London band Bloc Party had better prepare themselves for the inevitable 'New Kids on the Bloc' headlines as they came second in a BBC News poll of 110 critics and broadcasters. (New York band The Bravery topped the poll but we'll let our friends at Gothamist deal with them.)
Bloc Party have been going for a while now, but there's a noticeable buzz around them as they featured on a cover for The Guide magazine for the Guardian and have been played heavily on XFM. They're clearly helped by being articulate and interesting people, something you can check out in the interview on the BBC News site. You can also download a track by visiting the band's official website.
Also on the list, at number 10, were The Magic Numbers. They would actually get our vote above Bloc Party but it's nice to see them mentioned anyway. The Magic Numbers have built an impressive and loyal following through a series of excellent live performances and we're hoping we'll get to bring you an interview them soon.
Both bands have albums due out in the first half of this year and we have high hopes for them both.
