Guardian Music — Porn footage and his mum were two of the inspirations for songs on Mike Hadreas's second album, which, yes, features the same themes of lurid self-loathing as the first. But what does his mother think of it?'Erm," says Mike Hadreas, and then stares q... more info

Guardian Music — Both intimate and immense, Gabriel Levine's triumph of slow-burning melody demands repeated, rapt attentionHometown: Brooklyn.The lineup: Gabriel Levine (vocals, guitar) and friends.The background: There are certain labels you have to sit up and take... more info

Pop Justice — If you ever want to make yourself APOPLEPTIC WITH RAGE, have a look at what other countries get up to in the run-up to Eurovision, how many great people want to represent their country when they know their country will take their efforts seriously, a... more info

Guardian Music — The music-loving world, temperamentally, seems to divide neatly into two. There are those who spend their idle hours thinking about which songs they would like to have played at their wedding; and those who spend their idle hours thinking about which... more info

Totally Fuzzy — Gabriel Kahane is often compared to Sufjan Stevens and Rufus Wainwright (both of whom he's collaborated with in the past). It’s a lot to live up to, but to that already high bar I’ll add Ben Folds and Randy Newman, if only for Kahane's s... more info

Guardian Music — Save your virtual breath. There is nothing you can say to stop me rejoicing in mistletoe and wine slung in with Christian rhymeThere's a bit in A Passage to India where two missionaries discuss who would be allowed into God's heaven. Humans, black or... more info

Stereogum — The Roots took a couple of undun tracks to their day job — or night job, depending how you look at it — including the “Redford” medley inspired by Sufjan Stevens’ song of the same name. Check out the videos, which include a somewhat inexpli... more info

Guardian Music — (Def Jam)The house band on Jimmy Fallon's US talk show, the Roots recently accompanied a Republican politician's guest spot with the Fishbone song, Lyin' Ass Bitch. That kind of mischief isn't among the ingredients of the Philiadelphia collective's ... more info

411 Mania — This week's MBML has news on Sufjan Stevens and The Roots, Broadcast, and Lana Del Rey. Also, read an exclusive interview with Leah Siegel from Firehorse, chatting about all sorts of things. And of course, I've got new recommended listening picks. ... more info

Guardian Music — Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonSt Vincent – aka Annie Clark – doesn't look like the type who's going to leap off the stage and assault people with a dirty great guitar. Looking out from the cover of her first two albums, 2007's prim Marry Me and 200... more info