The swing sultans are back with their latest lp—a fantastic collecion of tunes that are bound to make you grab your honey and do the jitterbug. This octet has written all original tunes (with the exception of Cab Calloway’s Minnie the Moocher), with such authenticity that you can’t help by love them. They’ve got the looks, the attitude, and the tunes. Now don’t you want to run out and watch Swingers again and again? (DW)

Glasgow’s Delgados is just one of many great Scottish bands around today like Mogwai, Arab Strap (who both have released records on Delgados’ own Chemikal Underground), Urusei Yatsura, and of course the parents of the bunch—The Pastels. The follow-up to the great and quirky Domestiques is a lot more serious than its predecessor. Then again, a lot of serious events took place during the recording. This release, however, does sound a lot richer and slicker, yet still avoids sounding over-produced. The alternating vocals of Alun Woodward and Emma Pollack sound as good together as they do independently—and that is just one of the reasons why The Delgados are so great. (DW)

Missouri-based Britpop. It’s very Radiohead, it’s very Suede, it’s very shoegazey. It’s very promising, but these youngins from the Midwest still need a lot of work. (DW)