Celtic music mainstays The Chieftains — who you may be most familiar with via their Sinead O’Connor collaboration “The Foggy Dew” — turn 50-years old in 2012. As an issued press release reports, the band is celebrating with a new studio album featuring collaborations with “like-minded musical visionaries and kindred spirits.”

Titled Voice of Ages, the record features contributions from Bon Iver, The Decemberists, Paolo Nutini, Imelda May, The Low Anthem, The Secret Sisters, and Lisa Hannigan, among others. In addition, T-Bone Burnett served as producer alongside The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney.

Voice of Ages will be available beginning February 21st, 2012 via Hear/Concord. In support of the release, the band plans to tour the U.S. extensively beginning February 17th in Santa Barbara, CA and ending on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) in New York City. Check out their entire tour schedule below.

The Chieftains 2012 Tour Dates:
02/17 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Campbell Hall
02/18 – Aliso Viejo, CA @ Soka Performing Arts Center
02/19 – Tucson, AZ @ Centennial Hall
02/21 – San Francisco, CA @ Davis Symphony Hall
02/22 – Davis, CA @ Jackson Hall/Mondavi Center
02/24 – Athens, GA @ Classic Center
02/25 – Birmingham, AL @ Alys Stevens POPAC
02/27 – Edmond, OK @ Armstrong Auditorium PAC
02/28 – Forth Worth, TX @ Bass Hall
02/29 – San Antonio, TX @ Lila Cockrell Theatre
03/02 – Chicago, IL @ Orchestra Hall
03/03 – Cedar Falls, IA @ Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center
03/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orchestra Hall
03/06 – Carmel, IN @ The Palladium
03/07 – Kansas City, MO @ Helzberg Hall
03/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kimmel Center
03/10 – Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
03/12 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Sandler PAC
03/14 – Boston, MA @ Symphony Hall
03/16  - Washington, DC @ Kennedy Center
03/17 – New York, NY @ Carnegie Hall
05/29 – Dublin, IE @ Grand Canal Theatre
06/01 – Brighton, UK @ Dome
06/02 – Bristol, UK @ Colston Hall
06/03 – Cardiff, UK @ St. David’s Hall
06/05 – Birmingham, UK @ Symphony Hall
06/06 – Sheffield, UK @ City Hall
06/08 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
06/10 – Liverpool, UK @ Philharmonic Hall
06/12 – York, UK @ Barbican
06/13 – Manchester, UK @ The Bridgewater Hall
06/15 – Newcastle, UK @ City Hall
06/16 – Glasgow, UK @ Clyde Auditorium

So far, the album’s features 22 artists performing their own interpretations of Martyn’s songs. Other names include Snow Patrol, Devendra Banhart, Beth Orton, Paolo Nutini, David Gray, Vetiver, and The Swell Season. What’s more, according to Martyn’s official site, there may even be more artists added as the project progresses. No release date has been set yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we know.

In terms of other Martyn releases, his official site also says that a live CD, Live at Leeds Deluxe Edition, will be released on September 6th. Plus, his last album, Willing To Work, is being completed by friends and collaborators Gary Pollitt and Jim Tullio.

John Martyn Tribute Album Tracklist (Thus Far):
01. Beck – Stormbringer
02. Snow Patrol – May You Never
03. Robert Smith (of The Cure) – Small Hours
04. Blackships (Nick McCabe, Simon Jones of the Verve) – Rope Soul’d or Sapphire
05. Beth Orton – Go Down Easy
06. David Gray – Let The Good Things Come
07. Lisa Hannigan – Couldn’t Love You More
08. The Swell Season – I Don’t Want to Know
09. Paolo Nutini – One World
10. Devendra Banhart – Sweet Little Mystery
11. Vetiver – Go Easy
12. Vashti Bunyan – Head & Heart
13. Skye Edwards (Morcheeba) – Solid Air
14. Ted Barnes featuring Gavin Clark (of Clayhill & Unkle) – Over The Hill
15. The Blind Boys Of Alabama – Glorious Fool
16. Brendan Campbell – Anna
17. Sonia Dada – Dancing
18. Sabrina Dinan – Certain Surprise
19. Oh My God – John Wayne
20. Foley (Miles Davis’ bass player) – Clutches
21. Nicholas Barron – Angeline
22. Cheryl Wilson – You Can Discover

As Drowned in Sound reports, the Later.. Live With Jools Holland Vol. 2 CD will feature recording of the show’s best performances over the past year, which means you’ll be getting the likes of of Muse, MGMT, Bon Iver, Santigold, Lilly Allen, Al Green, Goldfrapp, The Raconteurs and, of course, Holland himself. The CD set is the second such one released by the show (Vol. 1 hit stores last year), which has been on the air since 1992.

The album will be available beginning October 12th via Rhino. For now, a taste of the musical goodness on Later…

Later… Live With Jools Holland Vol. 2 Tracklist:
CD1:
01. Muse – Uprising
02. Elbow – Grounds For Divorce
03. Little Boots – Remedy
04. Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
05. Keane – Spiralling
06. MGMT – Time To Pretend
07. Lisa Hannigan – I Don’t Know
08. Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement
09. Nicole Atkins – Maybe Tonight
10. Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
11. Bon Iver – Skinny Love
12. Friendly Fires – Jump In The Pool
13. Radiohead – Bodysnatchers
14. Santigold – L.E.S Artists
15. Adele & Jools – To Make You Feel My Love
16. Manic Street Preachers – Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
17. Pendulum – Granite

CD2:
01. Lily Allen – It’s Not Fair
02. Paolo Nutini – Candy
03. Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
04. Melody Gardot – Sweet Memory
05. Vampire Weekend – Mansard Roof
06. Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My SKull
07. New York Dolls – ‘Cause I Sez So
08. Paul Weller – Push It Along
09. Seasick Steve – I Started Out With Nothin’ And I Still Got Most Of It Left
10. Jools Holland – I Went By
11. Golden Silvers – True Romance
12. Madness – Forever Young
13. Natty – July
14. Karima Francis – Use Somebody
15. Goldfrapp – Happiness
16. Monkey – Monkey’s World
17. The Raconteurs – Salute Your Solution

So when Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini came on the scene, you would’ve been understandably skittish to hear that he’s more coffee shop troubadour than he is the next Franz Ferdinand. Not that the United States has cornered the market on acoustic rock by any means, but Nutini’s obviously a disciple of Bob Dylan and his folk contemporaries. And seeing as most songwriters have gone down that path for the last several decades (and many have failed), skepticism isn’t an absurd reaction. Add to that Nutini’s appearance: He could comfortably slide into The Strokes’ lineup without any notice.

But one listen to Nutini’s music, especially his latest release, and you’ll have further proof that you can’t judge an artist on anything other than the music. Sunny Side Up sounds like the work of a comfortable artist who’s found his niche, not like the sophomore release of a 22 year-old.

Front and center on each song is Nutini’s coarse voice, which should be coming from a 60-year-old who drank so heavily that he lost his family and use of his liver. It has a softer edge than Tom Waits’s voice and is more melodic than Lucinda Williams’s, but it still carries pent up anguish. On “Worried Man”, where he describes a broken man’s mental anguish over past mistakes, his voice is equal parts sorrow and amusement. He’s emotionally invested in the story, but he’s not attempting to identify with the man. Nutini is just a moving storyteller.

“Candy”, the album’s first single and arguably its best track, serves as a strong thesis for Sunny Side Up. You can hear Nutini’s penchant for pop tunes that borrow from Texas country and a little soul. It’s bittersweet without being cutesy. The metaphor of candy for love is hokey, yes, but it’s also reminiscent of much saucier rhythm and blues that obviously influence his sound. “Pencil Full of Lead” is a less innocent track and also more direct in its homage to 1920′s night club music, with blaring horns. It’s also a sonic jolt in the middle of a mostly midtempo album. Though, I suppose the album’s title alludes to a bright, optimistic streak that runs through the tracks, as these little upbeat moments appear at random moments. For example, “High Hopes” is a breezy number that takes serves as relief between somber numbers.

At a brief 39 minutes, the album doesn’t have much chance to veer off course. Or, it does, but Nutini’s a smart enough editor not to wear out his welcome. Some of the weaker tunes are only less impressive because they don’t have a strong enough signature on them. The strong “Keep Rolling” is a haunting closer that relishes quite moments and allows harmonies to steal the spotlight from Nutini’s words. It’s not groundbreaking, but it feels like Nutini. “Coming Up Easy” is enjoyable, but it feels like Jamie Lidell-lite. Nothing about it grabs you and sounds like it has to come from him. Still, these moments aren’t displeasing; they’re just somewhat disappointing from such a strong release.

I suppose Nutini could be thrown in the heap of artists who have gone the lo-fi route as of late (think She & Him or Fleet Foxes), but he still sounds firmly planted in 2009. He’s not relying on technology to make Sunny Side Up sound contemporary, and he’s not longing for a past era as the above artists are. He’s just a fan of those periods who happens to be making music today, and as a whole, it’s the right approach.

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Sunny Side Up

That’s right, in support of his upcoming sophomore studio effort, Sunny Side Up, Paolo Nutini has announced plans for a new round of North American tour dates. Just four months after he made a trip across the Atlantic for an appearance at Coachella, the Scottish singer/songwriter will return to the states for what is currently a 12-date stint. And while no festival appearances are included on this go around, nearly every major city not hit in April will get some love…and a full meal…of music of course.

Sunny Side Up is officially due for release on June 2nd. Ahead of its unveiling, Paolo is offering the album’s first single, as a free download, via paolonutini.com.

Paolo Nutini 2009 Tour Dates:
05/02 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
05/03 – Preston, UK @ 53 Degrees
05/08 – Liverpool, UL @ O2 Academy
05/11 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
05/12 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
05/13 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
05/14 – Wolverhampton, UK @ Wulfrun Hall
05/16 – Aberdeen, UK @ Aberdeen Music Hall
05/17 – Kilmarnock, UK @ Kilmarnock Grand Hall
05/18 – Dunfermline, UK @ Dunfermline Alhambra
05/19 – Iverness, UK @ Iverness Ironworks
05/20 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
06/12 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
06/13 – Seaclose Park, UK @ Isle of Wight
06/19 – Tuttlingen, DE @ Southside Festival
06/20 – Scheeßel, DE @ Hurricane Festival
06/22 – Paris, FR @ The Bataclan
07/11 – Kinross, IE @ T in the Park
07/12 – Dublin, IE @ Oxegen
07/13 – Locarno, CH @ Moon And Stars Festival
07/20 – Amagansett, NY @ The Stephen Talkhouse *^
07/21 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall *^
07/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *^
07/24 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues *^
07/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts *^
07/27 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue Theatre *^
07/28 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse *^
07/29 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom *^
07/31 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House *^
08/01 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall *^
08/02 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre *^
08/03 – Alpine Valley, MI @ Weasner Amphitheatre *^
08/22 – Stafford, UK @ V Festival
08/23 – Chelmsford, UK @ V Festival

* = w/ Erin McCarley
^ = w/ Matt Hires

Entitled Sunny Side Up, the long-awaited followup to 2006′s These Streets will look to continue his smooth, soulful sound. Produced by Ethan Johns, who is best known for his work with Kings of Leon and Ryan Adams, the album is billed to feature same old Paolo doing the same old things  – “Songs such as ‘Ten Out Of Ten’ and ‘Coming Up Easy’ display the gifted tunesmith’s ever-growing knack for irrepressible melodies melded with insightful and intimate lyricism, all held together by Paolo’s gritty and unpredictable vocal stylings.”

And continuing with the theme of, well, continuation, the release will be supported in the same way as These Streets, with a worldwide tour heavy in festival appearances. The fun kicks in a few weeks at Coachella followed by a couple west coast dates before Paolo returns home for a slew of European shows.

Paolo Nutini 2009 Tour Dates:
04/18 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
04/19 – San Diego, CA @ Del Mar Plaza
04/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
04/23 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
04/24 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
04/25 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
04/26 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
05/02 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
05/03 – Preston, UK @ 53 Degrees
05/08 – Liverpool, UL @ O2 Academy
05/11 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
05/12 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
05/13 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
05/14 – Wolverhampton, UK @ Wulfrun Hall
05/16 – Aberdeen, UK @ Aberdeen Music Hall
05/17 – Kilmarnock, UK @ Kilmarnock Grand Hall
05/18 – Dunfermline, UK @ Dunfermline Alhambra
05/19 – Iverness, UK @ Iverness Ironworks
05/20 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
06/13 – Seaclose Park, UK @ Isle of Wight
06/19 – Tuttlingen, DE @ Southside Festival
06/20 – Scheeßel, DE @ Hurricane Festival
07/11 – Kinross, IE @ T in the Park