Architecture in Helsinki, Glass Candy, Panther

Some bands reveal their hometown before the first chord is struck, certainly before the end of the first verse, but Architecture in Helsinki may as well be the house band from Mars. Not that their sound is so alien (high-energy indie-pop meets electronic music with a dance-punk twist and more instruments than an oompah band), but the group from Melbourne plays like it's opening for Mitch Ryder in Detroit on one song and for Lord Kitchener in Trinidad on another. They debuted with Fingers Crossed in 2004, which brought them mucho attention back home, showcasing tap-dancing as a tracked instrument, but two albums later, leader Cameron Bird brought the flock (losing two chicks along the way, becoming a sextet) over to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to record Places Like This with Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) for their new label, Polyvinyl.