Singer/songwriter Cécile McLorin Salvant makes her Nonesuch Records debut with the release of Ghost Song on March 4, 2022. The new album features a diverse mix of seven originals and five interpretations on the themes of ghosts, nostalgia, and yearning. Salvant says, “It’s unlike anything I’ve done before—it’s getting closer to reflecting my personality as an eclectic curator. I’m embracing my weirdness!” A video for the album track “Ghost Song,” written by Salvant, can be seen here. Nonesuch Store pre-orders of the album include an exclusive, limited edition signed artwork by Salvant while they last. Cécile McLorin Salvant is on tour in Europe now and will play four shows at SFJAZZ in February and two nights featuring the music of Ghost Song at Jazz at Lincoln Center in May

David Byrne was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night to discuss David Byrne's American Utopia on Broadway, share some of his drawings, and teach Colbert a few low-impact dance moves. Byrne was then joined by his fellow cast members to perform the Talking Heads tune "I Zimbra" from the show. You can watch both here.

Lake Street Dive continues its annual Halloween tradition of costumed cover-song videos with a performance of Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams (Come True)." You can watch it here.

LIFE ON EARTH, the Nonesuch debut of Hurray for the Riff Raff (aka Alynda Segarra), due February 18, is a departure for the Bronx-born, New Orleans-based singer/songwriter. Its eleven new "nature punk" tracks on the theme of survival are music for a world in flux—songs about thriving, not just surviving, while disaster is happening. The album was recorded during the pandemic with producer Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver, Kevin Morby). While making it, Segarra drew inspiration from The Clash, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Bad Bunny, and the author of Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown. "A major step forward for one of today's most vital artists," exclaims Uncut. "The first great album of 2022." Pre-order to download the track "RHODODENDRON" now—you can watch the video here—and get a limited-edition print autographed by Segarra, while they last. Hurray for the Riff Raff tours North America this spring; international dates coming soon.

Devendra Banhart was the special surprise guest on the Halloween Spooktacular episode of Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker. Once the Halloween costume comes off, they discuss some recent and favorite concert-going experiences, and Banhart—whom Heidecker calls "a genuine legend of the new millennium"—closes out the hour with a performance of "Weatherman," a song by Heidecker's group Heidecker & Wood. You can watch it here.

The Staves' Camilla and Jessica Staveley-Taylor were the musical guest on WNYC's Get Lit with All of It, the book club series with All of It host Alison Stewart, via a virtual gathering from The Greene Space. The featured author on the episode is Lauren Groff, who discusses her latest novel, MATRIX. The Staves performed songs from and spoke with Stewart about their new album, Good Woman; you can watch it here. The Staves will tour North America in early 2022. 

The Magnetic Fields’ City Winery residency, originally scheduled for spring 2020 to celebrate their new album Quickies, begins in their hometown of Boston this weekend. The band will perform songs spanning their 30+ year career, including Quickies and 69 Love Songs, at intimate City Winery venues in seven cities—Boston, New York, Philadelphia, DC, Atlanta, Nashville, and Chicago.

Ben LaMar Gay shares a new video for “Mestre Candeia’s Denim Hat,” off his upcoming album Open Arms to Open Us, out November 19 on International Anthem / Nonesuch. An homage to improvisatory and rhythmic elements of the Brazilian “Partido Alto” tradition, “Mestre Candeia’s Denim Hat” sees Gay lay a Chicago-style free-jazz synth raga over a swinging, fractured march. The title is a nod to the insight and style of master sambista and partideiro Antônio Candeia Filho. You can watch the video, directed by Andrea Rodea and Erik Mares of the Mexico City based Rhizomes Films, here.

Punch Brothers’ interpretation of the Jimmie Rodgers' “Any Old Time,” from their forthcoming album Hell on Church Street, is out now. Hell on Church Street, due January 14, is a reimagining of, and homage to, the late bluegrass great Tony Rice’s landmark solo album Church Street Blues. The record features a collection of songs by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Bill Monroe, and others. Preorders from the Nonesuch and Punch Brothers stores include a limited-edition print signed by the band while supplies last. Punch Brothers tour North America in support of the album beginning in January.

Nonesuch Records releases "Sweaters (Sam Gendel Remix)," the saxophonist’s reinterpretation of the Laurie Anderson track from her landmark 1982 debut album, Big Science, today. On the remix, which Gendel produced and engineered, he plays alto saxophone, contrabass guitar, and wind synthesizer, while incorporating elements of the original recording, including Anderson’s vocals and violin, Rufus Harley's bagpipes, and David Van Tieghem's drums.

"Laurie Anderson Has a Message for Us Humans," Sam Anderson's New York Times Magazine feature on Laurie Anderson in last week's issue of the magazine, is today's episode of The Sunday Read from the Times podcast The Daily. Before reading his article, the writer conveys five questions Laurie Anderson had shared with him, "a sort of test that uses to figure out whether a piece that she's working on is good or not ... 'Is it complicated enough? Is it simple enough? Is it crazy enough? Is it beautiful enough? And finally, Is it stupid enough?' And I thought that was kind of a great criteria for proceeding with life, with whatever you are doing."

The Black Keys have shared a previously unreleased recording of their platinum-selling single "Gold on the Ceiling," from a 2012 BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe session. It's part of the special tenth anniversary edition of the album El Camino, due November 5 on Nonesuch Records. El Camino (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is available in several formats, including a Super Deluxe edition of five vinyl LPs—with a remastered version of the original album; a previously unreleased Live in Portland, ME concert recording; the BBC Radio 1 Zane Lowe session from 2012; a 2011 Electro-Vox session; an extensive photo book; a limited-edition poster and lithograph; and a “new car scent” air freshener—or four CDs minus the poster and air freshener. A three-LP edition, which include the remastered album and the live recording, will also be available. You can watch an unboxing video of the five-LP Super Deluxe version here.