Guardian Music — Barbican, LondonThis was the sixth outing by the ever-changing lineup of that admirable ­marketing project, the African Soul Rebels, and it was rescued by a ­dominant performance by the one real star on stage, Malian diva Oumou Sangare. Once ag... more info

Guardian Music — Xiu Xiu, On tourFrom America, and named after a Chinese film, it might be tempting to think of Xiu Xiu as a cosmopolitan and exotic sort of band. One listen to the voice of main man Jamie Stewart, however, and you'll feel right at home. Arch, meticul... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Metal rockers Anvil got another chance; they spread the joy at House of Blues gig. Dreams are essential in rock 'n' roll, and no band epitomized that more in recent years than the subjects of "Anvil! The Story of Anvil,"... more info

Live Daily — Canadian heavy-metal outfit Anvil [ tickets ] is keeping to the in-progress tour schedule, its first in more than a decade, though the pre-concert screenings of the band's recently released documentary have been scrapped. Frontman/guitarist Steve ... more info

VH1 Blog — When the Academy unveiled its shortlist of 15 nominees for Best Documentary in November, it seemed shocking that “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” didn’t make the cut. After all, it was on Top 10 lists by most major publications and was arguably one ... more info

Jam! Showbiz Music, Canada — TORONTO - Try as they might to distance themselves from the mock rock legends, it's difficult not to see a little bit of Spinal Tap in longtime Toronto metal band Anvil. more info

Detroit Free Press — Since forming in '08, these Clinton Township newcomers have been busy building a solid local fan base, crafting post-hardcore pop-punk with a splash of color and plenty of exuberance. The six-piece band is kicking off a three-week tour that will... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — words by BBG, photos by Paul Birman Tis the season for corpsepaint? The coal-in-stocking crowd was on hand... to catch Marduk's first proper trek around the country since dropping off the Blackenedfest tour earlier this year. A good portion of... more info

411 Mania — A sign of things to come? more info

L.A. Times - Entertainment — The underdog films continues its triumphant march. more info