Guardian Music — Sheffield's gentle troubadour turns tough with an impassioned state-of-the-nation albumWe meet in a bustling cafe at Forge Dam in Fulwood, where the western suburbs of Sheffield give way to woods and rolling hills that are still white from a recent f... more info

Nialler9 — Some real nice additions to Electric Picnic were just announced. Squarepusher! Van Dyke Parks! SBTRKT and the much-touted Grandaddy festival appearance. An mhaith. Patti Smith Richard Hawley Crystal Castles SBTRKT Grandaddy Squarepusher The Maccabees... more info

Guardian Music — Not content with reforming the Pop Group, Mark Stewart comes in to discuss his new solo album The Politics of Envy with Alexis Petridis. Elsewhere, Kieran Yates chats to Elijah from UK grime label Butterz – it's only two years old but is already le... more info

Guardian Music — (Baseheart Recordings)Lost amid the excitement among men of a certain age about the return of Kevin Rowland and Dexys has been the fact that his righthand man, Pete Williams, has recorded his own album, with Richard Hawley on guitar, which stands as ... more info

Gigwise — Singer is set to hit up venues around the UK this autumn - ticket details more info

Guardian Music — Expect genre-defying laidback rap from Ghostpoet, topping a fine bill at Beacons Festival, alongside Patrick Wolf and Wild Beasts (17-19 Aug, Funkirk Estate, Skipton) …Krankbrother and Black Atlantic host stages at Eastern Electrics (4 Aug, outdoor... more info

Guardian Music — From animated Abed to The Avengers reimagined as FriendsAbed to the rescue!At last! Sony Entertainment TV have nabbed the UK rights to the second season of Community (10 April). Meanwhile, in the US, there's a new animated short to celebrate their "n... more info

Guardian Music — He knows its over, still he clings – Danny Coughlan doesn't know where else he can go, except deep into widescreen melancholyHometown: Bristol.The lineup: Danny Coughlan (vocals, guitar).The background: Danny Coughlan as Crybaby is an astonishingly... more info

Guardian Music — Other performers at Suffolk festival include Bat for Lashes, classical pianist Lang Lang, and professor Brian CoxElbow, Bon Iver and Paul Weller will top the bill at the 2012 Latitude festival. Southwold's Henham Park will host dozens of musicians, w... more info

Guardian Music — (Verve)There's a Duffyish hue to Jodie Marie's first album, insofar as she's also a young Welsh singer whose sound has been refined by Bernard Butler. But while his hand may be on the production tiller – his big strings and wall-of-sound drama ma... more info