Animal Kingdom

Hailing from England, Animal Kingdom specializes in lush, emotionally resonant pop anthems for large venues, styled after other ethereal modern rock outfits such as Mercury Rev. The foursome coalesced in the closing years of the 2000s around Richard Sauberlich on vocals, guitar, and piano, Hamish Crombie on bass, Wayne Yardley on guitar, and Geoff Lea on drums. This lineup secured a contract with Warner Bros. in 2008, issuing its first album, Signs & Wonders, the next year to widespread critical praise. David Kosten, whose prior work includes Bat for Lashes and Everything Everything, helmed the follow-up The Looking Away, which surfaced in 2012 before reaching U.S. listeners in April 2013.