SON VOLT plays a four-song session at LaundroMatinee. The MP3s are there; all the videos are at Vimeo.

BANDS FOR 2011: A streaming playlist and video gallery from NME.

TWIN SHADOW did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

SOCIAL DISTORTION drops "California (Hustle & Flow)" as an advance track to Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes.

AKRON / FAMILY drops "So It Goes" as an advance track to S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT (a title made for mass marketing).

R. DEAN TAYLOR: "Indiana Wants Me." Someone mentioned it on the Twitter last week, and I have fond memories of The Service's cover version.

JOHN LYDON talks Mr. Rotten's Scrapbook and the future of the Pistols & P.I.L. with Stereogum.

JOANNA NEWSOM talks touring, songwriting and more with... The Economist.

MAC McCAUGHAN talks to Spinner about the big year for Superchunk and Merge Records.

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: Another bad year.

CARLOS SANTANA gives the drummer some.

LINDSAY LOHAN is telling friends she had "no idea" her new badass beach house was right next door to ex-gf Sam Ronson ...but she's ready to move out in order to "keep the peace."

RYAN REYNOLDS & SANDRA BULLOCK: Rumors escalate, but are called ridiculous by sources close to both stars.

ELTON JOHN is the biological father of his boy, born by a surrogate mother.

MILA KUNIS tals to The Advocate about the topics you want to read about, minus Macaulay Culkin.

NICOLE KIDMAN talks to co-star Jennifer Aniston at Harper's Bazaar about marriage, motherhood, and the joy of lightening up.

EVA LONGORIA rebounding from soon-to-be ex-husband Tony Parker with Penelope Cruz's little brother, Eduardo?

THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS went to these folks.

THE BEST DOCUMENTARIES of 2010, according to Cinematical.

PAKISTAN: Lawyers showered the suspected killer of a prominent Pakistani governor with rose petals when he arrived at court Wednesday and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the assassination of the outspoken opponent of laws that order death for those who insult Islam.

AFGHANISTAN: On New Year's Day, leaders of a tribe that has been responsible for numerous attacks in Sangin struck a deal with the Afghan government to cease offensive acts and evict foreign fighters in the area in exchange for the release of a prisoner, the promise of development assistance and the prospect of establishing their own security force.

IRAQ: Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led several Shiite uprisings against American forces in Iraq before going into exile in neighboring Iran almost four years ago, returned to Iraq Wednesday.

THE BIRDS swarmed a news crew in Oklahoma City.

ANOTHER MASS BIRD DEATH, this time in Sweden.

FRANKENSWINE: The creators of the genetically modified superpig, nicknamed the Enviropig, say its manure contains less phosphorus than normal slurry and poses less risk to rivers, streams and lakes. BONUS: Taiwan environmental authorities say they are planning to promote potty training for pigs to help curb water and waste pollution.

AN UNKILLABLE COW sent a Florida man to the hospital in critical condition.

A HERMAPHRODITE DOG had a rare operation to become a female, and could even have pups.

BEST COAST brought their "Boyfriend" to meet Fallon.

BRITISH SEA POWER is advance streaming Valhalla Dancehall.

THE VACCINES, "purveyors of classic fuzzed-up indie in the mould of The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Ramones," are profiled by The Scotsman. (Thx, LHB.) They're also touted by NME. You can stream a couple via TheirSpace.

ABIGAIL WASHBURN plays a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR.

DAVID BOWIE: Scary Monsters Alternate Takes.

GERRY RAFFERTY, whose songs such as "Stuck in the Middle with You" and "Baker Street" soundtracked the 1970s, has died aged 63 after a long illness.

THE GO! TEAM talks to Spinner about their upcoming LP, claiming more coherent lyrics and more diverse music.

PINK FLOYD & EMI settle all family business.

SPOTIFY: Don't expect a US launch of the downloading-streaming service soon, but there is a shady way to try it out here.

WHY IS INDIE so... white? And why does nobody complain about the ethnic issue in country music or hip-hop?

LINDSAY LOHAN, fresh out of rehab, has moved into a plush beach pad next door to ex-gf Samantha Ronson, who is none too pleased about it.  Meanwhile, Lohan's legal issues could get more complicated after police in California said she violated her probation.

JOHN MELLENCAMP & MEG RYAN are quietly dating. That was the sound of the other shoe dropping on his separation from his wife of 18 years, Elaine Irwin.

TAYLOR SWIFT & JAKE GYLLENHAAL are reportedly dunzo. Song to follow.

BRETT FAVRE: Two more women have come forward, filing a sexual harassment suit against the star quarterback.

JUSTIN BIEBER is profiled by Vanity Fair. Which seal is that? Fifth? Sixth?

DAVID ARQUETTE is undergoing treatment for depression and alcohol abuse at the Betty Ford Center in California, according to RadarOnline.

LeANN RIMES had some work done.

GUILTY PLEASURES of movies and TV, according to PopMatters.

THE 80 GREATEST HOLLYWOOD MOMENTS, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

IRAN has invited Russia, China and several European Union members to visit its nuclear facilities this month, but pointedly snubbed the United States. The European diplomats said the invitation was not likely to be accepted, if at all, until after the next round of negotiations, expected to be held in Istanbul at the end of this month.

EGYPT: Security forces said a suicide bomber who attacked a Coptic church on New Years Day was "linked to al Qaeda." A prominent Egyptian cleric claimed the US and Israel were responsible for the suicide attack.

PAKISTAN: A senior Pakistani terrorist linked to al Qaeda and the country's intelligence service has been released from "protective custody." The governor of Pakistan's powerful Punjab province  -- strong voice for rights of women and religious minorities -- has been killed by one of his own guards at a market in the capital Islamabad, police have said.

BEAR CUB vs BICHON: Who you got?

CAR vs PIG: Who you got?

MORE MASS BIRD DEATHS: State biologists are trying to determine what led to the deaths of an estimated 500 red-winged blackbirds and starlings on a quarter-mile stretch of highway in Louisiana, just three days after more than 3,000 blackbirds rained down from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas.

A VULTURE suspected of spying for Israel is held by authorities in Saudi Arabia.

BEAVER, correctly used, could save our ecosystem.

R.E.M. drops "Oh My Heart" as another advance track to Collapse Into Now, and a lyrics video for "It Happened Today," featuring a cameo from Eddie Vedder.

WIRE is advance streaming Red Barked Tree, the band's 12th studio LP.

MGMT did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter at MoogFest.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, Live at Nassau Coliseum, New Years Eve 1980.

SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN: Their "Back in the Saddle" is not the Aerosmith classic, but that didn't stop someone from syncing up some video for Twofer Tuesday...

THE PITCHFORK READERS' POLL for 2010.

THE 50 MOST IMPORTANT RECORDINGS of the DECADE, according to NPR.

THE FLAMING LIPS: Wayne Coyne tells Rolling Stone that the band will hit the studio soon and plans to release new songs every month, while filming the entire process.

ZOMBIE PROFITS: The big business of posthumous music sales. (Thx, LHB.)

MILA KUNIS & MACAULAY CULKIN have called it quits after eight years. He's doing that Munch-like thing right now.

DAVID ARQUETTE partied wildly with strippers just days before landing in rehab, according to RadarOnline.

LINDSAY LOHAN has been released from the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California after a 90-day stint in rehab.

RYAN REYNOLDS & SANDRA BULLOCK, co-stars in The Proposal, spent New Year's Eve together.

JASON SCHWARTZMAN and wife Brady Cunningham welcomed a daughter on Saturday.

PETE POSTLETHWAITE, an Oscar nominee for his role as the father of Daniel Day-Lewis's character in the 1993 In the Name of the Father, died Sunday after a lengthy fight with cancer.

ANNE FRANCIS, who was the love interest in the 1950s science-fiction classic "Forbidden Planet" and later was sexy private eye in "Honey West" on TV, has died at age 80.

ZSA ZSA GABOR is losing half a leg.

QUENTIN TARANTINO's Favorite Movies of 2010.

IRAN announced that the Bushehr nuclear power plant is ready to join the grid. Opposition leader Karroubi offered to stand trial if the government would agree to open proceedings. An Iranian nuclear scientist who claimed he slipped away from his CIA captors has not been seen publicly since his heroic return to Tehran last year and could be facing an investigation as a possible turncoat, according to an opposition website.

PAKISTAN: The second-largest party in Pakistan's ruling coalition quit the government Sunday over fuel price increases and other complaints, leaving the country with a minority government.

THE BIRDS: An enormous number of crows have been descending on an Ottawa neighbourhood each evening for the past several winters.

MORE THAN 1000 DEAD BLACKBIRDS fall from the sky in Beebe, Ark. Meanwhile, Arkansas officials are investigating the death of an estimated 100K fish in the state's northwest.

ARMADILLOS & ELEPHANTS are among those targeted by a new law in Morinville, Calgary.

ZOO BIRTHS of 2010.

U2: Crushingly obvious, I know.

WELCOME... TO THE NEW YEAR: You can stream a live version of Pate's "New Year" (and three others from the 2003 reunion) at PateSpace.

THE DECEMBERISTS are advance streaming The King Is Dead LP, with special guests Gillian Welch and Peter Buck.

BROKEN BELLS played First Ave on December 6th, 2010; you can stream the whole gig on demand.

CRIS KIRKWOOD of the Meat Puppets did three free songs for Daytrotter, two of which were popularized by Geogre Jones.

SOUL-SIDES: Oliver Wang lists his Faves for 2010.

ABBA wishes you a "Happy New Year,"  but it doesn't sound anywhere as celebratory as "Take A Chance On Me."

THE YEAR IN MUSIC: Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot of Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions radio program join World Cafe host David Dye for a discussion.

A 2011 MUSIC PREVIEW from The Guardian... and All Things Considered... and the L.A. Times.

WARPAINT: Jenny Lee Lindberg and her sister, Shannyn Sossamon, talk musical roots and family ties with Nowness. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

QUEEN ELIZABETH II  bestowed New Year's Honors on Annie Lennox, Trevor Horn and Richard Thompson.

CHUCK BERRY was at his home near St. Louis and in good health Sunday after falling ill from exhaustion during a concert the previous night in Chicago.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Little Fockers edges True Grit at the top of the chart, with an estimated 26.3 million vs 24.5 million -- but the order could change when the actual receipts are tallied.  After all, Fockers dropped 14.7 percent while True Grit dropped a tiny 1.4 percent.  Also, the bigger picture is that Fockers broke the 100 million mark and matched the production budget, while True Grit has raked in 86.8 million on a mere 38 million budget.  Rooster Cogburn hands the Coen Bros their first full-on blockbuster; I would not be surprised if it ends up with a bigger total than Fockers at the ends of their runs. Tron Legacy holds the third slot with 18.3 million on a small 4.4 percent drop.  Still, even with a 130 million total to date against a 170 million budget, Disney is likely disappointed.  Yogi Bear actually climbed a slot, rising 66 percent from last weekend to pull in 13 million.  Apparently, New Year's weekend proved more kid-friendly than Christmas weekend. Who knew? That hypothersis is also supported by the The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader rounding out the Top Five with 10.5 million (a 10.8 percent increase) and Tangled climbing back to sixth place (a 55.7 percent increase over last weekend).  Then again, there were a lot of hefty increases for the smaller films below the fold with The Fighter, Black Swan and The King's Speech likely benefitting from people starting in on awards season selections.

SHANIA TWAIN got married to Frederic Thiebaud in Puerto Rico on New Year's Day.

VALERIE BERTINELLI married her boyfriend of seven years, financial planner Tom Vitale, over the weekend.

JOHN MELLENCAMP & ELAINE IRWIN have ended their 18-year marriage.

VAL KILMER owes nearly 500K in federal taxes.

LINDSAY LOHAN's ex-con Dad hired an R&B singer to write a dance song for his estranged daughter while she's in rehab.

RUSSELL BRAND posted a rather unflattering picture of his wife Katy Perry on his Twitter page that shows the singer without a scrap of make-up.

FORMER PLAYMATES tell of the grubby world inside Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire.

24: 20th Century Fox has nixed a script that would have continued the storyline of the rogue CTU agent Jack Bauer.

FILM LISTS: PopMatters serves up a Best and Worst of 2010. The Daily Beast lists overlooked films. IndieWire has a Best list. At Salon, Matt Zoller Seitz has a Best Scenes list.

AFGHANISTAN: As 2011 begins, there are, say senior US military officials, some clear differences emerging in the way Gen. Petraeus is now handling the Afghanistan theater. Chief among the changes is one that represents something of a gamble to some in the Pentagon.

IRAQ: The number of civilians killed in violence in Iraq fell last year and December was the least deadly month of 2010, official figures showed on Saturday.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: A bio-engineered singing mouse.

A RARE, MINIATURE PANDA COW was born in Lakeland, CO.

HOSTILE CAMEL tazed into submission.

KITTEH leads officials on chase, gets adopted by deputy.

THE NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with THE BEAT FARMERS!  Because I was in the mood for an encore of this more sober than usual, professionally-shot, early BF gig recorded at Universal Studios, including "There She Goes Again" (VU); "Road to Ruin," "Bigger Fool," "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Powderfinger" (N. Young), "Happy Boy," "Big Ugly Wheels," "Bigger Stones," "Gun Sale at the Church," "Dallas Blues," "I Wanna Be Free," "Lakeside Trailer Park," "Death Train," and "Seven Year Itch."  If you're new to the band, my picks would be "Bigger Stones," "Happy Boy" and the cover of your choice.  SUPER-SPECIAL BONUS:  Now how much would you pay?  But wait... there's more!  If you really want to see someone put the "bar" in "bar band," watch these NSFW clips from Houston, TX of the late Country Dick Montana leading the band through "Lucille" (K. Rogers) -- complete with his favorite beer bottle stunts -- followed by "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Wino," "Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus?" and "Mondo."

YEASAYER is offering a live album for download. Name your price, including free.

THE KLAXONS are offering the Landmarks of Lunacy EP for streaming and download.

THE TOP EPs of 2010, according to KCRW social media host Betsy Moyer, with streaming tracks from Dale Earnhart Jr. Jr., The Smiles, The Generationals, Sufjan Stevens and more...

THE ROXY MUSIC STORY: A BBC documentary presented by Jarvis Cocker. One day left to listen!

BELLE & SEBASTIAN: The webcast is over, but the band's Holiday Spectacular, with popular classics, fan favorites and a few festive surprises, remains available in audio.

MARK RONSON & BUSINESS INTL stopped by WNYC's Green Space for a mini-session.

JOE JACKSON: Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to hilarious effect, so today I stick with Joe's early material, including "Sunday Papers" live on the OGWT, "Kinda Kute" on the Kenny Everett Video Show, a Beat Crazy-era run of "On Your Radio" the official clip for "It's Different For Girls" and a bracing live take on "I'm The Man." That last one is taken from the Rock Goes To College show, which also boasts this pulsing version of his signature "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"

SHARON VON ETTEN is interviewed by The Dumbing of America, so it's worth a backlink to her recent World Cafe session. (Thx, Chromewaves.)

BOB SEGER is celebrated at The Guardian, including a vintage video of one of my all-time favorite Seger tracks, "Rambklin' Gamblin' Man."

THE TURD in the CAVIAR: 24 songs that almost derail great albums.

IN MEMORIAM: NPR's accounting for Musicians We Lost in 2010.

THE CUTOUT BIN: From Guy Lombardo to AC / DC, from Otis & Carla to Ray Davies & Alex Chilton, from Guided by Voices to Roy Orbison, plus the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Members, Sylvia and more -- the final fortuitous finds of the year are now streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NICK CAVE & SHANE MacGOWAN: "What a Wonderful World."

NOW SHOWING? There are no new wide releases this weekend.  The controversial Blue Valentine opens on a whopping four screens, which I'm guessing are in NYC and LA for awards purposes.  However, I do have a couple of capsule reviews of current releases...

THE FIGHTER: I was tempted to say "it's a boxing movie." It has many of the boxing tropes, but it's really more about family (and as such, not really a family film).  Accordingly, while Mark Wahlberg is the lead in the film, and capable enough as such, it's really Amy Adams, Melissa Leo and especially Christian Bale who fuel this film (as the girlfriend, mother and brother, respectively).  Wahlberg may take the punches, but it's Bale's scenes that are the most brutal, in no small part to the way in which he melts into his role, even at the physical level.

BLACK SWAN: The family behind the performer is here, though not the centerpiece. Here I give into the temptation to say "it's a backstage drama." Indeed, Black Swan pulls out the gimmick of having the backstage parallel the onstage to some degree.  And a movie which does that had better be good at it or be dismissed as formula.  In this case it is good, for the opposite reason as The Fighter.  Here, while Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey (plus Vincent Cassel and Wynona Ryder in lesser roles) are a capable supporting cast, Black Swan rises on the star turn of Natalie Portman, who makes her Nina Sayers far more compelling and sympathetic than she ought to be on paper.  I have seen this compared to Darren Aronofsky's last film, The Wrestler, because he originally had the characters in the same script -- and that's unfair.  Granted, both characters sacrifice themselves for their performances, but in terms of genre and tone, The Wrestler may be closer to The Fighter (which Aronofsky exec produced) than the psychodrama of Black Swan.

SHOWBIZ NEWS is truly dead, so we'll meet back here in the New Year!