James Mercer may use the words "sublimate" and "indigent", but don't be fooled: The Shins trade in a highbrow equivalent of landfill indie.

Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics is home of the Lovell telescope, one of the largest and most powerful radio telescopes for "investigating cosmic phenomena" in the world. The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band who put on a seriously cosmic show. As frontman Wayne Coyne announces: "This is our place".

Occasionally – very occasionally, mind – a group's self-awareness is acute. The Pet Shop Boys always had a keen sense of themselves, probably because they didn't become famous until Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe were approaching their thirties.

As an intimation of musical intention, the title Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier pretty much nails it here, Philadelphia duo Sun Airway dealing in a miasmic drone-rock that brings to mind My Bloody Valentine collaborating with The Flaming Lips.

In a glib summation of Mogwai's music, they tend to start quiet and then get pretty loud. On their new song "Rano Pano", the long-running Scottish post-rockers (pictured) dispense with the quiet side – instead they start loud and stay there.

A man died today after being hit by a car outside a music festival.

The curse of the Mercury Prize strikes again!

Arcade Fire's first album catapulted the unconventional Canadian outfit into the rock stratosphere, drawing eulogies from Springsteen, Bowie, Byrne and more. Six years later, their third album is awaited with bated breath. Andy Gill sets the scene for the release of the year

Some nights of the soul are obviously darker than others. During the year-long dispute with EMI that held up this album's release, two of the musicians involved have taken their own lives, the disabled songwriter Vic Chesnutt by an overdose of muscle-relaxant drugs last Christmas Day, while Mark "Sparklehorse" Linkous shot himself earlier this year.

Recording a cover version of an entire classic album is the sort of prank normally associated with Laibach, but Oklahoman eccentric Wayne Coyne is perhaps the only other artist mad enough to try it.

The tribute album is often damned by the diffidence of disciples wary of offending against their holy musical text.

Acts such as Dizzee Rascal, Scissor Sisters and The Flaming Lips are among the main acts playing this year's Glastonbury Festival, it was announced today.

This Philadelphia band's loyal followers have always claimed that, studio-wise, their best is yet to come.