The Meow Meows

From: Brighton

Influences: Ska, reggae and 1960s garage rock

Profile: On Monday, July 29, The Meow Meows release their second album Somehow We Met through their own Killer Ska label.

The release is the culmination of a long PledgeMusic campaign, which saw fans fund the album in return for pre-sales, bespoke jewellery, original artwork and even abusive phone calls.

The 12-track album was recorded by Skints, Lily Allen and Graham Coxon producer Mike 'Prince Fatty' Pelanconi in his city-based Ironworks Studio.

It marked three years since the band's debut release Songs From The Fridge, which earned them support slots with The Temptations, Reel Big Fish, King Blues, The Selecter and The Skints.

Described as an upbeat soundtrack to the summer, the new release sees the band move on lyrically from simple hedonism to reflections on life in Coalition Britain, picking apart doomed relationships and expressing solidarity with jailed Russian fem-punks Pussy Riot.

The summer sees the band build on their festival CV, with appearances at Canterbury's Lounge On The Farm, Shiptson Upon Stour's Rollright Fayre and the Playgroup Festival just outside Tunbridge Wells.

Siberian Soup (right click on the track to download, left click to stream)

Website: www.themeowmeows.com

MySpace: www.myspace.com/themeowmeowsband

Facebook: www.facebook.com/themeowmeows

Email: themeowmeows@hotmail.com