Delta Spirit Live @ Noon today

Photo cred: Mike Hallock via NPR.org

Then this pops up: Listen to (and watch?) Delta Spirit's live World Cafe session at noon EST today. Check it out here! These guys fuckin rock.

Dry The River

If you like Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses, I hear a little bit of each in London-based Dry The River. Here's a new one of their first full-length EP, Shallow Bed, due out April 17.

Here's them performing the song that put them on the map, "Bible Belt:"

Monday Mashup

Bridge Session

Between college basketball, Tiger Woods in the Arnold Palmer Classic, and spring training baseball, I made time to catch the Bridge Session webcast on Saturday night, featuring Bob Weir and members of The National. I can't speak for the political panel discussion (I got sidetracked with Face Time), but the music was great. The highlight was the closing portion of the performance where Bob and crew played "Ripple," "Uncle John's Band," and "Brokedown Palace" among the crow surrounding a single mic. You really felt like you were there. I definitely got a tingle during when Bob sang, "If I knew the way, I would take you home."

Stream M. Ward's New Album

Stream "Wasteland Companion" at NPR. As I listen, I'm hearing a lot of the vintage 50's-60's stylings we've come to associate M. with, along with some songs that venture into the soundscapes that are inventive and obscure. Good stuff ...

The Shins Live Webcast Tonight

I watched the Shins' exclusive NPR webcast last week, a couple days after it was aired live. I thought their new tunes translated well to the live setting, better than some of their more tuned-down songs like "New Slang." Tonight, you can watch the Shins play live from SXSW festival at 5:45 p.m. ET on Google's "Live from SXSW" page. This time, you don't have to have an iPad! (That's a shot at you, NPRR ...)

Avi Buffalo

A cool new tune from the Long Beach, CA, duo Avi Buffalo:

Avi performs this song and other washed-out "new ambiance" tunes in their recently released Daytrotter session, recorded at the respected Big Orange Studios and mixed by Matt Oliver. They're a little wish washy, but I hear a lot of Neil Young and Nels Cline (Wilco) influence, so I'm hooked. Worth a download (gotta subscribe though ... I did!).

Changes ... Better, or worse?

A little fun with Photoshop.

One of the best songs I've heard in a while. Can't wait for March 20.

The Shins Live Webcast Tonight

If you have an iPad, download NPR's free iPad app and tune in at 10 p.m. ET tonight to hear The Shins debut songs off their new album, Port of Morrow.

If you don't have an iPad -- well then, fu@* you ... Nah. They'll rebroadcast it tomorrow and have it in the archives to enjoy forever and ever.

I, for one, do not have an iPad; however, I will still try, unsuccessfully, to watch it on my iPhone.

- J