‘I’d take a mediocre album rather than nothing!’: the new music readers want to hear in 2024
Guardian readers are longing for returns by artists from Ariana Grande to Archie Shepp –and even possibly Kate Bush?
February 2023
Ranked
My Bloody Valentine’s 20 greatest songs – ranked!
Ten years since the release of their last album, mbv, we celebrate the greatest tracks by a band best known for its sonically extreme offerings
January 2022
My Bloody Valentine criticise Spotify for showing ‘fake’ lyrics to their songs
The band, who are famously cryptic about their songs, called the inaccurate lyrics ‘completely incorrect and insulting’
May 2021
My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields: ‘We wanted to sound like a band killing their songs’
The band have released only one album since 1991 classic Loveless, yet their influence remains undimmed. Their frontman discusses destroying buildings with noise, losing his mojo – and preparing new music
March 2021
'It's all psychedelic!' The film about Alan McGee's rocking, rolling life
Creation Stories review – mythmaking and megalomania in likable Alan McGee biopic
May 2020
London's lost venues – in pictures
With the post-lockdown future of so many live music venues in doubt, Paul Talling’s new book is a timely reminder of what we have already lost.
June 2018
My Bloody Valentine review – apocalyptic aural dust storms like nothing else in rock
This warm-up gig starts rustily, but soon sounds incredible. And there’s genuine mystery in how the band make their enthralling, bizarre music
June 2017
Music blog
Snub TV: cult music show that unearthed the underground
The no-frills cable show captured 80s and 90s bands at their most bonkers – from Napalm Death’s growling mayhem to New Order calling U2’s singer ‘that bongo guy’. Co-founder Pete Fowler explains why nothing else has come close
March 2016
Mmoths: Luneworks review – a little night music never hurt anyone
Mmoths’s debut LP tempers glitchy beats and disembodied voices with a warmth that lifts it above the usual electronic fare
December 2015
Best culture 2015
When music makes sense of life – our writers' favourite musical moments of 2015
From Wales to Cambodia, from impromptu choirs to high-end hi-fi, our writers recall the moments music really hit home this year
New band of the week
New band of the week: Black Honey (No 82)
Like the idea of Lana Del Rey singing girl group pop accompanied by indie shoegazers? Try this Brighton four-piece
Enduring Love: why Swans are more vital now than ever
From their emergence in the experimental 80s to their split and rebirth in the 00s, Swans have always fascinated John Doran. Here he explains why the reissue of two classic albums is reason to rejoice rather than lament
October 2015
Beach House review – sonic adventures against a starlit sky
The Virginia duo deliver their echo-laden, Wurlitzer-whirling noise to a heaving venue in a slow-building dreampop spectacle
January 2015
Readers recommend
Readers recommend: songs with vibrato, tremolo and oscillation – results
From Beach Boys’ vibes to My Bloody Valentine’s tremolo and phasers, RR’s magicman presents a wonderfully wobbly playlist from last week’s topic
December 2014
Readers recommend
Readers recommend: songs with vibrato, tremolo and oscillation
Wondrous wobbles, brilliant bends, tremendous trembles. In voice or guitar, organs or other instruments, name your songs that show expressivity and innovation by sound alteration, says Peter Kimpton
October 2014
New band of the week
New band of the week: Pinkshinyultrablast (No 28)
Introducing the finest Russian shoegaze band in the world today!
August 2014
Thurston Moore Band plays first gig 'by accident'
The 10 best ...
The 10 best… second albums
March 2014
The A-Z of festivals 2014 – in pictures
The Observer's music writers give their A-Z guide to this summer's festival highlights, from A$AP Rocky to Zoe Ball
