Scandinavian by design but closer to the Dutch school of happy-go-lucky power pop, breezy Beezewax jerked the radar when Ken โ€˜Posiesโ€™ Stringfellow produced their South Of Boredom disc.

They have that charming second language factor, using it to combine adventurous harmonies and wall-of-sound drumming with wistful lyricism. โ€œThe Brighton Concordeโ€ and โ€œBallad Of The Beachesโ€ finger their Anglophile sensibilities. Pungent rather than cheesy, Oh Tahoeโ€™s full-force folk rocking refreshes a vintage formula. If you liked Posiesโ€™ Frosting On The Seater but are tired of waiting for a decent follow-up from that Seattle band, this could do the (cheap) trick.