Avenue61 is a leading indie music site that specialises in album and gig reviews, breaking new bands, publicising events, and exclusive interviews with the leading cutting edge acts in the alternative music scene. Avenue61 covers a wide range of artists – some you would have heard of, some you won’t. Artists the site has reviewed recently include the Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Noisettes and Ladyhawke. The site is updated regularly so come back to catch up the latest news and reviews from the bleeding edge of the alternative music scene.

Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>

Can’t believe these guys have just under 10,000 page views on myspace. They deserve to be up there with the 500,000s. Hailing from Shrewsbury, 10K Runner are a new ‘indie’ band who are quite easy-on-the-ears. There are points in their songs with intense guitar riffs and enthused vocals, but these add to their charm rather than dismiss fans who aren’t into ‘that sort’ of music.

Forming in 2007, 10K Runner are relatively new but have gained some impressive support. They were picked as one of the “BBC Introducing” artists and recently played Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage. Currently unsigned 10K Runner have all the means to make themselves known, and if they carry on getting slots at Glastonbury and such then that possibility is pretty high. Radio Shropshire have become big supporters of the band and have played tracks by them every Friday night.

The song Jealousy Rules Us has definite dynamics which are the central glue that holds the piece together and makes it so interesting. There’s a hint of the original

sound of the Stereophonics in there too, mixed with those elongated vocals so synonymous with the Sex Pistols. It starts off incredibly mellow but with a niggling anticipation that something big is coming up. The vocals start to match the pace of the steady, almost marching-like back beat that’s present throughout. And as the song starts to gain momentum, they become more emphasised and energetic – again, to match the slowly building backbeat.

But the downside to this song is that all the anticipation and build-up doesn’t pay off. There are a few sections which make use of the drum cymbals and backing vocals, but that’s about as fulfilling as it gets. This is no Fix You by Coldplay, in the dynamic sense. It’s a good attempt at a momentous and touching song but doesn’t quite have a big enough kick.

Even so, I would still say 10K Runner are a good, enthusiastic band with a lot of potential. They have a quality which appeals to a wide audience but are still ‘niche’ enough to warrant a proper fan base. Their next gig is on the 19th July at The Varsity in Wolverhampton. £4 entry plus three other bands equals something to definitely keep in mind if you’re after a good night out.