The Datsuns

The snail's pace with which the mainstream catches up to trends seems to be afflicting even the trendsetters. It's still never a surprise to see a U.S. major label dole out millions to a grunge band, or to come across the term "Sweden" on every other page in Rolling Stone. But that bastion of two-steps-ahead, love-'em-and-bleed-'em trendiness, the British press, has been slobbering over the Datsuns. This bunch of New Zealand longhairs specializes in '70s arena boogie rock that makes the Hellacopters look more cutting-edge than a four-blade Gillette. About as redundant, too.

Hello! Can you be any more 1998?! Sheesh, even fans of this kind of riff-rock retread were tired of Nashville Pussy years ago. Well, we may as well talk to the hand, because the Cosmo girls -- to whom the Datsuns' rocker image is being hawked -- have never heard of Nashville Pussy. And to their tender ears, this is no doubt serviceably scuzzy and heavy enough. We'd still say don't go there, except that the Datsuns will be sharing the stage with the pure power-pop kick of Detroit's Sights, who don't neatly fit any current trend, but who are at least as cute and young as the Datsuns. Get there early, girls!