The Low Anthem concluded a week of events in New York City—which included performances on the Late Show with David Letterman and WNYC's Soundcheck—with a sold-out show at the always-beautiful Allen Room overlooking a snow-covered Central Park last night as a part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook series. The show featured songs from the band's forthcoming Nonesuch release, Smart Flesh, due out February 22, and a number of lovely surprises, like a full-size organ shipped down from the band's home base in Rhode Island (and hand-cranked by band member Ben Knox Miller's brother Steve) and the live premiere of the instrumental album piece "Wire," featuring band member Jocie Adams and two fellow clarinetists.

Brooklyn Vegan's Dominick Mastrangelo says "the unique venue and view that the Allen Room provides, overlooking Columbus Circle seemingly prompted the band to up their game just a bit more." Mastrangelo, who took a number of great photos at the event (one of which is pictured at left), continues:

The band said they worked during soundcheck to get the sound just right. Given how full songs like set-opener "To the Ghosts Who Write History Books" sounded or the snap of the drums on the unusually subdued cover, "Sally Where'd You Get Your Liquor From" or how hushed yet crisp the harmonies of "Ghost Woman Blues" (which they performed on Letterman) were, the extra effort to get the sound just so paid off.

Read more and see Mastrangelo's photos at brooklynvegan.com.

"We've been big fans of the Low Anthem since we filmed 'em a couple of years back playing creaky folk on a rusty old boat on the Hudson," says Time Out New York. (You can watch that video here.) "We weren't a bit surprised, then, to see 'em playing as part of the Lincoln Center's annual American Songbook fest." For more, including several photos from last night's show, visit newyork.timeout.com.

The band has just announced that it will return to New York City to perform at the Bowery Ballroom on March 8, following the release of Smart Flesh. Tickets are available here. For more tour information, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.

To reserve a copy of Smart Flesh on CD, vinyl, and in a two-disc deluxe edition, head to the Nonesuch Store now. The first 250 pre-orders include a letterpress printed poster, signed by the band. All pre-orders include instant downloads of the album's opening track, "Ghost Woman Blues," as well as high-quality, 320 kbps MP3s of the complete album available on release day.