The Playlist brings word that the collaboration between M Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel has a name (She And Him), an album title (Volume One), and a release month (March of this year). For those of you who doubt she has the goods and this is another ill-advised actor’s foray into music, they’ve also got some tracks posted and yes indeed the girl can sing. There’s some more with she and him at tkincher.com.

The two first collaborated on the soundtrack to the 2007 film The Go-Getter, which Ward scored and Deschanel starred in, and which yielded this Richard & Linda Thomspon cover which should give you a taste of what their record should hold. And I can’t help but notice that according to her IMDB listing, Deschanel had a guest spot on Weeds a while back… Zooey Deschanel and Mary Louise Parker in the same show? Excuse me, I have to go watch television now.

MP3: M Ward featuring Zooey Deschanel – “When I Get To The Border”

BrooklynVegan has a couple of video clips from the making of Cat Power’s Jukebox, out on January 22. She’s at the Kool Haus on February 9.

The Sydney Morning Herald talks to Joanna Newsom about her not-so-new album Ys.

Nicole Atkins & The Sea welcomed the writer-less Conan O’Brien back to the air on Monday night. Damn, Conan is tall. Atkins and co are in town February 17 at Lee’s Palace. See you there.

Video: Nicole Atkins & The Sea – “Maybe Tonight” (live on Conan O’Brien)

And thus ends the “attractive women” portion of today’s post.

Thanks to Matt for pointing me to this UGO session featuring an in-studio performance from Eric Bachmann wherein he covers all eras of his musical career from Archers Of Loaf through Crooked Fingers up to 2006’s solo record, all done in the style of, well, Eric Bachmann. “White Trash Heroes” sounds fascinating stripped down like that. Bachmann is heading out on tour in support of Neko Case this month and is working on his next record, to be released again under the Crooked Fingers moniker.

Mother Jones, Drowned In Sound and The Phoenix all talk to Stephin Merritt about The Magnetic Fields’ new one Distortion, out next Tuesday.

Yesterday I covered a deluge of domestic shows of interest announced for Toronto – today, the imports.

The Hives return to town – sans Maroon 5 – for a show at the Kool Haus on March 3 as part of their North American tour for The Black And White Album.

Video: The Hives – “Tick Tick Boom”

Justice have a gig at The Docks on March 17. Wait, I thought it was called the Sonic Academy now? Either way, the French electronic duo are at the awful venue with the awful name down by the waterfront. No, not the Kool Haus. The other one. The worse one. Full dates at BrooklynVegan.

Bodies Of Water will be opening up for Sons & Daughters on their upcoming tour, including the March 26 show at Lee’s Palace. Their first album Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink will be re-released by Secretly Canadian on January 22 with an album of new material to follow later this year.

MP3: Bodies Of Water – “I Guess I’ll Forget The Sound, I Guess I Guess”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “These Are The Eyes”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “Doves Circle The Sky”
MP3: Bodies Of Water – “We Are Co-Existors”
Video: Bodies Of Water – “I Heard A Sound”

Blitzen Trapper are hitting the El Mocambo on April 2, the same place they put on a pretty scorching show last October opening for John Vanderslice.

Autechre may not have updated their website in three years but they/he are still around, are/is releasing a new record Quaristice on March 3 and will be on tour with a stop at Lee’s Palace on April 12. Tickets will be $20.

April 16 brings Hot Chip back to Toronto for a show at the Phoenix ($20) with their new album Made In The Dark, out February 5, in tow.

Video: Hot Chip – “Ready For The Floor”

And while there’s no Toronto show announced yet, the fact that Taken By Trees – the new project from ex-Concrete Victoria Bergsman – has a date scheduled for February 25 in Montreal with five days off around said show probably means that a T.O. date is forthcoming. Or she just really likes her downtime.

And if you were wondering how many more times Jens Lekman could tour North America and NOT stop in Toronto… the answer is at least once more. Jerk.