Guardian Music — Two biographies of independent rock labels take John Harris back to a time when popular music mingled with ideologyOne of the more overlooked figures in the subculture that swirled around punk rock was a sometime resident of Cambridge named Jolyean M... more info

Guardian Music — Four new songs prove that forthcoming single, Slow, isn't just a beautiful fluke for this soulful, Karen Carpenter-esque vocalistHometown: London.The lineup: Rumer (piano, vocals).The background: Rumer has been a rumour for a while now. We heard one ... more info

The Vinyl Villain — Is That Malcolm Middleton's Wee Brother on The Left Hand Side Of This Picture?When I took this gig on to be an occasional contributor, I did warn JC that there would be some things said that would be unpalatable to him and many of his readers. And so... more info

Guardian Music — We'd like to see this new soul wunderkind move beyond precocious pastiche into more daring territoryHometown: London.The lineup: Joe Worricker (vocals).The background: Joe Worricker is one of the hottest new male singers on the block, although you co... more info

Guardian Music — Steve Jelbert on the great – and not so great – statements of intent in rock historyThe only certainty about next Thursday's general election is that more voters will be holding their noses as they visit the booths than ever before. I... more info

Pitchfork — Photo by Bevis Martin and Charlie Youle Shakira's "She Wolf" is a fucking weird song. In fact, Hot Chip's version, performed on BBC's Live Lounge might be more normal than Shakira's uniquely enunciated original. As Hot Chip point out on their blog, "... more info

Popdose — You know what I get off on? The letter W!! Here are more songs from the bottom 60 percent of the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1980s. Wet Wet Wet “Wishing I Was Lucky” — 1988, #58 (download) Wet Wet Wet, named after a line in a Scr... more info

Totally Fuzzy — themusicologist said... musicology #534 Jamaica #14 (Pat Kelly – Dark End Of The Street) Todays cut is a Lee Perry production featuring the vocals of one of my favourite singers of the period Pat Kelly backed by the afore mentioned Upsetters. ... more info

Guardian Music — Last week was all about celebrating pulchritude in pop. Now we want songs the signal the witching hourI was back in the chair for one week, just one week, and blow me down if it wasn't tougher than a tank of teak. One of those weeks when the more you... more info

The Vinyl Villain — No....I don't necessarily mean that any of you my dearest readers will have forgotten it. I wouldn't dream of insulting you so cheaply.I'm having a dig at myself for never before posting the tracks from this 1982 single that came out on Rough Trade ... more info