With their third album, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have said yes to the guilty pleasures of synth pop. The trio who are now based in LA rehearsed in a studio in Silverlake, a part of the City of Angels where you're never too far from a multi-million dollar home-or a US$1.50 taco stand. It's a neighborhood that's gentrified but still salted with soul, much like the band after eight years together. Soul underpinned Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 2003 debut album Fever to Tell (which sold more than one million copies) and in particular its breakthrough single, the ballad "Maps". singer Karen Orzolek wept real tears in the video. These days, you can play "Maps" on the music video game Rock Band, its pure emotion downloadable in easy, medium, hard or expert. Story by Emma Forrest

  In Hot As Rice, our pick of the crop of new albums. This month, albums by PJ Harvey and John Parish, The Decemberists, and Royksopp.

Look back in wonder, anger, whatever...the Up Periscope leads you back to an artist, music happening, or a record that's still highly memorable. This month, we train the spotlight on U2's Bono. Is he one of pop's most annoying twats?

The News, Get Hot! Self-explanatory, this one: get the news! The latest about Feist and Wilco, and veteran indie label Touch & Go.

The Last Count.  Our repository of album reviews in the recent past. Get your skillets out for albums by Bloc Party, Animal Collective, Ellen Allien, The Dears, LCD Soundsystem, Royksopp, Mice Parade, Populous, The Mars Volta, Deerhoof, Fennesz, Modest Mouse,  Morrissey, Sixtoo, and many more.