Pulse

Strange to think that a format should have been so exciting, but when Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation emerged in 1988, among the intriguing things about it was that it was a double album. With the double albums that me and my friends played at the time – this would have been Electric Ladyland, The Song Remains The Same, if I’m honest Focus 3 – part of their mystique derived from the fact they were from another era.

Pure, quiet quality from the reunited Kiwi Beatles

See the video to 'O Superman' here too

Low-key poker drama plays a clever hand

Terrific second from Detroit's goth-country sprites

As I write, I've just started listening to Bjork's new album, "Volta", for the third time. The first single, "Earth Intruders", is playing right now, a kind of euphoric marching song driven by three radical beat scientists: freestyling avant drummer Chris Corsano; Congolese troupe Konono No1; and, most notably, Timbaland. It's pretty dizzying, as you might imagine.

Jeff Tweedy has always been a perverse bugger. When Wilco became the toast of the Americana classes, Tweedy did everything in his considerable power to disassociate himself from the scene. He made the two greatest albums of his career, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born", and saw his band hailed as so adventurous as to be virtually avant-garde. Clearly, though, being stereotyped as a radical is starting to get on his nerves.

Thanks to all your responses over the past few days. A couple of people have asked me to write about the Kings Of Leon and Modest Mouse albums, both of which I have here. But to be honest, I'm not hugely keen on either (save the first track of the Kings album, "Knocked Up", which is the best thing they've done by far). The point of Wild Mercury Sound, I guess, is simply to write about things I care for.

U2's songs are to be used to lift up Lincoln's religious spirits

Fame, fame, fatal fame – third album from Sub Pop’s indie superstars