The leaves are leaving the trees and the kids are back in school. It's starting to look like Woodie weather out there, no?

MTVU's annual award show--held this year on December 4th--honors those artists who put it down on college campuses everywhere; celebrating the music the kids listen to while studying to become the future leaders of America, etc. And the best part about this show? You can vote to determine who wins!

This year features a really healthy crop of artists. Let's take a gander at some of the categories and nominees, shall we?

For the Woodie of the Year Award, for the artist who made the biggest splash on college campuses this year, we've got Asher Roth, Kings Of Leon, Drake, Silversun Pickups and MGMT.

In the category of Breaking Woodie, which honors up and coming artists who have made headway with the kids, the nominees are Grizzly Bear, Never Shout Never, Wale, La Roux, Friendly Fires and Passion Pit.

Probably my favorite category, Left Field Woodie, which features artists who defy classification, features nominees like Amanda Blank, Major Lazer, Janelle Monae and P.O.S.

You can also vote in the categories Performing Woodie, Good Woodie and College Radio Woodie, BMOC Woodie and Best Video Woodie.

If Friendly Fires' "Kiss Of Life" reminds you of the Peter Gabriel song of the same name, it's because they're practically the same song. Though listening to Friendly Fries probably makes you feel less like you're listening to your dad's car trip music. However, I'm confident there's a subset of you that finds listening to Peter Gabriel cool, for ironic Dad-Music purposes, because you're a die-hard Say Anything fan (the move in this case), or because Peter Gabriel pretty much rules. (Which he does.)

Anyway, Friendly Fires -- you've heard them in that Wii Fit commercial -- are very much a British it-band -- so much so that they were just nominated for a 2009 Mercury Prize. Also, lead singer Ed Macfarlane totally sounds like Chris Martin and while both bands shot beach videos (remember Coldplay's "Yellow" video? Chris martin was so SAAAAAAD and COOLLLLLD and DREADFULLY DREARY on the beach! In a hoodie!), Friendly Fires' new "Kiss of Life" video is 1000 times less boo-hoo-I'm-on-the-beach-y. Also, "Kiss of Life" is one of those uplifting, life-affirming anthems like in a "Fields of Gold" way, but also, it lacks that same brand of "Fields of Gold" cheesiness that makes me want to jam one of those extra-long Bic grill lighters into each ear. (Ed Macfarlane also reminds me Richard Ashcroft if Richard Ashcroft hadn't gotten hit by the Unfortunate Bus and survived.)

Also, no matter WHAT you do or where you live, if you find yourself at a pool party this summer, drop the name Friendly Fires. You'll earn cool points IMMEDIATELY, and members of whichever sex you're attracted to will instantly find you 30 percent more attractive. You will be GOING places. Like directly into someone's pants.

To be perfectly honest, when they began touring, Friendly Fires were seriously concerned that you Americans were gonna be a standoff-ish, pretentious lot. Happily, they were wrong. In their quest to transport listeners to another world, the British electro wiz kids have danced for plenty of crowds. And America's never hesitated to join in.

Produced completely in their garage, Friendly Fires' self-titled debut is a burbling escapist fantasy. The sort of thing that inspires three grown Brits to undulate like samba dancers on a nightly basis.

In the interview below, Friendly Fires give you a feel for where they're coming from and offers up a free download of their latest single, "Skeleton Boy." Don't miss out on this one!

If I had a buck for every time I saw that new "Wii Fit" commercial -- the one with the different people demonstrating all the things you can do when you actually make the quantum leap from sitting on your ass and playing video games to getting OFF your ass while still playing video games -- I'd have enough money to afford an actual "Wii Fit."

The song's called "On Board," and it's by British indie dance-pop outfit Friendly Fires (not to be confused with the Sean Lennon album, Friendly Fire) -- and they feel like the Rapture meets Junior Senior, they've opened for Interpol, and they keep company with labelmates M.I.A. and Radiohead.

Coincidentally, the actual "On Board" video features the band getting actual exercise while dressed like stand-ins from The Royal Tennenbaums and participating in some sort of Idiotarod. It's also basically an American Apparel commercial. They're Bono's favorite band, NME and DrownedInSound are all over them, and now you are too.