With their 1993 debut album, New Wave, the Auteurs established themselves as one of England's best guitar bands of the early '90s. Driven by the bittersweet, ironic songwriting of Luke Haines, the band's carefully crafted, three-minute pop songs are in the vein of the Kinks, the Smiths and the Beatles, particularly the songs of George Harrison. Yet the band never sounds like imitators -- they combine their influences into a signature sound, distinguished by Haines' sharp lyrics and sighing melodies.