Give a warm welcome to Birmingham’s other current sons, Swim Deep. Out on the road across the UK the B-Town lads explain why their number one prerogative is to make everyone feel good.

It was the week everyone came to London: Kanye, Justin Timberlake, Dave Grohl, Muse, Thom Yorke. But who impressed the most? Which touts were the biggest bell ends? Which celebs turned up for whom? There can only be one winner…

They’re a bunch of teenagers who play strictly retro rock’n’roll and have been showered with praise from Dave Grohl, Elton John and Noel Gallagher. But do they actually have any decent material to call their own?

French indie pop kings Phoenix are back and headlining festivals. They’re also preparing to release their first album since the much-loved ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’. But why are they stressed?

“This is some cryptic shit you’re dropping on me!” Oh dear, another rock superstar is challenged by NME’s notorious memory quiz.

Albums by The Men, Jimi Hendrix, Chelsea Light Moving, Bastille, Night Works, Fiction, Hookworms, Kate Nash, Suuns, Laura Mvula, Kilo Kish and Gold Panda. Gig reports from Exclamation Pony, Everything Everything, Darwin Deez, Local Natives, Killer Mike, Deftones, Kodaline, Villagers, I Am Kloot and Mozart’s Sister.

ALSO! Interviews with Brett Anderson, Carl Barat, Noah & The Whale, Deptford Goth, Kavinsky, and the only good picture from the BRIT Awards – Damon and Noel embrace! PLUS! How could the Harlem Shake be killing music?!

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