Morning Shorts - New Laura Veirs

Laura Veirs is streaming a new song, "Pink Light", on her MySpace. It's on Saltbreakers, out April 10th on Nonesuch. No mp3 from the new one, but Laura does have some older stuff on her site for download, including the mournful "Song My Friends Taught Me" from 2003's Troubled by Fire.

MP3: Laura Veirs - Song My Friends Taught Me

The Zincs have a new album, Black Pompadour, coming out on Thrill Jockey March 20th. Their sound is a bit The National meets Jens Lekman, with some 80s alt-Brit overtones. The lead track, "Head East, Kaspar", is pretty good, but I can't help but think the production is holding things back. Better is "Beautiful Lawyers", from their last album Dimmer.

MP3: The Zincs - Head East, Kaspar
MP3: The Zincs - Beautiful Lawyers

Via resourceful superfan Lament at Sad Reminders, there's a great Mark Kozelek interview in Folly magazine. He talks about his improving relationship with his dad, his non-acting acting career, and life on the road.

KC: How important to you is performing music for a live audience?

MK: Important, but less as I’m getting older. It’s a struggle for me, the travel part, and adjusting to younger crowds. Chatty kids with cell phones, text messaging, in a hurry to rush home to their computers. Fans seem impatient, not as invested in listening for long periods of time anymore. It’s a challenge. Now and then, I get it right and the audience is great. But a lot of times there’s anxiousness.
It may be just a few people, but it kills the vibe. I’m trying to be more selective about venues and cities in the future. But it’s tough. As an example, I love Florida – the south, the beach, the air, the food - but most of the venues there are terrible and audiences are rude without realizing it. Getting drunk and talking with your friends through the entire length of a show is standard. From my end, that’s a tough situation. But now and then, the sound, the venue, the audience, it all comes together. I just have to be more selective about where I go.

Pitchfork reports on an upcoming Elliott Smith double-disc rarities set, culled from the Elliott Smith-Either/Or period. It's out on Kill Rock Stars May 8th.

Bradley's Almanac has Jennifer O'Connor's set from last October in Boston. It's full-band and highly recommended.