's available to download now; visit www. amymacdonald.co.uk for a free download of album track LA.
