The London-based Scanners is another band combining hip new-wave and post-punk rock with the sexy tones of a hot female lead singer, who in this case sounds a lot like PJ Harvey, Chryssie Hynde or Siouxsie Sioux. Judging by the first track, the synthesizer-heavy "Joy," one might assume they're another band, much like the Killers, helping to bring the back the sound and popularity of 80s new-wave. However, after hearing the next track, the Pretenders-ish "Lowlife" it's easy to see these Brits can do a lot more musically. Their Pretenders and Blondie-influenced moments shine through on raw rockers like "In My Dreams" and "Bombs," but the band sounds their best on their darkest moments, which include the paranoid punk-rocker "Air 164," and the angry and dramatic, space-age-sounding epic "Changing Times."

Violence is Golden also boasts the synth-heavy, Joy Division-like "Raw," the tripped-out acoustic track "Evil Twin" and the just plain freaky "High Flier." The last two songs, "Look What you Started" and "Violence is Golden" show the Scanners have the knack for cranking out a good ballad. Sounding like the Pretenders, Blondie, Joy Division, Siouxsie Sioux and PJ Harvey, all at different times, of course, the Scanners prove they're more eclectic and stylish than several other bands out of the U.K.'s recent post-punk/new-wave revival.