Nonesuch Records releases Tell My Sister, a special three-disc set comprising remastered versions of Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s beloved 1976 self-titled debut; its equally praised 1977 follow-up, Dancer with Bruised Knees; and a collection of previously unreleased songs, including solo and duo demos, on May 3, 2011. Joe Boyd, who produced the McGarrigles’ first two albums, assembled the material for the third disc in addition to serving as producer for the whole set. Tell My Sister is now available for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store, along with an exclusive, limited-edition commemorative poster.

Jessica Lea Mayfield left quite an impression at the 2011 SXSW Music Conference last week in performances that SPIN says "proved she has what it takes to be your favorite new artist." Now you can take home some of the SXSW magic with the new digital album iTunes Live: SXSW, recorded at Mayfield's SXSW showcase at St. David's Historic Sanctuary, including several songs from Nonesuch debut album, Tell Me. 

Nonesuch releases its first recording of music by Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy, Grá agus Bás, on May 3. The album includes the title piece, which translates as Love and Death, as well as the composer’s song cycle That the Night Come. The Dublin–based Crash Ensemble—which Dennehy co-founded—performs both works, conducted by Alan Pierson. Irish singer Iarla O’Lionáird is the soloist for Grá agus Bás; Dawn Upshaw is featured on That the Night Come. The album is currently available to pre-order here.

Emmylou Harris's Hard Bargain, due out April 26, is now available for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store with an exclusive manuscript lyric sheet of the album's opening track, "The Road," a number of which will be autographed by Harris. On "The Road," Harris looks back on the formative time she spent with Gram Parsons at the beginning of her career. In April, Harris will perform at special intimate shows in Los Angeles and New York and on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Nonesuch will release the self-titled debut album from James Farm, a collaborative band featuring saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland, on April 26. The band uses traditional acoustic jazz quartet instrumentation for its song-based approach to jazz and incorporates the members’ myriad of influences: rock, soul, folk, classical, and electronica, among many others. The band will be touring the U.S. this summer in support of the album.

Nonesuch releases Sleep with One Eye Open, the debut album from mandolin-virtuoso Chris Thile and guitar maven Michael Daves, on May 10. Recorded live to tape over four days at Jack White’s Third Man studio in Nashville, the album is a collection of 16 traditional tunes by bluegrass legends like The Monroe Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, Jimmy Martin, and Flatt & Scruggs. The duo will take their show on the road with a series of dates around the country this spring, including a three-night stand at Rockwood in New York City.

On The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2, which Nonesuch Records will release on May 10, Randy Newman takes a fresh look at both classic and more recent work in new solo recordings of his celebrated songs. Songbook Vol. 2, which was co-produced by Mitchell Froom and Lenny Waronker, includes songs spanning from the 1968 album Randy Newman through 2008’s Harps and Angels. Newman began his North American tour on February 11 and continues through April 22 in San Francisco. Newman performs his Oscar-nominated song from Toy Story 3 at the awards ceremony this Sunday.

Today marks the release of The Low Anthem's new album, Smart Flesh. Rolling Stone gives the album four stars, saying: "It's as if the Band stripped their prairie-gothic majesty down to Tom Waits' early barfly essentials." The Los Angeles Times calls it "a gorgeous, inventively arranged set of reverb-rich roots ballads." Paste sums it up as "soft-spoken stories that’ll stop you in your tracks." The Providence Journal calls it "a stunning, incandescent gem of a recording." The Daily Telegraph gives the album four stars: "These exquisitely voiced musings on love, healing and mortality really hit the spot." Uncut says, "It's all stunningly beautiful."

Brad Mehldau's new 2CD/DVD solo album Live in Marciac is out today on Nonesuch. The Los Angeles Times says: "Mehldau's technical mastery can be enough to make your head spin, but the feeling is invigorating." The Financial Times gives four stars to the "enthralling" album, as does the Daily Telegraph. The Boston Globe says it showcases "what he does best." The Independent on Sunday calls it "a triumph of imagination and structure. Quite simply, he's on fire, inspired, out there, playing with the gods." The Irish Times gives the album a perfect five stars. "A joy at every level—and another contender for the year’s best." Watch an excerpt of Mehldau improvising on "My Favorite Things" here.

Hard Bargain, the new album from Emmylou Harris, will be released April 26 on Nonesuch Records. The album comprises 11 new songs by Harris as well as two covers and was produced by Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, Patty Griffin). A deluxe edition, which includes a DVD featuring performances and interviews, will also be available. In celebration of the release, Harris will embark on a series of special performances including a showcase at SXSW.

k.d. lang's new album with the Siss Boom Bang, Sing it Loud, is due out April 12 on Nonesuch, but there's no need to wait any longer to take home music from the album: You can download the opening track, "I Confess," at iTunes now. A lyric sheet of "I Confess," printed from k.d.'s own written original, is included with pre-orders of Sing it Loud from the Nonesuch Store, a limited number of which will be signed by k.d. herself.

Jessica Lea Mayfield's Nonesuch debut album, Tell Me, produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, is out today. The album makes the New York Times's Critics' Choice list of new CDs. "It’s refreshing," says the Boston Globe, "to see her blossom on her seductive new sophomore album." The LA Times says: "Her cool connects her to Patsy Cline; her haunted side recalls Gillian Welch." The AP calls it "a dark and moody album, full of delights throughout, and if it doesn't make Mayfield a star, that too will be heartbreaking."