In case you are one of the few cognoscenti that doesn’t already possess it, Wilco is streaming their new album, “The Whole Love,” (along with four extra tracks) this weekend.  Check it out at the link below.

The band also announced that “[t]here’s also a groovy contest with our friends at Hipstamatic to take photos for the package of our very, very ltd. cassette tape edition of TWL.”  Read about it HERE.

And stream “The Whole Love” HERE.

As opposed to many others, we’ve not seen her do wrong.  Karen O (of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs) continues to solder the heart in her songs.  Sure, we like the band immensely, but Karen is the heart and soul thereof.  Check out this new video which is a part of a worthy campaign championed by Chipotle.  Many will argue, “It’s Chipotle, dude, come on!”  To that we can only say:  you may want to be scanned for a soul.  Give ’em credit for putting up serious money and effort for a great cause during these times.

Check out Karen O’s stirring cover of Willie and Waylon’s Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. Willie Nelson has spearheaded the Farm Aid campaign, so her cover is particularly apropos given Chipotle’s fundraising for sustainable-agriculture farmers.  Not to mention she manages somehow to twist the song from jaunty to haunting.

Karen O.  She gets it………..just right.

Death Cab for Cutie is coming to the Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday, with the explosive instrumentalists, Explosions in the Sky, opening.  To get motivated for the show, check Death Cab on Last Call with Carson Daly performing You Are A Tourist and The New Year (courtesy of the Audio Perv).  Death Cab’s rhythm section alone is worth the price of admission.

And here’s The New Year.

Wilco just announced it’s tour plans for 2012.  Included in the U.S. dates set forth below is a night at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara on February 10th.  Sweetness.  We can’t wait.  Anyone who missed their show at the Santa Barbara Bowl a couple of years ago, get in line.

01/19 – Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
01/21 – Tempe, AZ @ Gammage
01/22 – San Diego, CA @ Copley Symphony Hall
01/24 – Hollywood, CA @ Palladium
01/28 – San Jose, CA @ Civic Auditorium
01/29 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
01/31 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
02/01 – Davis, CA @ Mondavi Center
02/03 – Eugene, OR @ Hult Center
02/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
02/06 – Spokane, WA @ INB Performing Arts Center
02/07 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
02/08 – Portland, OR @ Schnitzer Theater
02/10 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Arlington Theater

And check out the official video for their fab new song, Born Alone, off their highly-acclaimed new album, “The Whole Love.”

The talk shows have been holding up their end of the musical bargain recently.  As usual there’s a lot we can do without, but check two of the better deliveries below.

First up on the David Letterman Show is Deer Tick (with Late Night horns) performing their song, Main Street, off of their new album “Divine Providence.”  We’ve written about lead singer, John McCauley, before in the context of Middle Brother’s last show at Soho, and loved Deer Tick’s last album and song, 20 Miles. Main Street is a great addition to their discography.  And nice suits and ties lads.  All.  Mod.  Cons.

Then check out Ra Ra Riot playing their song, Shadowcasting, on Jimmy Fallon.  Ya gotta love the violin and upright-cello supplemented attack on their power pop songs.

Internet sensation, Lana Del Rey, came out in full and performed Video Games live Tuesday night on Live on Jools Holland.  Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOP2Yd_jpYQ

Mates of State showed up on The Letterman Show Monday night to perform their single, Palomino, off their new album “Mountaintops.” We wrote before about the innovative and laborious official video for the same song, but their performance on Letterman was a horse of another color altogether.  This exemplary mom & dad team simply kill it.  Check the emphatic vocals, the pulsating plants, the drum kit allegiance, and the kiss at the end.  As the band ends the song, Dave announces:  “No more calls.  We have a winner!” And then Paul gives this emphatic imprimatur when prompted by Dave:  “Unbelievable band!!” Check it out courtesy of the Audio Perv.

We wrote previously about the great Jesse Winchester and his bout with esophogeal cancer.  Comes now great news from Jesse and his wife Cindy that Jesse had a successful “esophagectomy,” has been declared cancer-free and is now home from the hospital.  Check out the great news below posted this past Monday.  You can receive more updates and help out with donations at Caring Bridge HERE.

“all is well

Jesse has been home from the hospital for ten days already, and is continuing with his amazing progress.  We were prepared for something so much worse than this, so we are very grateful for and awed by each comfortable day.  Certainly words to live by, as the events over the last several months have altered our life views.  We are calm.  We are happy.

Ryan Adams was on Conan last night, performing his song Lucky Now off of his impending new album “Ashes & Fire.” The new album is receiving universal rave reviews.  When he’s on, it’s as good as it gets.  Check it out courtesy of the Audio Perv.