Plus: Gwen Stefani: ‘Don’t Speak changed everything’
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Sleeve Notes
Picks of the week
The new bands honouring the spirit of old ones, from Talk Talk to Thin Lizzy
‘We can’t all retire because someone died’  
The new bands honouring the spirit of old ones, from Talk Talk to Thin Lizzy
Unlike tribute acts or bands still going with no original members, the likes of Held By Trees and House of All are leveraging time spent in their former groups to make music that looks forward as well as back
The reader interview  
Gwen Stefani: ‘Don’t Speak changed everything – it’s the heartbeat of who I am’
‘Drumming is full of machismo, so vulgar, so dumb’  
Valentina Magaletti, the musician giving the underground its rhythm
‘Leave your ego at the door’  
From Thriller to Sinatra, Quincy Jones collaborators tell the stories behind his songs
‘Grief is giving me this beautiful, deepening understanding’  
Phil Elverum on loss, new love and his landmarks of US indie
Reviews
Alexis Petridis's album of the week  
Flo: Access All Areas – ​skilful R&B revivalists need to get their freak on a bit more
Flo: Access All Areas – ​skilful R&B revivalists need to get their freak on a bit more
Folk album of the month  
Merope: Vėjula – Lithuanian folk reborn in glittering new forms
Dolly Parton & Family  
Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables – Dolly digs deep
070 Shake  
Petrichor – maxes out on heightened feelings
Shawn Mendes  
Shawn – a candid, stripped-back return
Poppy  
Negative Spaces – screams and sweetness as metalcore meets loungecore
Spotlight
The life, death and resurrection of jungle MC Stevie Hyper D
‘Bad boy come again!’  
The life, death and resurrection of jungle MC Stevie Hyper D
His ultra-fast rapping ruled 90s raves and influenced garage and grime, but he died young and fell into obscurity. The makers of a new documentary revisit his brilliance
Classical
Live review  
Takács Quartet – a superlative performance in which the music never sits still
Takács Quartet – a superlative performance in which the music never sits still
Album review  
Linda Catlin Smith: Flowers of Emptiness – compelling beauty and quiet intensity
Linda Catlin Smith: Flowers of Emptiness – compelling beauty and quiet intensity
Album review  
Tchaikovsky: The Seasons – exquisite care and ego-free piano playing
Tchaikovsky: The Seasons – exquisite care and ego-free piano playing
Live review  
LSO/Mäkelä – dazzle and drama, but always backed by exceptional musicality
LSO/Mäkelä – dazzle and drama, but always backed by exceptional musicality
Add to playlist
One to watch  
Pem
Pem
You may have missed
The tragic R&B crooner who struggled for acceptance
Luther Vandross  
The tragic R&B crooner who struggled for acceptance
A new documentary looks back on the career of a singer whose undeniable talent wasn’t always enough for a limited and image-obsessed industry
‘James Brown kept cutting our stage time’  
How the Stylistics made You Make Me Feel Brand New
‘The first time we opened for James Brown, we got 20 minutes on stage. Then when he heard the crowd response, he cut it to 15. By the end of the tour, he’d cut us back to five’
‘Two of the best songwriters Australia has ever produced’  
Punk pioneers the Saints return
Isolated in Brisbane, the Saints released a punk single before the Damned, Sex Pistols and the Clash. As they reform after their singer’s death, they recall their journey from school detention to Top of the Pops
The Filter  
The 13 best Christmas gifts for Taylor Swift fans
From a book that reveals the stories behind the record-breaking singer’s songs to her favourite kind of red lipstick, these pressies picked by our music editor will delight the Swiftie in your life
Live music this week
Bob Dylan  
Melancholy, reflective, but still utterly unpredictable
Melancholy, reflective, but still utterly unpredictable
Beabadoobee  
Singer-songwriter cautiously ups the rock ante
Magdalena Bay  
Alien electro-pop adventure could go further
Kitty Empire's artist of the week  
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – up close and existential with rock’s great everyman
Get in touch
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