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The electro duo exclaims: *The Looks (2006) was like a big experiment for us. That's why we called it The Looks and not The Brains or The Talent. This next record is more like us wearing our influences on our sleeves, although I don't know if anyone will notice that but us. We've made a record that is very 'us'.* Read the full article here. MP3 at bottom. - Source

You read that one right. Bassist Alex James reckons that Blur were asked to - and very nearly did - play this year's Glastonbury Festival. - Source

Check out an extensive review, courtesy of our endlessly entertaining guest blogger Megan B, below. Enjoy her analysis of PJ Harvey's recent Moscow performance here. All accompanying photos (from MBV's June 20th London show) courtesy of Freekorps.It was one of those gigs where you had to isolate yourself from all reviews beforehand; if you caught snippets, it sent a wave of trembling into your gut. Too many of those waves and the anticipation would shake you out of existence before the show even started! Then it was one of those gigs you almost disbelieve as soon as it ends. Did four people really just do that?! By now the legends of how MBV ends their set has spun around & pushed everyone's descriptive powers. I like to keep things simple: they ended with a giant force of noise which they melded together seemingly effortlessly & the shocks of which shake the floor and start creeping up from your boots, to your knees, all the way to your face.A glance over the setlist still won't prepare you for the fact that you will never listen to Loveless or Isn't Anything again without remembering how this music is supposed to sound and at what volume. Every bit was so exquisite, you have to wonder if they waited over a decade to ensure that each particle of air in the atmosphere was in peak condition to conduct their sound waves from the tower of amps to your protected eardrums. Well, at least all but the vocals were perfectly transported. Dazed fans spilled out of Barrowland and onto the streets of Glasgow, most with punch drunk looks of bliss etched on their faces. This scene will repeat itself in every city they choose to play. No other reunion has been this glorious & perhaps the things to come from MBV will be just as heavenly.MP3: My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow - Source

Peter Hook has been speaking to Xfm about the theft of his old Joy Division bandmates' headstone and asks that the memorial be returned. - Source

The Dandy Warhols will release their sixth album, 'Earth To The Dandy Warhols', on August 18 - but are streaming clips of the album online now. - Source

Oasis are set to receive a Silver Clef award in London today (July 4). - Source

Mogwai, those veteran Glaswegian purveyors of loud/soft/loud/soft instrumentals, are back with their sixth studio album The Hawk Is Howling, the follow-up to 2006's Mr. Beast. I've only been listening to the record for 24 hours, but track five, the 7-minute "The Sun Smells Too Loud," is without a doubt Hawk's catchy, shimmery, slightly nostalgic pop piece. Really, the majority of the 10 tracks have a downcast, melancholic, or at least darker bent, which makes it a curious first taste. (By the way, best song titles go to chilly opener "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" and moody, cinematic soft-to-loud scorcher "I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School.") - Source

EMI posted a recorded industry market share of less than 10 percent during the first half, according Nielsen Soundscan figures.... - Source

While us Americans are still waiting for the official release of Brett Anderson's debut solo album, fans in the UK are gearing up for a sophomore release from the ex-Suede vocalist. The forthcoming LP, titled Wilderness, will come out in the UK on September 1 - Source

After what seemed like forever, Kula Shaker returned earlier this year with Strangefolk. Instead of taking another hiatus, the band decided to get back in the studio and begin work on a new album - Source