Sleeve Notes: Why 2011 may actually be amazing

Five things that make 2011 look exciting • Anna Calvi's debut album fills us with Desire • British Sea Power's new LP wishes "protesting was sexy on a Saturday night" • Wire are climbing up the Red Barked Tree • Hercules and Love Affair are playing in my house, my house • Music from a man with a crochet beard Five things we learned this week • Why gigs can be so LOUD • Why the Flaming Lips shouldn't do a Valentine's Day single • Kylie's new tour will have a "splash zone" • Rock is dead! • Oh no it's not! Five new bands on our radar this week • Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All • Hiss Golden Messenger • The Boxettes • Tribes • Beat Connection Some other random stuff • The Music Weekly podcast is, quite literally, Go! • Our recording studio, full of twigs • Jon Dennis is the new man running Readers Recommend •Get updates on the old Twitter at @guardianmusic (or, to feel the full force of our musical output, follow @gmfeed )