L.A. Times - Entertainment — Booty, beauty, beats and Kate Bush. Below, a rundown of some of what happened this week in popular music.  more info

L.A. Times - News — more info

Sweeping The Nation — A new weekly post for this summer where we guide you through the sets you should be seeing at British festivals the following weekend. Please note that a) we cannot be held responsible for clashes and b) we haven't heard and judged every band here, m... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — Observer profiles singer-songwriter Tracey Thorn and her new memoir, Bedsit Disco Queen: How I Grew Up and Tried to Be a Pop Star. At the New York Times, writer and bartender Rosie Schaap offers tips (and Scotch suggestions) for drinking... more info

DrownedInSound — DiS is proud to premiere the video for Tracey Thorn's brand spanking new single 'Joy'. The video was filmed in Lille, Northern France and is taken from her Christmas solo album, Tinsel and Lights. Read the full story on DrownedinSound.com more info

Guardian Music — Gift bag: Tracey Thorn's Christmas album, Brooklyn We Go Hard, Zara velvet tuxedo. Regift: mini-wedge trainers, beanie hair, Little MixGoing UpA Christmas pug Liberty's £3.95 bauble is totally this year's penguin. Tracey Thorn's Tinsel and Lights Lo... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — Singer-songwriter Tracey Thorn shares a winter-themed mixtape with the A.V. Club. Fresh Air interviews Colm Toibin about his new novella The Testament of Mary. 31 year-end music lists were added yesterday to the master aggregation today, including Go... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — With Thanksgiving behind us, it's official -- the holiday season has begun. more info

Totally Fuzzy — Not since Aimee Mann's One More Drifter in the Snow has a collection of seasonal music been so finely engineered to locate the holidays' melancholy side. But Tinsel and Lights is as warmly rendered as it is achingly bittersweet. Tracey Th... more info

Guardian Music — Alexis and Kieran are joined this week by Charlotte Richardson Andrews – and no time is wasted before a heated debate around Rihanna's latest release. There's also a touch of the French Elvis, Johnny Hallyday, who is Alexis's new favourite thing.Ri... more info