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A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most

Away from his day job as The National’s lugubrious frontman, MATT BERNINGER has reached back into his Ohio upbringing for a ruminative new solo record. But behind the childhood tales of gang fights, drowned train cars and Christmas tree farms lurks midlife melancholy. “I’m writing about trying to understand my own fear,” he tells Laura Barton

CONFESS

This trio of Los Angeles musicians fuse the rhythms of Havana, Medellín and Lima with the sounds of 60s surf music – though their sound has more in common with Latin folk music than Dick Dale. We join them to talk about their debut album, fibreglass guitars and tropical psychedelia

With his trusty Fender Strat in hand and at a young 64, Bob Mould is an evergreen icon of alt and indie guitar – and he’s back with a new solo album

Featuring smashed guitars, mental breakdowns, and the appearance of David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails’ Self Destruct touring cycle has passed into legend. Photographer Jonathan Rach was there to capture the carnage