But they don't need to rely on such gimmickry, as their recent Mercury Music Prize nomination proved.

Their debut album Voice Of Animals And Men didn't win the award, but it won them a lot of fans and paved the way nicely for the forthcoming follow-up.

They will also showcasing their new songs on a tour which includes a sold-out date in the intimate surroundings of The Cluny in Newcastle on Sunday (November 4).

The Young Knives come from the most-un-rock'n'roll place imaginable, Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire.

But Henry Dartnall (guitar and vocals), his brother Thomas (bass and vox) and Oliver Askew (drums) have earned a solid fanbase with catchy tunes and energetic live performances.

They formed in 1998, but took until 2002 to break through, when mini-album The Young Knives...Are Dead made people sit up and take notice.

They also won Road To V, a competition to open the second stage at the Virgin Music Festival, after being asked to take part because another band had dropped out.

Support slots with the likes of The Futureheads and Hot Hot Heat saw them signed to influential label Transgressive, which released a limited EP, Junky Music Make My Heart Go Faster.

It was a sell-out success and led to the release of their debut single The Decision, produced by Andy Gill of legendary post-punks Gang Of Four, who are a big influence, in December 2005.

Follow-up Here Comes The Rumour Mill, two months later, gave them their first chart success, making No 36, and received significant airplay.

Two more Top 40 singles, She's Attracted To (No 38) and Weekends And Bleak Days (Hot Summer) (No 35) preceded their debut album in August last year, and it did well, reaching No 21.

A reissue of The Decision followed last October, on the same day the band played what Henry described as their "biggest gig ever" at the London Astoria.

A small UK tour early this year was followed by a US jaunt, and by the time they came home in July they found they'd been nominated for the Mercury award, which prompted the release of a new and improved version of ...Are Dead.

A triumphant set on the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury was followed by appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals, and The Young Knives are now ready to enter the next stage of their development.

Terra Firma, the lead single from their forthcoming second album, is out now on download and limited edition 7in vinyl, and the amount of airplay it's getting could see them trump their three Top 40 hits to date.