Eliza Doolittle - EP (2009)

All of you mourning Lily Allen's new maturity will be glad to hear the new Eliza Doolittle has picked up the slack as Britain's sassy young poptart. Over all, the EP is light and fun, if a bit shiny and sweet. Still, I could see the bouncing "Moneybox" working itself onto a couple playlists. I was going to wait until the full video was released, but the sentiment seems perfect for Beer and Wings Day, as it is called in my household.

Ash - The A - Z Series

I like all the innovative approaches bands are taking to stay relevant and fiscally solvent in, and sometimes really take advantage of, the new musical landscape. Ash seems to be looking past the album, for now anyway, by releasing a series of 26 digital downloads. People can either subscribe or buy the tracks individually. And they seem to be having some success with it, given that all the vinyl subscriptions are sold out and they are only up to G. So far I like "Joy Kicks Darkness" and "Arcadia" the best. I don't think I'd mind if all my favorite bands moved towards this format.

Danny Echo - Danny Echo (2009)

Vancouver's Danny Echo play rock and roll that reminds me of the days when Brit pop ruled my roommates stereos -- when bands on both sides of the Atlantic were looking back to the Rolling Stones and Faces for inspiration. In the Bay Area it was Brian Jonestown Massacre and Mover. "Killing Me" expertly lifts a handful of who-who-who's from "Sympathy for the Devil". At times the lead singer's voice sounds a lot like Liam Gallagher's, especially on big dramatic ballads like "Tomorrow Today", which could be a (What's The Story) Morning Glory? B-side. All of which isn't to call them derivative. The songs are catchy, melodic, and generally a good time. In addition to the above songs, I like testy "I Can't Take It Anymore" and the twangy "Natural Disaster".

I Was A King - I Was A King (2009)

For some reason I never get tired of short fuzzy pop songs and that's just what I Was A King write. Select words from the song titles give you some indication of the music -- warm, golden, California, breathe, warm (again), anchor, summer -- but this isn't Laurel Canyon country or Beach Boys' pop. Rather, the music pulls from power pop, Brit pop, shoegaze, and, well, indie rock. The guitars bash around, but the vocals are smooth and rather pretty. It's fun with plenty of hooks, and just a bit too noisy to be twee.

I have no idea why they bury the lead single and killer track all the way in the back, but "Norman Bliek" is the track that made me check this band out. It has a fuzzy, jangling riff and is just damn catchy. "Not Like This" sounds like a Ride hit they never made. "It's All You" is another good song, which features Sufjan Stevens, whose music they don't sound like.

The Broken West - Now Or Heaven (2008)

If I heard this without knowing the artist, I never would've guessed that this was the Broken West. Their last album was full of future power pop classics, but that sound seems to have mostly been discarded. They've exchanged the hook driven and punchy riff and harmony structure for a more laid back approach to melodic pop. It's still catchy, just mellower. Some of the songs remind me of British pop bands like Travis, especially "Embassy Row". Luckily, they still write some great songs, "Perfect Games" for example. "Gwen, Now And Then", "Terror For Two" and "Ambuscade" are also good. Overall, I don't think they quite hit the highs of the top singles off their last album, but power pop can grow stagnant and this new direction sounds promising.

Delays - Everything's The Rush (2008)

How do you feel about the La's "There She Goes"? Do you love it? Is it the perfect pop song? Because the Delays have based their sound on that song. Their Brit pop features a soaring angelic falsetto, backed by sweeping strings, with just enough propulsive club beats mixed in (sort of like the Music) to keep the otherwise lush pop moving. I've been lovin' their light and breezy pop ever since "Hey Girl" induced spastic frolicking a couple years ago. Their sound hasn't changed much, but I'm not complaining. Check out "Love Made Visible" and "Touch Down" for a quick taste of bliss.

Switches - Lay Down The Law (2008)

These young Brits pull elements from power pop, new wave, Brit pop, and 70's punk rock and mash it all together to create some catchy radio-friendly rock. At times the production seems to have polished away too much of the grit, and the lyrics are kind of silly, but the band's energy and hooks keep it mostly fun and entertaining. If I ever turned on the radio and heard "Message From Yuz" or "Lay Down The Law" I'd be so pleasantly surprised I wouldn't even switch it over to my iPod until the commercial break.