Lucky Soul

The sugary, retro-minded sounds of Lucky Soul are created by Toby Fogell (bass), Ali Howard (vocals), Andrew Laidlaw (guitar), Ivor Sims (guitar), and Nathaniel L. Perkins (drums). The London-based quintet, which delivers a charming '50s-styled pop sound that's part Sandie Shaw and part Ronettes, formed in early 2005 upon the demise of Perkins and Laidlaw's original group. After adding Howard's candied vocals and the structured musicianship of Sims and Fogell, the Lucky Soul package was complete. A concert alongside the Pipettes marked Lucky Soul's debut performance in June, and the band's debut single, "My Brittle Heart/Give Me Love," became a quick hit with British music critics. Its follow-up, the shimmery "Lips Are Unhappy," arrived in June 2006 on the Ruffa Lane label.