DEAD CONFEDERATE

WHO: This Athens, Georgia quintet mime the dark side of Dixie; guitars quiver and burble, the singer?s has had a few too many Marlboro Reds, and the drums charge into oblivion. Book them in your MySpace for your next midnight BBQ.

FOR FANS OF: Drive-By Truckers, Dinosaur Jr.

THE HEAVY

WHO: From an English city best known for its restorative ancient baths?that would be Bath, of course?comes a cast-iron groove-rock quintet whose mix of frazzle and funk gives off an instantaneous contact high. Superfly and superfun.

FOR FANS OF: Funkadelic, Big Chief

FOALS

WHO: Both math majors and art-school fops will dig this Oxford, England quintet. The long-division time signatures and sci-fi keyboards are for geeking out; the braying choruses and Afro-funk guitars are for bustin? loose.

FOR FANS OF: The Rapture, Klaxons

THE MENAHAN STREET BAND

WHO: Their name might not be familiar, but you may already know this Brooklyn crew?s first single, thanks to Jay-Z, who sampled their woozy Afro-soul tune ?Make the Road by Walking? on the comeback cut ?Roc Boys (And the Winner Is).? Featuring some of the same players from the now-world-famous horn posse the Dap-Kings (Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones).

FOR FANS OF: Fela Kuti, Maceo Parker