One of Oxford's coolest bands, and also residents of Leicestershire's Ashby De La Zouch, nerdy indie-rock trio The Young Knives released their debut mini-album The Young Knives Are Dead (2002) on Oxford's Shifty Disco.

After being picked up by Transgressive some years later, the Knives' combination of arty rock, dark humour and pop hooks caught the eye of the buying public through singles 'The Decision', 'Here Comes The Rumour Mill', 'She's Attracted To' and 'Weekends and Bleak Days (Hot Summer)'. Debut album Voices of Animals and Men (2006) is a melting pot of Mclusky, The Futureheads, Art Brut and even At The Drive In.