Check out Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s official new video for the ole chestnut, Jesus’ Chariot (She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain) off their imminent new album Americana. Another stunner.  Pre-order the album at http://neilyoung.com

In recent days both the young (Django Django) and old (Tom Jones) have appeared on Later With Jools Holland. First check out young “it” band Django Django (performing their song WOR) again, and then Tom Jones.  What a pleasure to hear Jones singing a great song (Leonard Cohen’s Tower of Song) instead of his historical dreck (What’s New Pussycat?, She’s a Lady, etc.).  As an added bonus, at end check out Jones and Jools collaborating on the oft-covered Traveling Man.  Before he was a host, Holland was a hollerin’ musician.  The lad can simply play piano.

After disappearing from the scene for 15+ years, Jones kickstarted his career again in 2009 and has a forthcoming Ethan Jones-produced (his second in a row) album entitled Spirit in the Room, featuring such diverse songs as Tom Wait’s Bad As Me, a rendition of Odetta’s Hit Or Miss, and a reading of the disturbing Charlie Darwin by Low Anthem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtJftl8no6g&feature=uploademail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWnzSCo0mWs&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW4fRw12AwA&feature=channel&list=UL

Following closely on the heels of their show last Saturday at the Santa Barbara Bowl (more on that later), Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros appeared last night on the Letterman Show to play their new song Man on Wire, the opening track of their impending new album, HERE. Check out the be-shrouded Alex “Charles Bojangles” Ebert as he attempts to incite the Edward Sullivan Theater crowd to “come dance with me.” The audience’s reaction appears similar to ours. And given its history (The Beatles, The Doors, etc.), the Theater itself wrote us to say: meh.

Via the Audio Perv.

The enigmatic Bonnie “Prince” Billie (Will Oldham) has been garnering praise and intermittent bewilderment in his and his various band permutations for 15+ years.  When he’s on, there’s not a better songwriter in America.  I See A Darkness is one of those songs. Check out the first video from a soon-to-be-released EP Now Here’s My Plan from BPB.  Check out BPB and band having some fun with I See a Darkness.  Between the jaunty step through the graveyards of Glasgow, Scotland, and the eye-full of effects, the video sheds nothing but light.

We were tremendously taken by Kathleen Edwards recent show at the Ventura “Majestic” Theater. For a flavor, check her and the band performing Empty Threat (off her fantastic recent album, Voyageur) last Friday night on the Jimmy Fallon Show (pardon the ads).  The band’s ensemble playing and singing are suave and soulful (we particularly like the mix on Fallon featuring John Dinsmore’s fat bass).

We’ve mentioned these guys before.  Check out up-and-coming band Django Django perform their song Default on Later With Jools Holland.  No fault whatsoever to be found.

In addition to writing a great song, Patrick Watson and band have now delivered a telling video for their song Into Giants.  Check it out.  We don’t know why the opening Skype-session-while-in-same-room vignette rings a bell.  Hmmm.  Friends, family….who could it be?  Live.  And learn.  Yes, stones, glass-houses.  Got it.  Check out Patrick Watson and try and catch them when they come by the West Coast in early June.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwYgsXhIVRQ&feature=digest_wed

Up-and-coming Imagine Dragons is coming to Santa Barbara tonight to play Velvet Jones courtesy of Club Mercy.  They stopped on their way south to perform on Portland’s KINK radio.  Check ’em out unplugged below playing My Fault and Destination.  But for a better feel for tonight’s show check out at bottom a plugged-in version of Destination that reminds of Dawes, which is not faint praise.  Check your pacemakers at the door.  The Vegas band recently signed to Interscope Records and is working on their first full album.

The reunited and re-aminated Beach Boys appeared on the Jimmy Fallon Show last night.  Fallon was so jacked up that he introduced the Boys (including originals Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston) before the show’s usual intro.  The Beach Boys thus kicked off the show with an impressive rendering of Brian Wilson’s chestnut, In My Room.  The band also performed the title track to their new album That’s Why God Made the Radio and then closed musically with Pet Sounds’ opening single Wouldn’t It Be Nice.  Fallon also interviewed Brian Wilson and Mike Love, covering such subjects as the band’s legacy, harmonies, and their imminent LP, That’s Why God Made the Radio. Check it all out in that order below (interview via Audio Perv).  And don’t forget to pick up tickets for The Beach Boys at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Memorial Day (May 28th).  Should be memorable.

In My Room:

That’s Why God Made the Radio:

Wouldn’t It Be Nice:

Interview with Brian Wilson and Mike Love (via Audio Perv):

We were blown away last summer by Charles Bradley and the Menihan Street Band when they played at Soho in Santa Barbara.  As we said, the emotion from and for Bradley was palpable.  We hear Charles is back in the studio and look forward to his next releases.

For a flavor check out Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires (including many of the Menihans) performing The World (Is Going Up in Flames) from his debut album No Time For Dreaming on Later Live with Jools Holland last week.  In a word:  soulful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGKae7QDfLE