Monday News Mash-Up

In effort to encourage donations to Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders to assist emergency relief in Haiti, Wilco posted two shows for free download on Wilcoworld. The downloads are free, but they’re asking fans to donate $15 to either organization

Andrew W.K., who quietly released a fantastic piano album at the end of 2009, is loudly dropping his unreleased 2006 album, Close Calls with Brick Walls. While the album did find a home in Japan four years ago, this marks the first time the album will be widely available in North America and the United Kingdom.

For their television debut, Beach House performed “Zebra” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this past Friday. Here’s the video:

Keyboardist and songwriter (and master of the curled mustachio) Franz Nicolay has officially left The Hold Steady. As he states on his website, his departure has been planned since last fall and now he’s free to promote his current album and EP, release his forthcoming collection of writings, and produce some albums.

Are you and/or your band dreaming of stardom and starting your own niche label to release that soon-to-be blogger favorite seems far too daunting? Best Buy is now in the business of shelving their stores with your album. For the low price of a $250 non-refundable fee (and $100 for each album after), Best Buy will house your CD in between stacks of appliances and electronics. The good news is with each album sold, you can net $5.15 of direct profit!

From the amount of kids in attendance at Bumbershoot last year, this news should go over well: 4AD has pulled the curtain back on their latest talent acquisition: Gang Gang Dance. The promise of a new album before the end of 2010 is rumored. You’ve got to please those taskmasters.

Sorry, Prince: as a result of last night’s game, your victory song for the Minnesota Vikings, “Purple and Gold,” is no longer needed... though based on listener response, that’s probably just as well.

The hardest working band in America (yeah, I said it) is about to release a new album and hit the road once again in support. Dr. Dog is slated to release Shame, Shame April 6th via their new home, Anti-. As of now, the band doesn’t have a Seattle date scheduled on their lengthy list of tour dates but if we cross our fingers, close our eyes, and click our heels three times maybe we’ll get lucky.

Ever wonder what’s on your favorite artists’ iPods? Rock icon David Bowie shares with The Observer what’s on his as he promotes his forthcoming live double album, A Reality Tour. From WWII-era New Orleans piano music to Chinese folk to African blues, the Thin White Duke’s playlist is unsurprisingly eclectic.