>April, according to Disney, should have been full of drip-drip-dripping showers. Not here in grim old Manchester, which defied type and, in what was clearly a crazed moment of weakness, allowed 100%-genuine, Vitamin-B-giving, skin-frazzling sunshine through the usually oppressive grey skies.

Inevitably, the shedding of clothes, optimism and a sunny disposition followed, and this feeling was reflected in another ace month of great new bands here on ANBAD.

If the following reviews seem a trifle breathless and joyful, it wasn’t just the weather - this month we dug up a surprising number of exciting, uplifting and inventive bands. So here’s the TOP FIVE BANDS IN APRIL (in no particular order, natch):

Tijuana Panthers - We said: “Tijuana Panthers might well be one of the most lovable bands to have popped up on A New Band A Day. Songs like Girls Gone Wild isn’t the sluts ‘n’ tits-fiesta that the title might suggest, but has the feel of an early 60′s teen-beat sensation band, with knowing lyrics and dreamy pop sensibilities. It’s sexy and cute.”

Nevada Base - We said: “Nevada Base are lithe and venomous; smooth but barbed. Their songs creep and crawl to places that you, and I imagine, they, weren’t sure of. They’re a slippery electro-eel. You’ll see.”

Now – We said: “Now are defiantly unusual, not attempting to cater to any specific audience, not caring what others think. It’s the good side of the generic “we make music we like and if anyone else likes it, it’s a bonus” rock interview cliché.”

Standard Fare – We said: “Their song, Dancing, is wonderful – soaring stratospherically, moping glumly, sunnily alive; economical, bright, true. Lovely.”

AND APRIL’S BAND OF THE MONTH IS:

Not really a band, but a brilliant artist. He’s Mat Riviere, and we said: “He writes songs that seem almost too simple and slender to contain such wonderful refrains; choruses swell uncontrollably with a sad exuberance. Most bands can’t do choruses. Mat Riviere doesn’t seem to have enough songs to fit them all in. Maybe he can sell them.”

So congratulations Mat – a worthy winner. More great bands coming up this month, guaranteed – so KEEP IT LOCKED, as they say on local radio.