Somewhere in the last 30 years of rock history, between the insubordinate cool of punk and the mega-popularity of hard rock, you can find English group the Subways wailing out riff-heavy songs (most notably "Rock & Roll Queen") on your favorite red-blooded TV show or movie soundtrack. Rather than succumbing to life in one-hit-wonderville, the three-piece band has proved their staying power. They've released a few albums since their 2005 debut and frequently sell out their rowdy live shows. Some believe fellow UK group PINS sounds more Brooklyn than Manchester, but either way they've inspired well-deserved kudos for their noisy pop-rock. ANNA McCLAIN