Supergrass

From the second they hurtled into our lives with their 1994 manic-panic debut single, "Caught By the Fuzz," alt rock heroes Supergrass have cemented their standing as the madcap scamps of British pop, shoplifting from David Bowie, Madness, and the Buzzcocks with a knowing wink, yet carving out a brilliant sound all their own. Britpop anthem "Alright" leads the way here, with sturdy backup from 2008's "Diamond Hoo Ha Man," the Marc Bolan-inspired "Seen the Light," and festival anthem, "Moving."

The trademark breakneck pace of Supergrass barely lets up in Next Steps.

Chances are, Supergrass will be around for ages, thanks to their rock-solid writing foundations and their ability to turn out lasting foot-tappers at high speed. Here's an outfit that loves to crank it up — from the fuzzy guitar break on "Rush Hour Soul" to the electrifying pop-rocker "Lenny" with its adrenalized, bass-y pulse. Even as the band matured into the '00s with their often thoughtful, occasionally dark fifth album, Road to Rouen (2005), they still delivered side-winding jangle-rockers like "Kick In the Teeth."

Ever dependable since the mid-'90s heyday of Britpop, Supergrass continues to brandish the unmistakable stamp of excellence despite the band's almost throwaway, happy-go-lucky façade: "Going Out" — a big, confident cut from 1997's In It for the Money — gives the impression that they've been woven deeply into the fabric of pop on both sides of the Atlantic for eons, and with "Alright" they deliver an enduring anthem for youngsters of all ages. Lovable like the Monkees, clever like the Kinks, and big-sounding like the Small Faces, the band never fails to connect on some level or other. It's a mark of their prodigious talent that they wrote "Pumping On Your Stereo" in ten minutes, just "to annoy everybody." Brace yourself for some more first-rate annoyance.