The Avett Brothers are working on a new album produced, like their monstrous last album, by Rick Rubin.  In the meantime, here’s a nice cover of Tom Wait’s Fish & Bird by Seth Avett.  Harkens back to a simpler time.

We never grow tired of Ry Cooder, and in particular his 70s’ masterpieces.  We’ve got a more elaborate post in the works, but in the meantime, check out two performances of Jesus On the Mainline (off of Paradise & Lunch).  The first is Cooder, David Lindley and all-star cast performing live at the NOLA Jazzfest.  The second is a 1977 performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebj_e4VagcA&feature=related

Legendary folk-troubadour, Woody Guthrie, has received deserved accolades and admiration from the general public and fellow musicians alike over the years.  Over a decade ago, Woody’s daughter, Nora Guthrie, sought help from Billy Bragg and Wilco to put music to Woody’s lyrics that she had unearthed.  The result was two Mermaid Avenue albums, which helped to bring Woody’s music to a new set of listeners (for anyone who hasn’t heard the song California Stars by Wilco, you are missing out–check out a great singalong with California kids HERE).

Comes now a supergroup comprised of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James (billed as Yim Yames), Son Volt’s Jay Farrar, Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson, and Varnaline’s Anders Parker, who have teamed up and dreamed up music for more Woody Guthrie lyrics.  The result is a new album entitled New Multitudes, which comes out Feb. 28.

As will be heard, this ain’t your great-grandaddy’s folk music.  New Multitudes ladles on electric guitar and psychedelic pop sounds to the LA-centric lyrics for a whole new Guthrie vantage.  You can hear it below in the first song released from the album, Old L.A.  Makes us want to take a drive down the 101 to that “pretty fair place to be.”

Continuing their treasure trove of releases from Kathleen Edwards‘ recent performance at Studio 211, CBC Radio today released Edwards’  performance of House Full of Empty Rooms from her new album Voyageur.  Edwards is joined by perfect vocal foil, Sarah Harmer, on this song that is more representative of Edwards’ earlier work.  A beauty.  After, check out Edwards and Bahamas (taking a page, vocally, out of Jesse Winchester’s book) perform ye old Anne Murray chestnut, Songbird.  Them’s good singin’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff4vglsHg94&feature=uploademail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPdnxWygcjc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Aussie band Gotye (accompanied by Kimbra) made its US television debut on the Jimmy Kimmel Show last night and performed their hit song Somebody That I Used To Know.  We’ve covered them before, and the jury’s still out for us (though we do like Kimbra’s Katy Perry get-up and delivery).  Check ’em out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO56dYMc0Ps&feature=player_embedded

Finally–Him without She (mostly). One of America’s best songwriters and guitar players, M. Ward, will release his first solo album in three years,  A Wasteland Companion, on April 10th.  He (Him?) has many great companions on the album, including Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb (piano), John Parish (percussion, marimba), Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis (organ), She (vocals), Norfolk & Western’s Adam Selzer (bass), Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley (percussion), Dr Dog’s Tobey Leaman (bass), Devotchka’s Tom Hagerman (strings), and Oakely Hall’s Rachel Cox (vocals), amongst others.

Ward plays the Hollywood Forever Cemetery tonight and then will be at Soho here in Santa Barbara on April 14th (with fIREHOSE opening!).  Get your tickets quick over at Club Mercy.  The full list of tour dates follows the video below.

Yesterday, M. and Merge Records released a very cool new animated video (directed by Joel Trussell) for his song, The First Time I Ran Away.  The song reminds us of the good ole Transfiguration of Vincent days where Ward’s reverb-laden, world-weary vocals just wash over you and leave you marveling.  Check it out.

M. Ward on tour:

Feb 2 Los Angeles, CA Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Apr 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Apr 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
Apr 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
Apr 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHO
Apr 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Apr 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
Apr 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
Apr 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5  Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6  Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7  New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8  Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22

For it’s 100th session, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and band hopped into the Black Cab and went for a two-song ride.  Check out the performance below of the appropriately titled Black Captain, and then go over to the Black Cab Sessions channel and watch the cuckoo Coconuts.  On the former, BPB’s voice cracks then carries, but the harmonies on the chorus are crackling-fine.  On Coconuts, awards must be in the offing for BPB and crew avoiding cracking during the quadruple-entendre lyrics.