Guardian Music — Yeah yeah, the Stone Roses, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Snow Patrol. So far, so very V Festival. For things a bit less guitary, though, there's Nicki Minaj, Tinie Tempah, Emeli Sandé and Dappy (18 & 19 Aug, Hylands Park, Chelmsford/Weston Pa... more info

DrownedInSound — It seems to me that late February is when singles start to get really interesting. And all those smart (or fortunate) enough to have avoided the inanity of new year tip lists pop up their heads, sleepy eyes washed of their clag. Hooray for nearly-Spr... more info

Guardian Music — Plenty of time yet to prepare for the high-voltage stadium rave of Chase & Status, who headline the first day of this year's South West Four (25 & 26 Aug, Clapham Common) ...Villagers, Cherry Ghost and Beth Jeans Houghton lead the hazy, lazy sounds a... more info

411 Mania — After meeting Neil Young... more info

Guardian Music — MuteIt's no surprise to learn that Beth Jeans Houghton has synesthesia, a condition that causes her to "taste" colours (red is just like Safeway crisps, apparently). Her music is so striking it seems only natural that her cognitive facilities work di... more info

DrownedInSound — At just 33 minutes long, Your Truly, Cellophane Nose is chaotic, cluttered and certainly not straightforward enough to cast her as the ‘next Laura Marling’. Thank goodness for that. Read the full story on DrownedinSound.com more info

Guardian Music — This Newcastle singer has taken nearly four years to release her debut album. Let's celebrate her tardiness with this new trackIn a music industry that thrives on the new, it's heartening that Newcastle's Beth Jeans Houghton and her band, the Hooves ... more info

Altsounds — With her brilliant Mute debut album, Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose, set for release on January 24th 2012, Newcastle's psychedelic pop polymath Beth Jeans Houghton and her band The Hooves Of Destiny have released the first single, Liliputt on 7ÂÂâ... more info

Guardian Music — Like the walking dead, Ozzy is back with the original members of Black Sabbath to play the 10th anniversary of Download (8-10 Jun, Donington Park) along with Metallica, who'll perform their classic Black Album …Slayer will rip through their own Rei... more info

DrownedInSound — Single of the Week! Factory Floor - ‘Two Different Ways’ (DFA) The Machine spat out some interesting words for ‘Two Different Ways’, and for once it was not all overtawk and overpromise; for once I was reading a thing about a song and ... more info