Jangly guitars don’t really go out of style. Especially if they’re wrapped up in a gauzy, shoegazey atmosphere and feature strong melodic hooks. The 1990s Britpop scene had brought jangle back into the mainstream of the music charts and since then it has maintained a niche popularity. Now three new bands have recently grabbed the torch and look set to set the charts ablaze all over again. All hail from the north of England, though some are more northerner than others. Manchester’s The Guest List have a restrained demeanor on their recent single “Something Real,” the vocal a laid contrast to the bright lead guitar lines. At least until they get to the chorus, where the vocals flare out with a bit more melodic vitality. Keyside are an exciting outfit from Liverpool that have rallied a glut of fans over the past two years with series of killer 45s. The latest “Lemon and Lime” is sunny, chime-driven bit of tune-age. Bit by bit there are filling out enough of a catalogue for a superb LP. Derby’s Marseille are the most southern of the groups and also the most hard hitting. The guitar amps occasionally inch up to eleven here. You can hear the strong psych rock notes mixing with sheer Britpop jangle on the band’s last single “Out of the Blue.”

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Photo “American Poison” courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.