Guardian Music — Ex-Pulp frontman tells Association of Independent Music that furore over BBC 6 Music could spur golden age of independent musicIn an age of plummeting CD sales, rampant digital piracy and slashed expenses budgets, music executives are rarely cheerful... more info

Guardian Music — Union Chapel, LondonAll augured well for John Grant's second London show this month. The first, at the Jazz Cafe, was reportedly excellent, with Grant proving a genial raconteur as well as a mesmerising performer. And Union Chapel was built to enhanc... more info

Guardian Music — Simon Armitage, poet and singer-songwriter, on his memories of the festivalThe first festival I went to was Futurama in Leeds in 1980, in the dark, cavernous hangar of the Queen's Hall. I didn't fully appreciate it at the time but, looking back, the ... more info

Guardian Music — A decade with an unsuccessful band and serious substance abuse and sexual self-hatred left John Grant a mess. Gareth Grundy learns about the road to recovery and his word-of-mouth hit album, Queen of DenmarkThe lowest point of singer John Grant's lif... more info

Pitchfork - Tours — 06-16 New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall % 06-18 Buffalo, NY - Knox Gallery @ 06-26 Pilton, England - Glastonbury Festival 07-01-04 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival 07-06 Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Paradiso 07-07 Utrecht, The Netherlands - T... more info

The Mirror — The MOJO Breakthrough Act: The Low Anthem Best Live Act: Midlake Classic Album Award: Stone Roses Hero Award: Marc Almond Classic Songwriter Award: Roy Wood Best Album: Richard Hawley's Truelove's Gutter Outstanding Contribution To Music: Sigur Ros S... more info

Stereogum — At different times, Midlake and The Sophtware Slump-era Grandaddy were getting Radiohead comparisons. Both have moved on from the label (for better or worse) or moved on entirely, as Lytle has. In 2009 Lytle released his debut solo album, lately heâ€... more info

Pitchfork - Tours — 06-10 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo06-26 Somerset, England - Glastonbury Festival06-27-28 London, England - Hyde Park06-29 Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms ^06-30 London, England - HMV Forum ^07-02 Glasgow, Scotland - King Tut's07-04 Rotterdam, Net... more info

Pitchfork - Tours — 06-19 Toronto, Ontario - Toronto Island ! 06-22 Vienna, Austria - Flex Club 06-23 Zagreb, Croatia - T-Mobile INMusic Festival 06-24 Munich, Germany - Backstage Werk 06-26 Birmingham, England - O2 Academy 06-27 Pilton, England - Glastonbury Festiva... more info

Pitchfork — Photo on home page by Kathryn Yu The National's 2010 tour is pure insanity; the recent Best New Music recipients are basically gigging straight through December with few breaks. Now a slew of new U.S. dates have been announced for the fall. What's mo... more info