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Pick at the pops: 25 September 2006

Our weekly round-up of the weird and wonderful world of pop music...

It’s the last throes of summer, and everyone’s kissing and making up. Quirky Icelanders the Sugarcubes have announced that they’re back, along with original singer and famed puffin eater Björk, for a huge show in their homeland. What could have possessed the other band members to ditch their dazzling solo careers to hook up with her again?

Our cockles were also warmed to hear that ex-Libertines Carl Barat and publicity-shy Pete Doherty were recording together again. It’s just as part of a collective covering The Clash’s Janie Jones’, but it’s surely the first step towards a brighter tomorrow, and a News Of The World spread.

The Beach Boys are jumping on the reforming bandwagon too. Well, the ones who aren’t dead or Mike Love are, anyway. That leaves Brian Wilson and Al Jardine, who’ll be touring Pet Sounds in the USA. Fortunately, they have a new band to prop them up.

Most exciting of all, All Saints are doing it properly and have released details of upcoming single Rock Steady and album Studio 1. An intriguing reggae flavour to the titles there. What was wrong with the Appletons' rock direction?

However, the news this week isn't just about people making up and getting back together. Reports are seeping through that Embrace will split after their next album. The bad news is, singer Danny McNamara has apparently said that they want to make it a "masterpiece" and will take us much time as they need. Cancel the invitations.

A quick shout out to the MOBO Awards, held at the Royal Albert Hall this week, for digging deep to reward the less obvious artists pushing the boundaries for black music. Gongs went to Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, Lemar and Corinne Bailey Rae. Nothing lazy about that.

Matthew Horton

• Last week: Robbie's new footballing chum
• 11/09/2006: Monkeys' Mercury delight
• 04/09/2006: Foo Fighters save miners >>
• 28/08/2006: Britney gets banned in Asia >>
• 21/08/2006: Radiohead's grumpy greatest hits >>
• 14/08/2006: Natasha Bedingfield's Rocky return >>
• 07/08/2006: The heavyweight return of Meat Loaf >>