British Invasion: UK Bands You Need To Know

My love for Brits isn't just limited to their tea, accents and style. Some of my favorite artists are from across the pond.

Music was always my first love way before fashion. In a former life, I was a freelance music journalist for magazines like Alternative Press, Outburn, Chord and Venus Zine, so my love affair with bands from the UK started years ago, and grew even more once I was bitten by the UK bug.

Here's some of my favorite British musicians and bands that you absolutely should check out if you haven't already.

Friendly Fires

From: St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England

Sounds like: Dance party meets disco/funk/indie rock.

Why I like them: Friendly Fires was a hidden gem that I discovered last year, and since, have become one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time. Their cross-genre sound experiments with huge drums, party anthem vibes and whoozy-like beats. Think of them as a band that people ask to do do remixes of other songs... But apply this to their music. 

Plus, let's face it - homeboy up front ain't too shabby, either. 

Favorite song and video: "Skeleton Boy"

Lily Allen 

From: Hammersmith, West London

Sounds Like: Not Adele.

Why I like her: Lily Allen doesn't give a you-know-what about being prime and proper. She's the kind of English Rose that's blunt and cheeky, whether her lyrics are talking about her pothead brother, struggles with love or putting creepy dudes at pubs on blast. Ms. Allen also has an eccentric sense of style: She's been known to rock door-knocker earrings, oversized bows, an array of hair colors (pink and purple among them) and haute couture Chanel. My kinda gal. 

Fun fact: T-Pain sampled her song "Who'd Have Known" on his track "Five O'Clock In The Morning". Lily created this song first in 2009.

Favorite song: "Who'd Have Known"

Gorillaz

Photo courtesy The Gauntlet.

From: England

Sounds Like: Blur (because the vocalist in Gorillaz is Damon Albarn, singer for Blur) and people who probably take drugs when they write music.

Why I like them: Who doesn't love cartoons?! And let's be honest... It's the Gorillaz.

Favorite song: "Feel Good Inc." 

The Kooks

Photo courtesy of Sentamentalist Magazine.

From: Brighton, East Sussex

Sounds Like: British indie rock

Why I like them: The Kooks are just a straight up, indie rock band void of any unnecessary bells and whistles that could potentially get in the way. They have a true British sound that fans of legit rock music will appreciate. 

Favorite song: "Naive"