Surfacing

Turning the spotlight on musicians making a commercial breakthrough.

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CASEY DOLAN

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“Just My Luck”

McFly

Universal

Artist info: McFly’s music is radio-friendly two-guitarbass-drums pop, and the group wears its influences on its sleeve with covers of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and the Who’s “Pinball Wizard,” the latter performed with faithful accuracy. The British group tempers punk energy with the occasional string arrangement.

Back story: McFly is the youngest band to have a debut album enter the British sales chart at No. 1, breaking the Beatles’ record and following it with another No. 1 album and four No. 1 singles. The group won the 2005 Brit Award for best international pop act and co-headlined the Japan Live 8 concert. It’s featured in the new Lindsay Lohan movie, “Just My Luck,” as -- what else? -- a young English band trying to make it in the States.

Influences: The Who, Beatles, Killers, Green Day.

Trivia: Danny Jones, one of two guitarist-singers, says two of his favorite words are “rat leg.”