The Bronx are the kind of band that can come off as pretty damn scary if you don’t know them. Singer Matt Caughthran’s vocals are gut-wrenching, spine-curdling wails that will shake the soul out of you. Their music is louder than loud, they can drink you under the table anytime anywhere, have totaled not one, but two tour vans (if my memory serves correct) and in general, just aren’t fucking around. But fortunately for me, I’ve known Bronx founding member...

The last time a band switched gears so drastically—potentially missing out on super-stardom—was The Mars Volta when they ditched At the Drive-in. They trusted their guts and felt like they were going in the wrong direction creatively—they needed something more. Gosling have a similar story, except each member of the old band stayed around for the new one, all the while retaining the endless creativity and musicianship that can only materialize from years and years of playing together. The result...

Editors have enjoyed a rather swift rise to the top as far as British bands in the U.S. go. Nearly half a year after playing cozy L.A. venue Spaceland, the band sells out Hollywood’s Avalon theatre that boasts a near 1,500 capacity. Back home in the U.K., the band’s ascent has been far more rapid. From modest shows to headlining festivals and a Mercury Prize nomination, Editors were anointed U.K.’s next big thing in a year that also saw that...