We’ve heard the first single, “Crossfire,” as well as live previews from the new Brandon Flowers solo album, Flamingo, but now the anticipated studio version of “Hard Enough,” featuring guest vocals by Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis, has surfaced. Though I was hoping for a full solo verse from Lewis (making the tune a more proper duet), she mostly provides harmony vocals for the choruses and bridge here. That said, it’s hard to deny Lewis’ gorgeous Emmylou Harris-esque backup vocal chops and “Hard Enough” offers plenty of proof to that end.

Check out the radio rip via YouTube below:

Well, we’ve previewed 3 charming tracks off Jenny & Johnny’s debut LP, and so far, so good from the cute (and talented) couple. How about one more before I’m Having Fun Now drops in ten days on August 31? Motley Stew got the go-ahead to post the record’s sixth track, “Animal,” as a free and legal MP3. Johnathan Rice takes over the lead vocals more than the others we’ve heard on this cut, which — dare I say — borrows the rhythm section a bit and a few chord changes from “Losing My Religion.”

Download “Animal” here and stream it below:

The debut album from Jenny [Lewis] and Johnny [Rice], I’m Having Fun Now, won’t be released until August 31, but in the meantime, our favorite folk-rock couple have unveiled a 3-track, song-streaming widget in the image of a cassette, as well as the full LP tracklist, to make the prospect of pre-ordering the record even more tempting. (iTunes pre-orders come with bonus cut “The Highs and Lows of Being #1.”) What’s more, the pair opened for the great Levon Helm in Los Angeles this week — unveiling their tunes with a 5-piece backing band — and one lucky attendee captured some nice footage of the troupe jamming out to a new Jenny Lewis song, possibly dubbed “One of the Guys.” Check it out alongside the 11-song tracklist and (auto-playing) song widget below:

**Update: Motley Stew has a free MP3 of the song “Animal” that was cleared for sharing by the band.

Though details were scarce last month, I mentioned that Jenny Lewis and her boyfriend Johnathan Rice have recorded a full-length album as a duo, dubbed Jenny and Johnny. As of today, we have an album title (I’m Having Fun Now), cover art (above), and free first single (below) to enjoy.

In addition to dropping their new LP, Lewis and Rice will head out on a 19-date tour in September, playing a slew of U.S. cities — none of which will be in Arizona. Grab their new song “Scissor Runner” in exchange for an email address below (via Speakers in Code):

Solo artist, Rilo Kiley frontwoman, Brandon Flowers duet partner, and budding poet Jenny Lewis has teamed up with her longtime boyfriend/backing band member, Johnathan Rice, for her next full-length album. Going by the twee-friendly Jenny and Johnny moniker, the pair have three Northeast live gigs booked already for late August, which fits with rumors that their debut LP is set for late summer.

Though news of Lewis and Rice’s forthcoming album isn’t particularly new, as Rilo Kiley drummer Jason Boesel spilled the beans to Paste that Lewis was “working on a record with her boyfriend” back in February, we now have an official site, complete with mailing list sign-up for the impending LP announcement.

Being that Lewis’ contributions to Rice’s last album, Further North, helped make that record one of his best, I can’t wait to hear what these two lovebirds cooked up in the studio. Meanwhile, a long-overdue Rilo Kiley B-sides/rarities compilation is reportedly in the works, as well.

Back in February, we first reported on Binki Shapiro’s Haiti benefit auction, “Crafts for a Cause,” which gathered contributions from the Strokes, Conor Oberst, Vampire Weekend, Spike Jonze, the Black Keys, Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, M. Ward, Robin Pecknold, and over a dozen more. When auctions went live a month later, we pointed out Ed Droste’s amazing item for charity: his first guitar, which was used to write songs, tour, and record with Grizzly Bear. Well, one member of this all-star cast of charitable indie stars went beyond simply painting flair on guitars, t-shirts, and skateboards. Behold! A poem by solo artist, Brandon Flowers duet partner, and Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis (as written on the back of a handbag):

Aside from a brief audio snippet, album title, and Vegas-inspired logo, details about Brandon Flowers’ solo debut have been scant ever since Flamingo was announced last month. In this week’s print edition of NME (via ONTD), however, Flowers revealed some specifics about his forthcoming record that make the whole project sound a lot more interesting.

“[Rilo Kiley’s] Jenny [Lewis has] helped me out on a couple of songs, and we also got to duet on a song called ‘Hard Enough,’ which turned out great,” said Flowers. “She’s always popped into my mind whenever I think about getting a female vocalist involved because she’s a fellow child of Las Vegas, too.”

Okay, now he’s got my attention, but what of the “Mr. Brightside” singer’s choice of producer? As it turns out, Daniel Lanois (Neil Young’s latest studio partner) and the Killers’ Day & Age collaborator Stuart Price produced most of the record together, while Pearl Jam/Bruce Springsteen buddy Brendan O’Brien produced three songs.

So far, so good, Mr. Flowers.

A Bit Cagey’s Melissa Shampine just alerted us to an awesome new Haitian relief project organized by Little Joy’s Binki Shapiro. Dubbed “Crafts For A Cause,” Shapiro has recruited quite the impressive roster of artists to contribute various decorated items to be auctioned off in support of writer/director Paul Haggis’ charity organization, Artists for Peace and Justice, which is mobilizing a significant relief effort in the disaster-stricken country.

Details about when and where the auction will take place have yet to be posted, but Shapiro is publishing some exciting updates about who is involved in the meantime here. A few examples: Bright Eyes mastermind Conor Oberst is decorating a Fender Strat for the cause, Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala added a design to a skateboard, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold designed a t-shirt, Vampire Weekend a gym bag, and The Strokes took a studio break to sign a tote bag.

But that’s not all! Shapiro says that many more artists are contributing items to this epic charity auction, including Devendra Banhart, Spike Jonze, Sia, Le Tigre, Mark Ronson, M. Ward and The Black Keys.

Follow “Crafts For a Cause” on Tumblr here or on Twitter here.

Surely you’ve heard about Radiohead’s Haiti benefit show in LA or Fiona Apple’s “Love and Haiti, Too” at Largo by now, but here’s a new gig for people near NYC, as well as a couple more interesting Largo charity events.

BrooklynVegan and Bowery Presents have put together quite the comedy/music show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (formerly Northsix) on 6^th St. in Brooklyn. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross and an orphanage in Haiti personally chosen by Zach Galifianakis, who is performing alongside the Daily Show’s Wyatt Cynac, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Spoon frontman Britt Daniel, St. Vincent, Janeane Garofalo, and “possibly more TBA.” For ticket info and more, go thataway.

We mentioned Fiona Apple, Jon Brion, and Gillian Welch’s benefit at Largo earlier today, but we missed two more important shows being held at the LA club next week. LAist reports that Largo will host “Love and Haiti: A Comedy Benefit” on Monday (Jan. 25) and “Song Circle for Haiti: Jenny Lewis & Friends” on Tuesday (Jan. 26).