Video: Mirel Wagner (Take Away Show)

While some of La Blogothèque’s best ‘Take Away’ videos capture an impromptu, location-specific moment or fresh arrangement meant to adorn the setting’s natural acoustics, others find their subjects becoming what could be a fixture of their surroundings. Mirel Wagner’s new clip feels like the latter, but it’s more than just that: the voice behind this hushed doom-folk utterly haunts a pair of dusty staircases book-ending the short set. Prepare for chilling takes on “No Death,” “To The Bone,” and “The Road” above.


Wilco: “Misunderstood” Live (Time-Lapse Video)

Revisiting “Misunderstood” — a tune that never fails to make a Wilco show feel special — would be a welcome treat regardless, but throw some time-lapse photography depicting a trip to one hometown gig into the mix and I’m completely on board. Richie Wireman shot a host of images revolving around the band’s Civic Opera House concert in Chicago last December, shown here with a soundboard recording of said live favorite as the soundtrack. Watch/hear Wilco perform “back in [their] old neighborhood” above.

Alabama Shakes: “Heavy Chevy”

Now with a television debut and Third Man live single adding space dust to their meteoric rise, Alabama Shakes are hitting the road to do what they do best: stir up and settle down souls in person. A dozen stateside tour dates were added to the spring jaunt today while the Shakes have also shared Boys & Girls bonus cut “Heavy Chevy,” a fine doubleshot of rockabilly espresso ready to cure any listless afternoon. Stream/download the track above alongside lead single “Hold On.”

The Tallest Man Debuts “Little Brother”

After a few months spent at home amid Sweden’s Northern Lights-featuring winter, working on the follow-up to 2010’s The Wild Hunt LP and Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird EP, another Tallest Man on Earth record looks to be imminent. And as a first — or possibly second — taste of what’s to come, Kristian Matsson brought new material out to South Africa last night for his live debut in the country. Birds Need Feet spotted a clip with decent audio of one promising tune: “Little Brother,” a fresh yet familiar-feeling fingerpicked gem of the solo-electric variety, à la “The Dreamer.” Hear the early live preview above.

Mark Kozelek: “Sunshine In Chicago” (Live)

On Friday, Caldo Verde Records detailed the new Sun Kil Moon album, Among the Leaves, said to be a decidedly impulsive display of Mark Kozelek’s “more raw and humorous side.” Armed with aptly droll song titles like “I Know It’s Pathetic But That Was The Greatest Night Of My Life,” their description sounded about right, but now comes a preview illustrating the point quite well: “Sunshine In Chicago,” a kind of stream-of-consciousness reflection written just before one Windy City gig last year.

Southern Souls shot this live footage from the Shivering Songs Festival this month, at which Kozelek premiered the smirking cut while gloriously drenched in natural reverb via Fredericton, New Brunswick’s 2-century-old Wilmot Church. Watch it after “Heron Blue” at the 5:30 mark above and stay tuned for the self-deprecating jab at his audience becoming mostly “guys with tennis shoes.”

Tom Jones and Jack White:

Tom Jones and Jack White: "Evil"

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Tom Jones and Jack White: “Evil”

Sir Tom Jones’ debut single for Third Man Records surfaced today, complete with an all-star backing band featuring Jack White, Raconteurs/Van Lear Rose drummer Patrick Keeler, and Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket. Not sure how to set the stage for this show-stopping rework of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Evil” except to say that septuagenarian rock is back with a vengeance, ladies and gentleman. With all due respect to the knighted crooner’s subdued recent efforts inspired by gospel ballads, this powerful, Vegas-ready arrangement seems to fit the legend best. Hear the official stream above, thanks to TMR.

The Rosebuds Cover Talking Heads

The daunting task of covering Talking Heads is a good rite of passage for any indie band, in which a respectable take can serve to solidify cred in the technical chops department by way of paying homage to one of the genre’s most common influences. Previously, MGMT and Kyp Malone both turned in impressive renditions while folks like Will Oldham, St. Vincent, and Arcade Fire landed collaborative projects with the lead Talking Head himself, David Byrne. Now come North Carolina’s the Rosebuds, heading back to 1985 for a faithful, polished version of Little Creatures“Road to Nowhere” worthy of our respect — not to mention some renewed interest in the duo’s fine 2011 LP.

Bill Callahan:

Bill Callahan: "So Long, Marianne"

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Bill Callahan: “So Long, Marianne” (Leonard Cohen Cover)

If ever there were an heir apparent to the poetic legacy and measured grace of Leonard Cohen, Bill Callahan would be my pick—with perhaps Jens Lekman, in terms of humor, being a worthy runner-up. Now the man formerly known as Smog has joined a host of artists paying their debt to Cohen in the wake of his new record with a reverent cover. Joining the likes of Will Oldham, emerging 24B fave Michael Kiwanuka, Cass McCombs, Marc Ribot, and others, Callahan mined Cohen’s debut LP for a faithful take on “So Long, Marianne.” Stream it above, while samples from MOJO’s full tribute disc can be previewed here.

The Shins: “September”

Set for release on Valentine’s Day as the B-side to Port of Morrow lead single “Simple Song” is a new love tune by the Shins’ James Mercer, written for his wife. “The trouble I got in was that I told Marisa, ‘This is going to be your song,’” he said of the mellow acoustic cut. “So I knew the lyrics had to be right on. I wanted it to be a diamond — and I feel like the work paid off.” It definitely did: Check out the result streaming alongside images of analog equipment in the lyric video above.