- It’s fifteen years now since The Hold Steady first sent the music press into fits of delirium. Mixing cheesy classic rock riffs with a short-story writer’s sense of observation and turn of phrase; filling their songs with musical in-jokes; the band seemed made for music nerds and critics.

- On my first listen to the lead single Dig, Bury, Drink from Lagerstein’s forthcoming third album 25/7 I honestly believed that Brisbane had birthed a German bier-hall band; not realising that they were a pirate metal band. After the second spin of the record, and a visit to their website, I would have to say that these buccaneering Brisbanites -with brandished swords- have composed a pirate metal soundtrack. It's so richly theatrical it feels like there should be a whole pirate musical to go with it, even if it doesn't exist yet.

- It’s hard to find a debut album rollout which has been so befitting of a band as Melbourne band Private Function’s new record St Anger. The name, a piss-take of the Metallica album of the same title, features a suspiciously similar album cover, and when Metallica tweeted asking fans their favourite track off of the original St Anger, Private Function responded with their debut LP’s lead single Talking To Myself.

<p>- The huge resurgence in popularity for the ‘90s guitar indie sub-genre known as “shoegazing” has resulted in a wealth of young bands from all over the world clutching their copies of old&nbsp;<strong>Slowdive</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>My Bloody Valentine</strong>&nbsp;albums on the way to rehearsal. As a result, both of these acts have enjoyed a second wind, most notably Slowdive with their triumphant comeback album of 2017.</p>

- The Center Won’t Hold is the tenth album from iconic American punk band Sleater Kinney, and the second following their reformation in 2015.