You know that your infatuation with Britpop-bassist-turned-cheese-monger/Sun-columnist Alex James has reached borderline-stalker point when you have bookmarked a Google Image Search to find the most recently uploaded images of la James.

Here, for example, is a photograph uploaded a mere two hours ago: one that needs no photoshopping, and is begging us all to file it under both “Alex James Lending His Name To Charity Event” and ”Exemplary Shit-Eating Grin”.

(And talking of charity, why not enter our competition to win £50 of vouchers for gig tickets?)

Anyway – here’s a mixtape of good new bands:

FIRST! The Last Men slipped through ANBAD’s (admittedly threadbare) net, and ought to have been featured three months ago. Oh, life. Anyway has an agonisingly lovely chorus, and the band are smart enough to milk it dry. Lovely.

SECOND! Death Valley Sleepers are not from Death Valley in the USA, but hail from Denmark, which, as far as I know, has no Death Valley whatsoever. But their songs will ease your disappointment, which are light, deft and a tiny bit creepy.

THIRD! Labasheeda’s name makes me feel a little uneasy, and I have no idea why. Their music does too, as it slinks dirtily through verse, choruses and more verses with an eerie, metronomic intensity.

FINALLY! Tough Guys Of America make me think of the Beastie Boys’ Tough Guy, and that’s a good place to start. Their songs are as far removed from thrash-punk as you could imagine, but that’s a good thing. As is name-checking Jersey Shore: