If you're a die-hard Coldplay fan to the point where your roommates suggest you move out and hum "Green Eyes" somewhere on the streets of the UK, and your friends are beginning to warn you that if you play Viva la Vida one more time they're going to end your vida, here's a way to fight the system! Start blasting We Are Shadows 24/7, and when those so-called friends of yours start the usual complaints and threats, gently let them know you've succumbed to their demands and pulled the plug on Coldplay -- what they're hearing is another band who's nailed the sound of ambient alternative.

Leaves, a foursome from Reykjavik, Iceland, actually pulled their name from Nick Drake's debut album, Five Leaves Left. Drake's influence often shines through in the work of these Icelanders, but this cool quartet (on top of the possibly overemphasized similarities to Coldplay) has a sound all its own.

Tracks like Dragonflies take on a hipster meets hippie sound (think the Hillside Singers with some harder guitar riffs) while Kingdom Come opens up with "ooh"s and "ahh"s similar to a church choir, but closes with an intense clash of warbles and electric waves. This smooth, stylistic band of Icelandic rockers made a big impression with their first two albums across the globe, and this latest release will fall gently on your ears, like the pleasant arrival of leaves in autumn.

Recommended Tracks:
All The Streets Are Gold
Raven