A certain grouchy state of mind this morning almost compelled me to break my own if-you-can’t-say-anything-nice-don’t-say-anything-at-all rule for the blog and post a list of disappointing albums of 2011. Instead, though, I figured it’d be much more constructive to round up a few things worth investing in.

The redoubtable Mr Pop will be answering your questions soon...

Duet will be singer's first recorded appearance since 2007

Thom Yorke's band to dish out 'The Universal Sigh'

Singer says the new songs may never come out, though

Winwood and pals’ pastoral funk apogee, remastered...

Lift To Experience man goes solo. Bleakly brilliant...

Watchable, if flawed sword and sandals adventure...

I’ve never played guitar, so may not be the best person to judge, and I’m generally averse to wild comparatives and superlatives in music reviews. Watching Arbouretum last night, though – it was somewhere in the last quarter of “Song Of The Nile”, to be specific – I started to think that, just maybe, Dave Heumann might be one of the best guitarists I’ve seen play in years.

Extensive collection of memorabilia to go on show in Seattle