AN upcoming North-East band's latest track has been named single of the week by a publication recognised as Britain's music bible.

Pop quartet We Start Fires will also appear on BBC Radio 2 and MTV2 in an effort to boost their single sales.

In what is turning out to be a good week for the Darlington-based band, their latest single, Play You, which will be released on Monday, was chosen as NME's Track of the Week.

The NME journalist, who admits to listening to the song 16 times in a day, said: "We can't think of anything we'd rather do than play this dashing pop song over and over again. It's a bit Slade, a bit Bay City Rollers and an awful lot like those dorky Mud records that it's not cool to admit liking. It's so grade-A catchy."

We Start Fires bassist Nikki Vaughan said the band were thrilled with the recognition. "Our last single was runner-up in Track of the Week, so to go one better is amazing," she said.

The plaudits have a come at a good time for the band, who will embark on their 12-date national tour on Monday, October 1, starting in Manchester and culminating in a homecoming show at Darlington Inside Out on Friday, October 19.

Miss Vaughan said it was starting to feel like the band were making a breakthrough. She said: "We are very excited about the tour. We will be living in very confined quarters in our van, but we have such fun when we are together.

"We have been doing this for so long, so when these things happen we get very excited because we have put in so much time and effort.

"It's feels like we could be on the way up."

On September 26, the band will appear on Janice Long's Radio 2 show, a recognised showcase for emerging talent, where they will play a three-song set. The video for their single has also been added to the MTV2 playlist and will appear over the next few days on the 120-minute programme.

Miss Vaughan said: "In terms of exposure, it is the best medium out there to be seen by the music-buying public. We have all been setting our video recorders to catch it."

To see the video for Play You, visit www.thenorthernecho. co.uk

For more on We Start Fires, including the tour dates and ticket information, visit www.westart fires.co.uk