Self-released, 2010

Being a big fan of the sadly defunct Counterfit, my ears immediately pricked up at the fact that Helen Earth Band contain former members of that band. Even better, it turns out the San Diegans continue Counterfit’s evolutionary track, and with brilliant results. Their American Football-gone-math melodics and harmonising vocals make songs that are superbly, dreamily, ambitiously, head-noddingly catchy. One of the best releases of the year.

ES Music, 2010

Breathing Blue’s upbeat, driving pop-rock sounds a bit ordinary on first listen, but a closer examination suggests there’s something more clever lurking beneath the surface, especially in the frequent nifty guitar lines and the adventurous vocals. The New Jersey quintet don’t pull it together yet, but you get the feeling they might well on their next release.

Engineer, 2010

Bright-eyed melodic pop-rock from Birmingham UK, boasting suitably chunky guitars, a generous dose of catchy choruses and accompanying woahs/oh-ohs/yeahs, and a consistently upbeat drive. It’s not a debut that will set the world (or the genre) ablaze, but it will brighten a summer’s day by a few shades.

Mono Vs Stereo / Jive, 2009

On their sixth album Relient K seem to have nailed a solid songwriting formula. It’s not a new formula – this is warm, emotional pop-rock long expounded by Jimmy Eat World et al – and a fairly innocuous one, but it’s executed with instant (and consistent) catchiness.