BONG! It's time for Banjo news

There's a whiff of stale yoghurt about the nu-folk scene these days (is anyone really that interested in a Mumford And Sons' second album?) but the record labels keep churning this stuff out.

Newcomers The Staves and Haim both have an undefinable magic that sets them apart from the stompy-footed farmhand stereotype, but what of the rest of the bunch?

Iceland's Of Monsters And Men are guilty of numerous crimes, including a particularly nasty case of trumpet abuse, but their boy-girl vocal dynamic gives their new single, Little Talks, a merry boost.

Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks

Meanwhile, Stealing Sheep have discarded their itchy, threadbare folk sweaters and gone for a romp in the fields of pop. Based in Liverpool, you can hear echoes of the city's close-harmony heritage in the fruity psychedelia of their latest single Genevieve. It's like spinning in a swivel chair (ie marvellous until you throw up).

Stealing Sheep - Genevieve

Tomorrow, back to your regular pop music service.

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