Guardian Music — Kitty Empire has her say on Biophilia, while Dr Dee continues to be a talking point and Sinéad O'Connor thrills the festival pavillionLast night at the Manchester international festival I finally got to see violinist Alina Ibragimova's collaboration... more info

Guardian Music — The singer-songwriter talks about politics, Pirates, Tom Waits and the Summer of LoveYou became famous very fast with your first single, "Chuck E's in Love", in 1979. Is there anything you know now that you wish you'd known then?I wish I would have k... more info

Guardian Music — (Quietmoney) British singer/pianist Liane Carroll comes from the opposite end of the jazz-vocals galaxy to Gretchen Parlato. She's a powerful, soul-inflected performer with an Ella Fitzgerald-like improv athleticism and an emotional frankness on ball... more info

Guardian Music — The series which started with Cole Porter covers recognises Brazil's recognition as 'a major force in world affairs'In 1989, Leigh Blake and John Carlin were just two friends with a dream. In response to the effect of the Aids epidemic on NYC's artis... more info

Song, by Toad — This is rather nice.  It’s really simple too, and looks (the rigours of stop-motion animation notwithstanding) like it wasn’t too tricky to make, either. I have been wondering this about music videos recently: what exactly makes a proper ‘musi... more info

Guardian Music — From Young Dirty Bastard to Wolfgang Van Halen, musical offspring are following in their rock star folks' footstepsIt's the tragic dilemma that some bands are faced with: how to carry on when one of your members has died. When Wu Tang Clan lost their... more info

Topix — Dinosaur Jr., shown here in 1987, is releasing a cassette-only re-issue of its 1988 album, "Bug." Eric R. Danton SOUNDCHECK: Music News & Views , June 10, 2011 Busy week: Lady Gaga holds on to the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Tom Waits... more info

Guardian Music — Can Tom Waits do with poetry what he does in song? Tom Waits is widely acknowledged as the poet par excellence of the dispossessed. From his first album, Closing Time in 1973, through Blue Valentine, Rain Dogs, Mule Variations and many more, he has p... more info

The Quietus — Lyric uploaded, site crashes more info

Guardian Music — Louis Walsh's latest creation are the blandest committee-driven drivel we've heard in ages. Jedward are a joy in comparisonHometown: London.The lineup: Sharon Condon, Corrina Durran, Jodi Albert, Kasey Smith, Leigh Learmont.The background: We had thi... more info