As the annum draws to a close, it's inevitable that everyone likes to play at being Nostradamus at this time of year, trying to predict who, what, when and where is going to be big, unmissable, and downright awe-inspiring over the forthcoming 12 months.

For both of these bands next year could well make or break them, as the fickle nature of the music industry, or more to the point, the music press, will undoubtedly decide their fate as much by way of the clothes they wear and the clubs they hang out in as the actual quality of their music.

Anglo-Scandinavian five piece The Cherubs have probably got the hardest task convincing The Man of their worthiness.

Sure they look the part, make all the right moves, throw all the regulation rock’n’roll poses and have a fabulous debut single (‘Hey Bunny’) to boot, so why the element of doubt?

Perhaps it comes from the fact that half the set sounded like the Libertines and the other half sounded like Interpol, which suggests The Cherubs haven’t quite decided who or where they want to be themselves, which is a pity because you just know that somewhere a great band is waiting to get out.

Northampton’s The Departure on the other hand haven’t even been together for a year, and yet despite a successful summer tour supporting The Killers they’ve already rubbed a few of the indie hierarchy up the wrong way amidst cries of “FAKES!” and “MANUFACTURED!” thanks to the ceremonious fanfare that greeted their arrival on said tour just 11 shows into their career.

Do you know what though, I think it's more a case of cold hearted jealousy on their parts because whether they met at Stage School, Public School or Welford Road Comprehensive, one thing no one can take away from them is their ability to write dynamic pop songs. And by pop, I mean pop in the same way that REAL million selling artists such as Duran Duran, David Bowie and Adam Ant were pop. ‘Crashing The Same Scene’ and ‘All Mapped Out’ twist the aperture from Simon Le Bon's camera and send his girls on film crash-landing through Robert Smith’s bedroom only to land safely on Carlos Dengler’s lap.

Similarly, ‘Dirty Words’ and ‘Changing Pilots’ evoke memories of the late lamented B-Movie and the early works of U2, largely down to the unholy alliance of David Jones' distinctive Moyet-provocateur vocal and Sam Harvey and Lee Irons’ choppy Edge-like riffs.

To some they may look like the latest fashion victims on the block, but with such an engaging, powerful repertoire at their fingertips and an A+ in energy and enthusiasm, failure simply isn’t an option as far as The Departure are concerned.