Quincy Jones, legendary music producer, composer and musician, died on Sunday, 3 November 2024, aged 91. His publicist and a family statement said he died at home in Bel Air, California, with his family around him.

Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham have announced a new album. Cunningham Bird covers Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks' 1973 album, Buckingham Nicks. Hear Bird and Cunningham's new versions of "Crying in the Night" and "Crystal" below.

Eric Clapton just let us know that his new studio album, Meanwhile, will be released digitally on October 4th and on vinyl and CD on January 24, 2025. It's coming out from Bushbranch/Surfdog Records. The announcement also includes the release of a new song, "One Woman," which is available today. You can pre-order Meanwhile and listen to "One Woman" HERE.The album features collaborations with Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Bradley Walker, Judith Hill, Daniel Santiago, and Simon Climie, as well as six brand new songs and eight previously released singles.

The British musical duo, comprising the versatile musician Will Turner and the co-singer and -songwriter Georgie Fuller (who expand to a five-piece for live performances), the Heavy Heavy, secured a record deal with ATO and appearances on American television programmes such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on the strength of their debut extended play record, Life and Life Only. Those who were quick to embrace the group will be pleased to discover that the buoyant presence and nostalgic charm that initially garnered the Heavy Heavy attention are even more pronounced on their full-length debut, One of a Kind. The project draws on an ever-expanding pool of familiar sounds from the mid- to late 1960s, filtering them through a hooky, harmonic mid-fi lens. The musical touchstones in play range from the raw, strutting rock of the early British Invasion to the hazier psychedelic pop/rock and adjacent folk-rock of acts such as the Byrds and the Mamas & the Papas, with a hint of the gritty Creedence Clearwater Revival twang evident in their sound. Irrespective of the musical references that may be made, the album commences in an enthusiastic manner, with the use of chafed vocal harmonies, a rumbling blues undergirding, carefree guitar solos and howling harmonica. The second track, "Happiness," maintains the enthusiasm established in the preceding songs. It was an early single whose sunny, bittersweet quality reached the top of the Triple-A radio charts prior to the album's release. The album's generous 12-song track list largely maintains a similar style, with occasional deviations into more anxious psychedelic pop on "Feel," pastoral, keyboard-infused pop on "Wild Emotion," Woodstock-ian blues-rock on the Fuller-led "Dirt," and trippy, meandering atmospherics on the especially Mamas & the Papas-approached "Salina." While the Heavy Heavy do occasionally borrow riffs from other sources, the songs on this album evoke a sense of being lost in time. However, the quality of the songwriting is such that the songs stand on their own merits, rather than being merely forgotten outtakes.

Luck and Strange represents David Gilmour's fifth solo record and his third release in the 21st century. He is evidently aware of the privilege afforded to him; he has composed some of rock music's most memorable pieces, performed on some of its most prominent stages, and been bestowed with the honour of becoming a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He could have chosen to maintain the status quo for the duration of his career. Instead, he has continued to undertake tours, engage in numerous collaborative endeavours, advocate for a multitude of just causes, and donate the proceeds from the sale of his property and musical instruments to charitable organisations. If he wishes to produce a single album per decade, he is entitled to do so. Appearing nine years after 2015's Rattle That Lock, Luck and Strange brings together a supporting cast that is both novel and recognisable, as well as familial. To produce the album, he sought to bring a more contemporary presence to the project, enlisting the services of Charlie Andrew (Alt-J) to augment the contributions of veteran players such as Guy Pratt (bass) and Steve Gadd (drums). Furthermore, his daughter, Romany Gilmour, a singer and harpist, plays a significant role on the album, even taking the lead on the standout track, "Between Two Points," a cover of the 1999 dream pop song by the Montgolfier Brothers. As is the case with all of his records since the 1990s, Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, serves as both lyricist and direct collaborator. The prevailing mood of Luck and Strange is contemplative, though not excessively melancholic. The album features compositions that are richly imagined and explore a range of themes, including uncertain futures, nostalgia, marriage, and a generation's halcyon days. The title track, which is built around a pre-existing 2007 jam with late Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright, exemplifies this exploration of a bygone era. The arrangements, which frequently incorporate orchestral and choral elements, evince a greater sense of freshness and agility than in his previous work, thereby balancing out some of the album's introspection. Furthermore, the youthful presence of Romany's (and his son Gabriel's) vocals is beneficial, contributing to the collaborative atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is clear that this is a Gilmour album, characterised by the refined, poetic guitar playing and introspective vocals that are his hallmark.

From the outset, Mercury Rev has consistently delivered musical experiences that are distinct from anything else in the market. This latest release demonstrates a notable degree of maturity and mastery on the part of the band, which serves to accentuate the album's fusion of experimental sounds and authentic emotions. Similarly, Jonathan Donahue utilises a whispered, largely spoken voice in lieu of his customary undulating croon. While initially surprising, this approach ultimately proves crucial to the album's success. Her deft, light touch makes her words dance, revealing the poetry of her memories and reflections. The album also draws inspiration from poet Robert Creeley, who taught at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where the band formed. The album's disparate elements coalesce into a cohesive whole, characterised by transcendent sounds, brilliant images and deep feelings. This is exemplified by the breathtaking opener 'Mood Swings', where Donahue reflects on the unknowable nature of the mind, gliding from one thought to the next like a trapeze artist on a deconstructed black dream. Born Horses is a more grounded yet still transporting album than many of their later works. It provides ample proof that Mercury Rev is still making moving, thoughtful, and exciting music. Like most of their best albums, it is a unique and exceptional piece of work.