Gigwise — Rare and unreleased tracks included on re-release of band's classic albums more info

Guardian Music — As pop music hurtles headlong into crowd-pleasing mediocrity, audiences should cherish performers who take a stroppy and contrary standTen days ago a concert-goer at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis made the mistake of shouting out a sarcasti... more info

Guardian Music — Ron Gibbs is a nostalgic futurist who makes ambient dub in the style of the Orb or Aphex TwinHometown: Michigan.The lineup: Ron Gibbs (music, production).The background: There are probably better genres of music to enjoy right now than ambient dub as... more info

Metalsucks — An extremely welcome surprise in 2011 was Reports From The Threshold Of Death, a throbbing, gauzy dream-rock record from Boston’s Junius (read here). One shitty major magazine described Reports as the intersection of Neurosis and The Smiths, but a... more info

Guardian Music — This Bristol band are baggy meets shoegaze: shaggy, perhapsHometown: Weston-Super-Mare.The lineup: James MacLucas (vocals), John Paul Beaumont (guitar), Adam Hastings (bass), Miles Hastings (drums).The background: Twenty years or so ago there was a w... more info

Guardian Music — Shacklewell Arms, LondonIt's not often that hardened pop reviewers get sucked in by a support band. All too often, opening acts exist to be endured while the audience triangulate their sightlines, sound and beer in preparation for the main event.But ... more info

Guardian Music — This Birmingham band's ambitious Afro-pop suggests Wu Lyf's frontman has suddenly hijacked Vampire WeekendHometown: Birmingham.The lineup: Harrison Koisser (vocals, guitar), Sam Koisser (bass), Douglas Castle (guitar), Dominic Boyce (drums).The backg... more info

Stereogum — Canada’s young dreamweavers Memoryhouse are first-rate cover-lovers, and slowly they are working their way backwards through the ‘Gum Real Book: when I first saw them, they took on Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest heart-tugger “Foreground.” Very ... more info

Totally Fuzzy — The Duke Spirit are an English rock band based in London. Their sound has been seen as a melding of many influences ranging from the alternative noise of 1980s/90s guitar bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth and Spacemen 3, the tremulous r... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — by BBG All the pieces are in place. The floral album cover. The lush arrangements that tip their hat to The Jesus & Mary Chain, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and My Bloody Valentine. The ethereal production. But while Portland's Anne clearly... more info