Pixies: Natural Magic

Weird and wonderful as they’ve ever been, the Pixies throw us through yet another loop with Beneath The Eyrie: an album that peers back on the past 30 years of their reign over alt-rock with fondness, and to the future with a blinding fervour.

Santana: The Language Of The Soul

Carlos Santana has such a way with words that interviewing him left us stuttering in awe. But if there’s one thing he’s more adept at than speaking, it’s working the fretboard of his guitar. A certified maniac creating bright, colourful solos that cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter, when Matt Doria gets the Mexican mind-melter on the phone, he’s treated to the best of both worlds.

Shootout: Acoustics Around A Thousand Bucks

We’re living in a unique time for acoustic guitar manufacturers. Today, there’s a real sweet spot around the $1,000 mark: it’s where some of the super big brands place stripped-down guitars that do away with some of the visual flash in order to give you a sweet prestige-name instrument.