All the way from Nagoya, Japan comes Gumdrops. And they aren't just your typical, naive, Asian pop group. In fact, of all the Japanese pop bands out there, these kids are at the top of the Cool List.

High Speed...O.K? is like Breeders from another planet played backwards (with lead singer, Keiko -- isn't that the whale from Free Willy? -- sounding a bit like a higher-pitched Kim Deal).

The album includes killer songs like the Guided By Voices- inspired "My Girlfriend" and the Low Barlow beats of "Les Bang." The album is like taking prescription pills. One dose makes it all okay even though you know you're just gonna wind up an addict.

-Ryan Schreiber