by Matt Collar

The German rock outfit Juli's ("July") sophomore effort Ein Neuer Tag is a moody, melodic and charming alt rock album that builds upon the band's stellar 2004 debut. Sung entirely in German, the album brings to mind a mix of such influences as U2, the Smiths, the Cardigans and other standard bearers of the guitar driven, alt rock sound. Lead singer Eva Briegel is an utterly irresistible frontwoman with a charismatic stage presence that translates well in the studio. While it wouldn't be hard to imagine Juli achieving a modicum of popularity in the United States if these songs were in English, it would be unfortunate if that alone kept non-German speaking audiences away from this compelling band.