Down Under

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
Touting themselves as New Zealand's 4th most popular folk parody duo (or guitar-based digi-bongo a capella-rapfunk- comedy folk duo depending on who you ask) is only the tip of the self-deprecating iceberg that Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement rode to American fame as Flight of the Conchords. Their eccentric, musical half-hour-long weekly HBO show debuted last year, tapping the duo into a fan base that they would swear they don't have, but say what they like, nerds and cool kids alike worship the Conchords' witty lyrics and occasional keytar solos. McKenzie and Clement started playing shows together in their hometown of Wellington, NZ in 2001, and were soon touring as far as Scotland's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They self-released Folk the World, their first fulllength record, and were giving a six-part BBC Radio series in 2005. In tandem with their American television debut on HBO, the Conchords signed a deal with Sub Pop to release The Distant Future, a mixture of live and studio-recorded tracks that won the 2008 Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Flight of the Conchords continues to build their loyal, and, yes, existent fan base by showcasing their sometimes odd and always hilarious live show. Their new full-length on Sub Pop will be released this spring. —LW

LOVE OF DIAGRAMS
In early 2001, Love of Diagrams made an immediate impact on the Australian music scene. Combining the experimentation of New York No-Wave with the immediacy and tunefulness of classic English Post-Punk, the band arrived with its own fully-formed sound based on these passions. They released their debut in 2003, The Target is You (Unstable Ape Records) to much acclaim, and have subsequently toured with Death Cab For Cutie, Stereolab, The Faint, Les Savy Fav, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Dresden Dolls and, most recently, Enon. While they work on their next album, a video for their song "The Pyramid" is available online. —EP

MISSY HIGGINS
Missy Higgins' new album, On A Clear Night, retains the irresistible melodies and piercing lyrics of her critically lauded debut The Sound of White, which was Australia's best-selling album of 2005. However this time around, the tracks benefit from the empathetic production of Mitchell Froom, who is known for his work with Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and Crowded House. The quiet strength of her new songs reflects Higgins' newfound confidence and changing world view. —EP

LENKA
The emerging sound of Sydney native singer-songwriter Lenka has been described as otherworldly, charming, and transient. Her soothing melodies lift her minimalist songs like helium in balloons. Yet, without releasing much material, Lenka has succeeded in attracting the attention of Rolling Stone, who sang her praises in 2004. More recently, she signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV and a record deal with Epic. —ET

ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI
Architecture in Helsinki's path to success began in Melbourne when a group of art students got together with the common musical goal of mixing diverse instruments such as analog synths and samplers with traditional drums, bass and guitar. The result was an artistic, original indie pop collective that has gone on to tour worldwide in such company as Death Cab For Cutie and Clap Your hands Say Yeah. The band has released three full-length albums, 2003's Fingers Crossed, 2005's In Case We Die, and 2007's Places Like This. —ET