The Honeycombs had one of the biggest hits made by Joe Meek, Britain’s eccentric low-budget answer to America’s equally eccentric big-budget producer Phil Spector. (more…)

Anna von Hausswolff stepped away from her usual pipe organ to record this shimmering ballad that features in the film Sound Of Falling.

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The Sugarcubes put Iceland on the music map and introduced us to the unique strangeness of Björk with their 1987 single Birthday.

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Guè enjoys a cameo in the film La Grazia, about an elderly hip-hop-loving Italian president who presents the rapper with a knighthood.

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Tony Joe White teams up with British “desert disco” duo Flying Mojito Bros on a posthumous collection of unreleased songs by the swamp rock king. (more…)

The Shaggs are the last word in the peculiar niche of bands “so bad they’re good.” Or in this case, still bad – but cult favourites.

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R.E.M. joined a long list of artists when they began covering Wichita Lineman on tour in 1994 and finally released it as a B-side two years later.

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Courtney Barnett introduced herself, and her quirky individual sound, with the song Avant Gardener back in 2013.

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Terry Cox was the drummer with British folk-rock pioneers Pentangle, who also played on landmark albums by David Bowie and Elton John.

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I just stumbled across this great performance by a band called Tappi Tíkarrass, featuring an all-too-familar face and voice from Iceland.

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