Drawing many -- and well-deserved -- comparisons to the legendary U2, Northern Ireland's Beat Poets formed in 2005. Over the course of its first couple of years, the band built up a considerable buzz, garnering plaudits and praise from such respected music press as NME; receiving airplay from stations as varied as Virgin, Xfm, and the BBC; and scoring support slots for some of the biggest names in rock, such as Sonic Youth and the Chemical Brothers. Their debut single, "Turn It On," was released in 2007 and kept the band's momentum at a high level, and soon the Beat Poets -- John Dinsmore (vocals, guitar), Keith Doran (guitar), Johnny Cardwell (bass), and Mark Dinsmore (drums) -- were in the studio working on their self-titled debut. The album, which was released in 2008, was preceded by the single "Staring Stars Down." ~ Chris True