l IT’s been a while since we’ve heard from Howling Bells.

Since their majestic self-titled debut in 2006 they seem to have, well, dropped off the face of the earth.

Thank the gods of rock & roll, then, that they’re back with a new album – one worth every second of the wait.

That album, Radio Wars, has been produced by Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has previously engineered records for Radiohead, Air and Paul McCartney alongside Nigel Godrich.

Melodic, adventurous, diverse and dark, it features guitars and synths in equal measure.

You can get a glorious pre-launch preview of this at times unsettling new material on Thursday, when they play the O2 Academy Oxford.

Support comes from The Joy Formidable. Tickets are £8 in advance. Doors open at 7pm.

l You may not have heard of them, but Sunfly describe themselves as Oxford’s longest running band – dating back to the very early 70s.

Their latest outing sees them playing Fat Lil’s in Corn Street, Witney, tonight. Doors open at 8pm.

Included in the five-man line-up are ex-Mr Big member Eddie Carter (who had a 1977 hit with Romeo) and top rock drummer Barry Barlow.

Expect a mix of classic rock and blues and material from recent album When The Crowd Has Gone.

l Banish those Monday blues, with a dose of, err, the blues!

That godfather of r’n’b ‘Silver’ Phil Guy Davis this week presents singer-guitarist Sean Webster.

With a playing style likened to Albert Collins, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler and Gary Moore, and a rich, sexy voice which has been compared to Joe Cocker, Bryan Adams and Jonny Lang, I think you’ll agree, we’re in for another good night.

The Famous Monday Blues takes place at the Bullingdon, Cowley Road from 9pm.

l Dynamic duo The Ting Tings have announced a mini tour to thank fans for their support over the past 18 months (and for snapping up 500,000 of their albums).

After a stunning NME Awards tour here last year, and an unprecedented DJ set at the Cowley Road’s Brickworks afterwards, Jules De Martino and Katie White are sadly not gracing Oxford this time round, but are, in what can only be described as an act of charity, heading down to Swindon.

Catch latest single We Walk and all your favourites at the Oasis Centre on March 3.

l Pop fans. All your birthdays and Christmases have come at once.

Tomorrow tickets go on sale for those pop-tastic scamps McFly, who play the New Theatre, Oxford on May 6.

The gig is part of their 14-date ‘Up Close. But This Time it’s Personal’ theatre tour.

And be warned: tickets for their last tour – 2006’s ‘Up Close and Personal’ tour (see what they’ve done there?), sold out in under two hours. Tickets go on sale 9am. Buy online at www.gigsandtours.com, www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0871 2200 260.

If that’s your bag, you may also be interested to know that reality TV spin-off merchant Lemar plays the same venue on March 29. Tickets are £25.