Girls

With their druggy banter and twisted backstory (singer Christopher Owens was raised in the Children of God cult), San Francisco duo Girls immediately stood out from the crowded US indie market when they first emerged a few years ago. Though they seemed to set the bar high with their debut LP, 2009's Album, they didn't disappoint with recently released sophomore effort Father, Son, Holy Ghost, which drew on influences including Elvis Costello, Beach Boys and even Deep Purple. The group are heading to Tokyo for a one-off gig before they embark on a lengthy European tour.