USA Today Music — Alejandro Escovedo's annual South By Southwest festival-ending bash had a punkish vibe. more info

ContactMusic — Former R E M bandmates Mike Mills and Peter Buck remembered the late Alex Chilton on the second anniversary of his death at the South By Southwest festival in Austin Texas on Saturday 17Mar12 The two rockers joined Blitzen Trapper and Chiltons Big St... more info

Guardian Music — Music news, reviews and discussion from the last seven daysIn the newsAntony Hegarty to curate Meltdown 2012Rolling Stones will not tour for 50th anniversary, says Keith RichardsElton John announces his 'most exciting record' in yearsSade pips Adele ... more info

Guardian Music — From their gently angsty, indie beginnings, the Shins are becoming a more mainstream rock concern – albeit at a costThere is a theory that a great band is not merely a collection of musicians, but a mysterious, alchemical thing, somehow greater tha... more info

Guardian Music — The guitarist is recording his solo debut, according to REM collaborator Scott McCaughey. And he may even sing …Peter Buck may become the first member of REM to release a post-breakup solo album. The guitarist is apparently working on his very own ... more info

ContactMusic — Former R E M guitarist Peter Buck has started work on his first solo album The musician is to be the first member of the Losing My Religion group to release his own record following their split last year with the material reportedly very differen... more info

411 Mania — According to his friend and frequent collaborator… more info

Stereogum — Hands up: Who had Peter Buck as the first R.E.M. member to go solo after last year’s breakup? It’s true! As Michael Stipe hangs with Muppets and Mike Mills perfects his golf swing, guitarist Buck has been in the lab, working on a debut solo album... more info

Gigwise — Peter Buck will be first to release material since R.E.M. disbanded more info

Guardian Music — Format, Pet Shop Boys' new B-sides collection, shows how clever artists can make pop gold from a single's flipsideThe one-word titles of Pet Shop Boys albums always repay a second look and so it proves with Format, the name of their second volume of ... more info