We sit down with Mexican guitar maestro Rodrigo Sanchez, one half of the acclaimed duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela to discuss the story behind their latest record Area 52, a potential Australian tour and what it's like working with acclaimed soundtrack composers.

Area 52 is the latest release from Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela. Originally devised as a way of keeping the label off their backs, the project soon took on a life of it’s own, growing exponentially. The result of which is nine dramatic and striking re-imaginings of songs from their previous releases.

Welcome to our new weekly news feature where we round up the latest news in the world of album release dates. We'll be pounding through dozens of news pieces from the last few weeks, so let's get moving! Unless otherwise mentioned, all release dates apply to Australia only.

In This Issue: Of Montreal, Sleigh Bells, Ladyhawke, Dirty Three, The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, Paul McCartney, Silverstein, Black Dice, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Emelie Sandé, Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan (Honouring 50 Years of Amnesty International), Peter Broderick, The Blank Fight, Lana Del Ray and more...

I made my way into the second day of Bluesfest with the following mentality: here is where the real fun begins. With legends such as BB King and Grace Jones gracing the Bluesfest stage, today was going to be quite special indeed...

Midway between working on new projects, Rodrigo y Gabriela skip out to Australia for four quick shows as part of their East Coast Blues and Roots spot. Tonight it is the ramshackle Enmore Theatre playing host to a night of acoustic lurings.

I believe it was Bob Marley who said "one good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain". Well, the punters at this year’s Blues and Roots were in for a pain free day, with the music on offer being of the highest quality from artists of the highest calibre.

Upon the arrival of the new decade,
patrons of the Lorne Falls Festival were left scalded by the sun’s
rays and soaked through and through by one of the most treacherous storms
the event has ever seen. Nonetheless, most of the 15,000 or so attendees
were delightfully content with the whole three days.