Sydney, Australia

Formed in the mid-'90s by precocious 21-year-old singer/songwriter Jamie Hutchings, Australian indie rock quartet Bluebottle Kiss craft atmospheric power pop in the vein of Nick Cave, Coldplay, and Brendan Benson. After a solid yet unremarkable debut and subsequent EP for a major-label imprint, the band released the self-produced Patient in 1999. The success of that record was matched note for note on 2002's Revenge Is Slow and 2004's Come Across, both of which did well overseas. Hutchings and longtime member Ben Grounds were joined by bass player Ross Dickie and drummer Jared Harrison for 2006's two-disc extravaganza Doubt Seeds. ~ James Christopher Monger