Koopa: 'Crash'

There's always been a very thin line between the likes of Green Day and Fall Out Boy's cartoon punk and gurning rock and the plastic pop hits of what are essentially boy bands like McFly and Busted. Yet somehow Koopa have managed to squeeze their ripped jeans, hoodies and pretty hairstyles somewhere between the two. Whether that's an insult or a compliment probably depends on whether you like your rock music HARD and LOUD or if you prefer it with sing-alongs and bouncing melodies.

Koopa themselves, I'd imagine, would consider comparisons with well-groomed popstars very "uncool". Their MySpace is one giant yelp for credibility. They've invested plenty of time begging fans to ask Radio 1 to play their tunes and telling us how our parents and younger siblings won't dig their hard-ass rock edge. Well, DS has got some terrible news for you Koopa - our mum's going to be rocking the ironing board to this record, while our little brother Stevie is already head-banging in approval from his high chair. It's got delightful vocal harmonies, a pleasant selection of riffs and a rip-roaring chorus. It screams the word 'Nice' at you through a megaphone. Which means the track is well...nice.