Antony and the johnsons

Lou Reed, Antony Hegarty and more all confirmed

First line-ups are revealed! Leonard Cohen, Morrissey and Amy Winehouse too

Standard-bearer of 21s-century, transgender torch returns with a low-key suite of pastoral artsong

Rufus Wainwright has just played up to all Benicassim festival expectations of a good ol’ show tune packed set. Within the space of four songs he went from Joseph in his technicolour dreamcoat to something out of The Producers – in between teasing the packed Esceniaro Fiberfib tent wearing his now de rigeur festival white bath robe.

Art-pop explorer finds sweet spots between experimental and exhilarating

…and Nina Simone's "Be My Husband"

As The Unthanks return with their new album, Mount The Air, we delve back into the archives to unearth this piece from Uncut’s February 2010 issue (Take 153). From Morris dancing to moshing, here are Rachel Unthank’s most treasured tunes… Interview: Sharon O’Connell ____________________________ The record that turned me on to dancing Various Artists – Morris On (1972)

A lot of good things this week, and I should quickly mention that the new Uncut is now in the shops (in the UK at least). This link here has all the details of the issue contents, plus there’s a piece/interview by me about Bill Fay’s impending comeback.

Spiritualized, Wilco and Field Music are among the first acts to be confirmed for this summer's Wilderness Festival. The festival, which made its debut last year, takes place on August 10-12 in Oxfordshire's Cornbury Park. Also confirmed to play at this year's event are Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Stornoway, Lianne La Havas, London Folk Guild, Cloud Control, Grant Lee Buffalo and a host of others.

From being a fairly obsessive fan of Devendra Banhart, I’ve found myself lacking much to say about “What Will We Be” in the months since it first turned up in the office. It’s far from a bad record, but the few times I played it, it felt oddly weary, even uncharismatic, compared with its predecessors; “Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon” is often identified as the jump-off point for a lot of Banhart former fans, but I still think that one stands up as a terrifically spirited album, full of life.