Guardian Music — In an extract from his memoir written before he died last year, Gil Scott-Heron talks about when he toured with Stevie Wonder to establish Martin Luther King Day as a national holiday in the USMemphis, Tennessee was only 90 miles west of Jackson, my ... more info

Guardian Music — Introducing Take On Mr Scruff, ManchesterMr Scruff's appeal has always been the consistent high quality of his DJing, with as much attention paid to sound quality and the environment of those dancing as to his selections and the way he strings them t... more info

Guardian Music — Since Air's Moon Safari, Gallic hipsters have doused themselves liberally in l'eau du fromage. Mais, pourquoi?The trailer for Phoenix's new tour documentary, From A Mess To The Masses, is all cold hard urban underpasses and sweaty stage invasions, pa... more info

Guardian Music — (Warner Bros)The follow-up to the 2008 covers album Soul finds Seal treading on hallowed ground: the tracklisting includes cornerstones of American popular music such as What's Going On and Let's Stay Together. His voice and interpretive skills are s... more info

411 Mania — "Soul 2" on the way... more info

NME — ‘Soul 2’ will be released on November 21 more info

Twangville — So a couple weeks ago I had this odd dream that Al Green had gotten My Morning Jacket to back him on a classic 1970′s record. It turns out it wasn’t a dream, only Al Green was a woman, My Morning Jacket were the Alabama Shakes, and the record was... more info

Guardian Music — You don't have to be a crate-digger to appreciate the soul brilliance of DarondoEven those suspicious of soul fans' thirst for obscure tracks should hear this one. Didn't I is transcendent, up there with the best of Curtis Mayfield or Al Green.It's a... more info

Mjsbigblog — 'The X Factor' premiere review: Simon Cowell and his shocking, brief sincerity This U.S. edition of the British hit features auditions, to be followed by mentoring, to be followed by a $5 million prize. On the Wednesday-night, two-hour premiere, X ... more info

Guardian Music — Royal Festival Hall, LondonVintage, a three-day event curated by the designer Wayne Hemingway, turned the Royal Festival Hall into a gaudy but unselfconscious celebration of 20th century popular culture. Every available space became either a retro re... more info