Guardian Music — This Canadian power trio are one of the more impressive rock bands of late, combining Beatles melodies with Big Black attackReading on mobile? Listen hereHometown: Toronto.The lineup: Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies and Chris Slorach.The background: METZ... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — Rolling Stone readers choose the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. Brooklyn Magazine shares the essential guide to Brooklyn literature in 2012. At the Guardian, writers of creative nonfiction discuss their craft. Stereogum lists the top 10 Pix... more info

KEXP Seattle — Whatever the decade, Boston is a tough town to be from if you’re a band. Sure, it’s had its share of breakout stars – Boston (of course), The Cars, Buffalo Tom, Tracy Chapman, The Pixies, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr. (and yes, we’re stretching out t... more info

Guardian Music — The music blogger picks the songs that mean the most to him as part of our Six Songs of Me projectDigby Vollrath writes a current music blog called Gruff Trade, focusing on "non-aggressive up-and-coming music from across platforms, with a special int... more info

Here Comes The Flood — Brooklyn based alt punk rock trio EndAnd can be loud as fuck in one song and surprisingly tender in the next one. They have released two EPs in a single swoop - Adventures of Hi-Fi in Space and Adventures of Lo-Fi in Space they go back to quiet-lou... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — If rock critics ran the world, Monday night's show with Grandaddy would've been the equivalent of those hotly anticipated Pixies reunion shows from a few years back, or at least a new date with the freshly reconvened No Doubt. more info

Topix — It's difficult to imagine that Redd Kross once boasted a sound so hard-charging that punkers were crestfallen when the band traded it in for the poppier style that made up 1987's Neurotica , an LP time has let slip through cracks filled by Sonic Yout... more info

Guardian Music — Mix Black Keys and White Stripes and what you don't get is grey sludge. You get kids who sound alive with feral punk energyReading on mobile? Listen hereHometown: Glendale, California.The lineup: Mikaiah Lei (vocals, guitar), Anaiah Lei (drums, vocal... more info

Here Comes The Flood — Singer and guitar player Mariska Louman of Dutch indie band The Sugarettes has released her first EP as Iskaa & the Red Cars. Hugely influenced buy Nineties icons like the Pixies and Sonic Youth the four songs are built around a deep bass sound, no... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — LitReactor lists five fabulous female fantasy authors. Help fund the Break the Walls: Stories Inspired by the Songs of the Pixies comics anthology at Kickstarter. Time interviews Ice-T about his documentary Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap. The... more info