So indie-guitar music in Britain is in the doldrums, is it? Try telling that to The Maccabees. In a world of Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, the London five-piece are bucking the trend for young white British boys armed with a six-string. Not ...

It is just four days before Christmas but Jason Pierce seems oblivious to festive cheer. The leader of influential space-rockers Spiritualized, sitting in the home studio where he has spent the last two years creating the band’s forthcoming seventh album “Sweet Heart Sweet Light,” ...

“That sounds very English, doesn’t it?” says Zulu Winter frontman Will Daunt of his refusal to get carried away by the fact his band has spent the start of 2012 as many critic’s tip for the top. “I don’t want to sound like a ...

Endorsed by Brian Eno, asked on tour by Nick Cave and doused with critical acclaim, Anna Calvi is the little woman with the big voice winning admirers at her every turn. London born Calvi’s eponymous debut, a beguiling mix taking cues from goth-pop, classical ...

Friendly Fires are happy to finally be back on home turf. It’s no wonder, the year has been predominantly spent living out the tale of their song “Hawaiian Air,” the highlight of second album “Pala” that typifies the trio’s dance-pop vision while bemoaning the ...

Extra incentive, as if any was needed, to get down to the Friendly Fires shows in Osaka and Tokyo comes in the form of opening act Chad Valley, the moniker of British solo artist Hugo Manuel. Over the last 12 months, Oxford-born Manuel has ...

Andy Bell may be in Stockholm but his thoughts remain focused on Japan. The guitarist’s new band, Beady Eye, consists of the former members of Oasis who were left standing following Noel Gallagher’s acrimonious departure two years ago. The quartet were in the process ...

Even before the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake caused concert cancellations en masse, The Vaccines had to start pulling out of overseas tour commitments due to singer Justin Young’s throat operation. Now “100 percent better,” the band will show the audience at this ...

Even when enjoying some downtime in her Los Angeles home, Jenny Lee Lindberg still feels as if she is “whirlwinding around.” But then, it has been that sort of year for the bassist in Warpaint: her band has spent 12 months carrying the “next ...

Formed in Brooklyn, New York, via Cincinnati, Ohio, The National have taken an equally oblique route to success. Twelve years into a career where every strand of recognition has been painstakingly hard-earned, The National’s exquisite melancholy has resonated long enough to transform any cult-status ...

Few bands defined 2010 like New York girl/boy noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells. Residing in uber-trendy Brooklyn, championed by both the blogosphere and M.I.A. (who signed the pair to her NEET label), and oozing the sort of elegantly wasted glamour they would sell by the ...