Sixpence None the Richer

Heard everywhere from junior miss departments to royal nuptials (and every teen-geared movie and television situational drama in between), sleeper superhit “Kiss Me” has brought Sixpence None the Richer farther than their original, modest aim to be part of the Christian Pop movement. Recognition-wise, they've skyrocketed past Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) biggies like Michael W. Smith and have garnered wide Alterna-Pop and Adult Contemporary radio play. Their name and sound evoke such British folk/pop-inflected acts as Fairground Attraction and the Sundays -- mostly due to singer Leigh Nash's pretty and airy vocals which bring to mind London summer picnics in Regency Park. This is somewhat remarkable considering their Shiner Bock, Austin, Tex., roots. In fact, their lyrical approach is often more subtle and secular than the blue collar spirituality of artists like Van Morrison or Bob Dylan. Sixpence None the Richer's Patsy Cline-meets-Rubber Soul-era Beatles may not be cutting edge, but it sure sounds awfully nice on the radio, chasing any track by Alanis or Courtney.