The 2010 CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights kicks off next Saturday, April 10, at the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union (1340 W. Washington), at 10:00 am.

I've always loved Norah Jones, though her latest album didn't quite do it for me.  Maybe that's because I was listening to a webrip of truly terrible quality.  She's got a truly beautiful voice, though, and manages to make this cover her own, despite how simple the arrangement is.

With high profile summer festivals constantly trying to find new and interesting ways to reveal their lineups, Lollapalooza figured out a way to do it that will have the whole internet talking.

Honestly, this song is kind of perfect. The album version features Mumford & Sons, and the whole thing is just terribly intense. It's going to be pretty awesome to watch Laura Marling continue to grow as a singer and songwriter.

And so it begins - the slow trickle of bands, big and small, making its way to our fair city after playing a ridiculous amount of shows in a ridiculous amount of venues in Austin. The month is only going to get busier, so hang on, it'll be a wild ride.

Nightjar is a sextet based out of Indianapolis (see, local-ish), which formed in 2007 as a duo and quickly gained members after that. With influences such as the Old 97's, Wilco, and Ryan Adams, Nightjar has a decidedly alt country sound, but the music is so much more than that.

While their own original music is fantastic, it's hard to resist this soulful take on the popular Wilco song. And what could be better than an up-and-coming Chicago band covering a true Chicago musical legend?

You can tell that summer is rapidly approaching, given the number of festival line-ups that are tumbling in. The Newport Folk Festival, in (where else) Newport, Rhode Island, has announced its lineup for its 2010 festival.

I'll be honest, I'm predisposed towards liking anything Andrew Bird comes up with, but he makes it so easy by being so darn amazing all of the time. I first heard his cover of this song during the shows he did at Fourth Presbyterian here in Chicago in December, and it rapidly became a favorite of mine.

This week is a little low-key. That's because every band in the universe is making its way out of Austin after SXSW. Don't worry, kids, April and May are exploding with music.

After I watched the original ChatRoulette improv bit, I was reminded of Ben Folds, for the piano geekery and the improv. Well, apparently Ben Folds was reminded of Ben Folds, too, because, well... just check it out.