I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for our cousins across the pond. In fact, I find myself trying British things all the time, whether it’s watching movies (Snatch, 28 Days Later, V for Vendetta), drinking beer (a can of Boddington’s, with the floating “stay-fresh” thing that I always think is a finger), or perusing a men’s magazine. Music, of course, is the driving force, and with that in mind, here are three newer UK bands fighting for air time in the States:

The Maccabees – These lads from Brighton (sometimes I just feel like driving there on the weekend) toured the US this past summer with Bloc Party and The Noisettes, and picked up a slew of new fans along the way. Their debut album “Colour It In” was released in May and is well worth the $7.99 on iTunes. Their songs cover a broad spectrum, from catchy pop singles to slower, more Shins-y folk ditties.

The View – In contrast to The Maccabees, what you see is what you get from The View. And what you’ll get is the thorough rocking that you’ve been missing. I’ve got to stop being shocked when kids coming out of high school produce such high-quality debut albums, it’s becoming more and more common-place these days. Pick up the Scotsmen’s excellent debut album Hats Off To The Buskers on iTunes.

The Kooks – Probably the most popular of these three bands, Brighton’s Kooks have a passionate fan base (sold-out shows in New York and LA, and had to pause their set at the Reading/Leeds festivals so people would stop being crushed) and a major label (Virgin). Naive is an excellent effort off their debut album Inside In/Inside Out. The Kooks will probably be taking over the world in the next few years, so you should probably jump on the wagon now.

5 points for the first person to name the movie that “Jackie Big Tits” comes from…