-
Add to playlist: the righteous jangle and snaking melodies of Jawdropped and the week’s best new tracks
The Guardian’s weekly Add to Playlist column spotlights LA powerpop project Jawdropped, whose debut album Secret to Spare (out 18 September) is praised for capturing the joy of “low-stakes creativity” made for its own sake rather than for success. The band, formed in 2024 by musicians who had each spent years in LA’s DIY scene,…
-
Daily Mail accused of stalking woman mistaken as White Stripes drummer Meg White
The Daily Mail secretly followed and photographed a woman in Detroit, then published a story wrongly identifying her as former White Stripes drummer Meg White, according to multiple sources cited by the Guardian. The paper reportedly went ahead with the claim even after the woman told it she was not White, raising serious questions about…
-
The best recent translated fiction – review roundup
This roundup rounds up four recent works of translated fiction, spanning Finnish autofiction, an experimental Austrian crime novel, a Ghanaian migrant’s story set in Denmark, and short stories from a Japanese-Argentinian writer. It offers readers a snapshot of standout international literature now available in English, highlighting the diversity of voices and styles reaching British bookshops.…
-
Quarter of branded baby foods in UK still have too much sugar, analysis finds
A year after the UK government introduced voluntary guidelines aimed at cutting sugar and salt in baby food, a new analysis has found that almost a quarter of popular branded infant products still contain excessive sugar, with more than half breaching at least one of the nine standards. The findings have prompted renewed calls from…
-
The Patrick Clancy Conspiracy Theories Are Rooted in the Harsh Realities of Motherhood
Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts nurse, is on trial for the deaths of her three young children, with her defence arguing she was not criminally responsible due to severe postpartum psychosis and that healthcare providers repeatedly failed to act on her warnings. While much coverage has focused on how the tragedy might have been prevented, a…
-
Brandon Flowers – Thrasher
Brandon Flowers has released ‘Thrasher’, his third solo album, marking a full immersion into country music. Recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville, the album stands apart from his previous solo efforts, which had struggled to differentiate themselves from his work with The Killers, and instead draws on the country influences that have long simmered beneath…
-
“I would hope that whoever told you that you are ugly is not anyone you would call a friend.” Evanescence’s Amy Lee shares some beautiful advice with a fan – and explains why “being an Instagram star” is not the important part of making art
Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee has offered heartfelt advice to a fan who was discouraged from pursuing a music career after being called “ugly”. The exchange took place during a Guardian interview series in which the singer answers questions submitted by fans, and it touches on wider concerns about the music industry’s emphasis on looks over…
-
The Odyssey becomes highest grossing R-rated film of all time
The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, has become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, overtaking 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. This is notable because an R-rating, which restricts under-17s from attending without an adult, is usually seen as a limit on box office potential, making the film’s success unusual for the category.…
-
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2 review – once more unto the mercenary breach
This Guardian review covers Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2, Konami’s remastered bundle of Ghost Babel, Peace Walker and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, available on PC, Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The reviewer finds that while the collection offers a nostalgic trip through the stealth series’ history,…