London’s post-punk seismographers pick up more weird vibrations on their third album. By Victoria Segal. Illustration by Cold War Steve.

Inside the US singer-songwriter’s path from early DIY explorations to modern country-folk force

Finding poignancy in the dread and dislocation of modern living, London four-piece DRY CLEANING have garnered admirers including Nick Cave, Grace Jones and Jeff Tweedy. As new album Secret Love refines their nervy post-punk sprechgesang, the band set their sights on new targets. “Art and humour are our main weapon,” they tell Stephen Troussé

Squeeze ’s songwriting duo are back in harness, toting a rock opera they wrote in the ’70s with an all-new album to come. Given their near-constant strife, it’s a miracle. But as they insist, “the thing that always brings us together is the songs…”

How Eno-supervised jams and a playful tale of obsessive relationships yielded the Manchester veterans’ biggest hit to date. Just don’t wear those dresses on American TV!

Mike Patton and the Avett Brothers join forces to create a work of immense beauty.