All About Jazz — from This Is Finland Minnesota trio The Bad Plus, who play the Helsinki Festival's Huvila Tent on August 22, have a reputation for playing jazzy covers of tunes by Pink Floyd, ABBA and Nirvana. But now those covers are on the back burner as they coo... more info

ContactMusic — ABBA star BJORN ULVAEUS has hit out at SIMON COWELL's music reality shows, branding the TV contests "cruel" and guilty of producing "mainstream" acts.The singer/songwriter... more info

Guardian Music — The debate: music journalist Victoria Segal and feminist blogger Laurie Penny debate the effects of pop music on children, in the wake of record producer Mike Stock's comment that most R&B videos are like soft pornYes: Victoria SegalOf course pop mus... more info

Totally Fuzzy — Toxik Boys said... V/A - Rock Sobterraneo Contra el Quinto Centenario (1991) Tape ...or in english; "subterranean rock against the 5th centenary", or the celebrations of the spanish invasion in our continent. Inc: TODOS TUS MUERTOS, LOS VIOLADORES, A... more info

Guardian Music — Last week we were steeped in sorrow and regret. Now we want songs flush with excitement and exhilarationAfter ploughing (Zimmer-framing?) my way through several hundred songs about old age, I don't know about you but I need a dose of euphoria – I'm... more info

Guardian Music — Our music team pick the songs or albums, old or new, they just can't turn offUnderworld Always Loved a Film Karl Hyde and co's new album, Barking, was constantly in the car CD player on my holiday to Norfolk. This track particularly sums up the surre... more info

Guardian Music — It's an age-old subject (sorry), and one which so many have tackled, but here we try to whittle down the best songs about moving inexorably towards deathOne of the best-known lines in all of rock'n'roll is "hope I die before I get old" in My Generati... more info

Guardian Music — (Dangerbird)Los Angeles quintet DML's third album makes it hard to guess that two-fifths of the band (vocalist/guitarist Tim Presley and vocalist/bassist Rob Barbato) once served time in Mark E Smith's Fall. The predominant influences here are the ... more info

Guardian Music — Figures out this week seemed to suggest the industry is in rude health, yet artists claim to be struggling. Who's telling the truth?"Music industry up 5% in 2009", "Music piracy crisis 'over' as industry revenues rise to £3.9bn", "Consumer spend on ... more info

Guardian Music — Where is today's pop music for grownups who don't want to be teenagers any more? Abba's icily adult 1980s hits are a good startWhen I first heard Dancing On My Own, Robyn's recent single, I was dismissive – enjoyably chunky pulsebeat – but I'd he... more info