Francesca Baker
The Molotovs – Soulful voice over angular guitars and souring choruses – very impressive. City’s Guest combines stops and starts with a hooky chorus to lure you in.
Flamboyant Bella – Do exactly what they say on the tin. Exuberant pop fronted by female Flo, perfect for throwing some indie pop shapes to.
Rogues – Steve Lamacq darlings, it would be easy to ismiss these Harrow boys as more scenesters. The immediacy of debut Not So Pretty should ram itself into people’s brains soon enough to put paid to that.
Thankfully I’m a West London girl, cos my confession of partiality to All American Rejects’ ‘Gives You Hell’ would get my skinny jeaned clad arse booted outta Shoreditch quicker than you can say ‘but isn’t Hackney where it’s at now?’ I’m not sure if it’s the nostalgic memories of teenage years dancing around a living room after too many French stumpy beers that it evokes, or that the loud drum beat appeals to my most basic senses, or the happy bounce that allows me to pretend that I am indeed on a beach and it is 100 degrees, but either way I can’t help but sing along. It might not be technically brilliant, they may not be the scenester’s band of choice, and whilst in my head I may be feeling a tiny bit ashamed, my tapping toes are having a whale of a time.
And So She Thinks 