Men’s Vogue has an excerpt of Dean Wareham’s forthcoming memoirs Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance, which will be released March 13. Not surprisingly, they chose what most would consider to be the “juiciest” part of the book to reprint – Wareham very candidly detailing how Britta Phillips joined the band, the start of their relationship and the end of his first marriage (in that order). Luna fans were probably equally confused/suspicious/intrigued by it all when it went down but were too polite to inquire. Now we know.

Back here in the present, Dean and Britta will be hitting the road next month and be in town at the Mod Club February 9. They’ve started up a blog to follow their exploits on the road and will have a new EP of remixes from last year’s Back Numbers available for sale at the aforementioned shows or available digitally as of January 29. Pitchfork has a track listing of the release, which will go by the name of Variations.

MP3: Dean & Britta – “Words You Used To Say”
MP3: Dean & Britta – “Singer Sing”
Video: Dean & Britta – “Words You Used To Say”
MySpace: Dean & Britta

Check out a sample of She & Him’s (M Ward/Zooey Deschanel) debut album Volume 1, out March 18.

MP3: She & Him – “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”

And a couple new MP3s courtesy of SubPop from Band Of Horses (with whom The Tuscaloosa News has an interview) and The Gutter Twins (who are at the Mod Club on March 14).

MP3: Band Of Horses – “No One’s Gonna Love You”
MP3: The Gutter Twins – “Idle Hands”

Harp talks to Beach House, who will release Devotion on February 26 and play the El Mocambo on March 28. Stereogum has heard the record and has some thoughts.

The Village Voice follows Nicole Atkins to a kids’ soccer school with a video camera and ask her questions about her crack habits. Really. She plays Lee’s Palace on February 17.

Billboard reveals the title of the new My Morning Jacket album… Evil Urges. Look for it June 10.

Yo La Tengo have assembled a helpful video explaining how the band got their name, with the assistance of former New York Met Ed Kranepool (career: 1853 GP, 0.261 avg, 118 HR, 614 RBI).

Billboard reports that R.E.M.’s Accelerate, out April 1, will pack 11 songs into an efficient 34-minute package and do their best to make it sound like a return to (IRS-era) form.

Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields talks to The Los Angeles Times.

Some quick show (and release) notes – Baby Dee is at the Drake Underground February 6 (Safe Inside The Day out this past week), Louis XIV have a date at the Mod Club on March 19 (Slick Dogs & Ponies out January 29), Mike Doughty plays the Mod Club April 15 (Golden Delicious out February 19), Jay Reatard is at the Silver Dollar on April 17 (various singles coming throughout the year – details at CMJ) and Efterklang at the El Mocambo on May 31 (Parades out since last Fall).