“The ramshackle sound of Icky Mettle earned Archers of Loaf comparisons to Pavement (and the occasional dismissal as a Pavement ripoff act), but Bachmann’s earnest self-consciousness is miles away from Stephen Malkmus’s arch self-awareness.” At Pitchfork, Matt LeMay reviews the recent reissue of Archers of Loaf’s Icky Mettle.

• Maile Meloy on writing and incentives, for the Times.

• Karolina Waclawiak’s novel How to Get Into the Twin Palms will be released by Two Dollar Radio next year.

• The Guardian has begun announcing the longlist for their first book award.

• At Chunklet: an interview with Jon Fine of Bitch Magnet, who will be reuniting and having their discography reissued later this year.