There was a time when guitar driven pop and darkly atmospheric rock were the exclusive property of the English speaking world, with the UK and US cornering the market in wrought emotions and churning riffs. But while music's big hitters have been smugly wallowing in their own tormented brilliance, Sweden has been raising its own generation of guitar devotees. Following the trail already blazed by the Cardigans and the Wannadies, Kent rate above anything the UK's guitar pop can offer. Fourth album (their second in English), Hagnesta Hill, melds REM's country soul-searching, Smashing Pumpkins' alt-rock snarl and--although they're probably sick of hearing it--Radiohead at their most vulnerable and tormented. Singer Joakim Berg sounds like a direct descendant of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan as he lays equally desperate and elated melodies over the placebo rock of "The King Is Dead" and the pounding "Revolt III" and Gimmie Shelter-esque disco rocker "Music Non Stop". But what makes "Kevlar Soul", "Heavenly Junkies", "Stay With Me" and all of the above so potent, is Kent's appreciation of the power of a good tune, and Hagnesta Hill has more than its share of those. --Dan Gennoe