It's been a while since I've shared any UK-specific music with all of you. The UK is the source of so much of the music I love starting with The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and so on, up to more modern day, most notably bands like Radiohead, Interpol, The Arctic Monkeys and many others.

I like to stay up with what is coming out of the UK on the indie and alternative rock fronts. All of the bands featured in this post are from England and sent their music to me unsolicited, so it makes it a little more special to share with you.

First up is a psychedelic indie pop band from Leeds, England called downdime. Originally formed in 2004, the band has a sound based on the C86 movement of the 1980s, spurring instant comparisons to bands like The Wedding Present and My Bloody Valentine.

The band’s popular reputation for playing live scored them a number of great gigs, including opening for The Black Lips and The Clientele among others. Despite having released 7" recordings and an EP, the band just released their debut LP, titled Knowing Too Much, on Squirrel Records.

"Lessons" - downdime from Knowing Too Much
"Any Good Reason" - downdime from Knowing Too Much
downdime on MySpace

Another relatively unknown band from the big city of London is the 7-piece outfit known as L'Avventura, a band that mixes influences of T. Rex, Roxy Music and Nick Drake into their tight, layered UK pop rock sound.

UK blogger Mojophenia wrote of the band's new debut, Your Star Was Shining: "exceptional.. An audacious release, a scrumptious collection of laid back T-rextasy."

"Rocket Sue" - L'Avventura from Your Star Was Shining
L'Avventura on MySpace

Labels: In Dee Mail, MP3s