THE timing is good for the band named after a Welsh bowling alley. They conjure big, melodic pop but with lyrics that are smart and tunes a tad more angular than we've been used to. Imagine The Feeling but not wanting to punch them. Based around a sibling partnership, Royworld make stadium-sized songs but also manage subtle moments that lend drama to counter the euphoric nature of much of the content. Currently stalking our airwaves, Royworld tender eccentricity without smugness.

Sennen, Where the Light Gets In (Hungry Audio)
YOU sometimes wonder where other reviewers get their ideas from. For example: "like Mogwai if they were fronted by Simon & Garfunkel". As daft as that sounds it sums up perfectly the wares of this Norfolk band who combine beautiful pop melodies with vocal harmonies over a gigantic background of guitars. Despite its size and distillation across two years in relative isolation this collection of unabashed harmonies, lush instrumentation and sometimes brutal guitar was canned in just eight days to venture the out of the ordinary.

Alphabeat, This Is Alphabeat (Charisma)
WITH the way paved by debut single Fascination and recent tonic 10,000 Nights these restless Danes follow recent Sheffield incursions with this full-blown outing which creates as many questions as it asks. As maverick as CSS, fired up as Go!Team and as happy as Loveshack era B-52s, this sextet make feelgood music that is as baffling as
it is cheery, but very much of our time. It all adds up to healthy, slightly novelty summer ammo that will be fuelling many a festival moment.

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