First of all, a couple of +1s to bands that have already been mentioned:

* Queens of the Stone Age

* Mutual Admiration Society

Second, why has no-one mentioned the fountain of copious joy that is AllOfMP3.com? (Aka "those crazy Russians".) Fully in compliance with Russian laws on music distribution, with the added benefit of MUCH CHEAPNESS. Really. Go there. I've laid about $100 on these guys in the last six months, and it's all good baby.

Next up, some bands/albums from this side of the Atlantic that no-one has mentioned yet:

** Gorillaz. An experimental "cartoon" band, headed up by Damon Albarn (ex Blur). An intense blend of rap, dub, and funk rock. Their first album Gorillaz is more accessible than their follow up Demon Days from earlier this year, but Demon Days is the more complete experience. Whereas it's possible to pick a few stand-alone favourites from Gorillaz, Demon Days pays off by listening to it as a whole. (Especially the last three tracks, with an interesting vocal performance from Dennis Hopper. Yes, Dennis Hopper)

ESSENTIAL TRACK: Tomorrow Comes Today (Gorillaz)

** Charlotte Hatherley. Charlotte is the second guitarist and vocalist with Ash (whom you should also check out, especially Free All Angels). I fell head over heels in love with her voice on their song "Orpheus", and her solo album Grey Will Fade just feeds the flames. It's sunny, energetic, indie pop rock, just perfect for a summer afternoon. At first I thought that her voice might be a bit too high for a whole CD, but repeated listening proved me wrong. The opening track, "Kim Wilde" is about four songs rolled into one, and "Bastardo" sounds like bubblegum at first, until you start to appreciate the layered vocals and the fact that she managed to turn the phrase "two faced Lothario" into a singable chorus. Charlotte is queen of the "Oooh-oooh, aaah-aaah", and has my eternal devotion.

ESSENTIAL TRACK: Why You Wanna (Grey Will Fade)

** Snow Patrol. I always think of these guys as having an electronic sound, until I actually pay attention to the music, and find that it's actually guitar-driven. Whatever they play, they do it stunningly well. They have a unique combination of an insistent, driving beat and lazy vocals, with the result that they sound both hard and cool at the same time. Very summery, very Euro. They had a big hit last year with the anthem "Run" from their album Final Straw, but even that isn't the best track on offer. The whole CD is just the nuts.

ESSENTIAL TRACK: Chocolate (Final Straw)

** Sondre Lerche. A charismatic young Norwegian guy who has put out some of the most amazingly beautiful, laid back songs I have ever heard. His album Two Way Monologue from last year is extraordinary, but his debut Faces Down is even better. His songs are sweet, melodic, acoustic and touched with a hint of melancholy. There's a touch of the swinging sixties to him, a touch of the lounge singer, a touch of folk, and a whole damn mountain of subtlety and talent.

ESSENTIAL TRACK: On And Off Again (Faces Down) (although I desperately want to say Modern Nature, which is a happy romp through the tulips, but not quite my favourite.)

Given that you've already received a large number of recommendations, I'll boil my picks down even further: if you choose only one track out of all of these to download, go for Modern Nature by Sondre Lerche. Because it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face.