FATHER JOHN MISTY covers R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" aboard the S.S. Coachella.

FOUR TET drops a free EP of rarities.

PETRA HADEN is advance streaming Petra Goes to the Movies.

FIDLAR is advance streaming their self-titled album.

EBSEN & THE WITCH advance stream Wash the Sins Not Only the Face.

OKKERVIL RIVER'S Will Scheff drops "Shock Corridor" from his new, un-Okkervil Lovestreams project.

JUNIP drops "Line Of Fire" ahead of their self-titled LP.

R. DEAN TAYLOR: "Indiana Wants Me." I have fond memories of The Service's cover version.

STEVIE NICKS gets a meaty profile (w/ interview) at The Observer.

TEGAN & SARA talk to Rolling Stone (separately) about making Heartthrob, why they decided this was the time to broaden their sound and how they got over their vicious sibling rivalry.

WHERE THE HELL IS MEMPHIS? NPR's "Sense of Place" series interviews Memphis author Robert Gordon and Stax Museum curator Levon Williams, adding archival pieces with Booker T. Jones and Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, and the late Issac Hayes. 

LINDSAY LOHAN's maybe-fired attorney pleaded not guilty on Li-Lo's behalf of lying to police, preventing a bench warrant... and a plea deal that would've involved rehab.

JESSICA CHASTAIN once swore off dating actors, but there she is with Tom Hiddleston, whom the Daily Mail fails to identify as Loki.

JESSICA SIMPSON will star in a semi-autobigraphical comedy pilot.

BRITNEY SPEARS: The pop tart's split from fiancee-conservator Jason Trawick was engineered by her father and Trawick.

MEGAN FOX bemoans fame and fortune - likening herself to an Aztec sacrifice -  but won't go away.

VICTOR GARBER came out to a blogger after the Golden Globes.

JOHN McTIERNAN: The director of Die Hard, Predator, The Hunt For Red October, The Thomas Crown Affair remake and more, heads to federal prison for his role in the Anthony Pellicano wiretap case.

BLAZING SADDLES: Headed to Broadway?

MALI: West African troops are expected to arrive in Mali "within days" to repel Islamist forces, which are said to have pulled out of Gao and Timuktu after several days of French airstrikes. Ansar Dine said it made a "tactical withdrawal.  French Pres Hollande said France's goals in Mali were: "stop[ping] the terrorist aggression... making Bamako safe... and enabling Mali to recover its territorial integrity."

SYRIA: A secret State Department cable has concluded that the Syrian military likely used chemical weapons against its own people in a deadly attack last month.

EGYPT: A 2010 video shows now-Pres. Morsi urging Egyptians to "nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred" for Jews and Zionists. In a television interview months later, the same leader described Zionists as "these bloodsuckers who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, the descendants of apes and pigs." Representatives of Morsi have declined repeated requests over more than three days for comment on his remarks.

PAKISTAN has plunged into a leadership crisis. As hundreds of thousands demonstrate against corruption, the country's high court has ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Ashraf. Populist cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri has declared a "revolution." Meanwhile, the government took administrative control of a vast province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, responding to an increasing number of sectarian attacks linked to homegrown Islamist extremists there.

IRAQ: Assassinations and attempts may provoke another civil war.

A DEAF BULLDOG senses the Blues.

GINA THE CHIMP is addicted to adult videos.

PRO TIP: Don't stand close to the rhino.

A MOUSE carefully released into the wild was killed within seconds by a hawk. Video at the link.

THE SOFT MOON drops a video for the fuzzy "Die Life."

NEW RELEASES from Christopher Owens, Free Energy, Erin McKeon and more are streaming this week at Spinner.

YO LA TENGO played five new songs at World Cafe Live, plus a cover of The Spinners' "I'll Be Around."

GRAHAM PARKER & THE RUMOUR stopped by World Cafe to chat about the reunion and play a mini-set of new stuff.

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS dropped a lyric video for "Jubilee Street."

ROY ORBISON provides vintage performances of "Running Scared" and "Oh, Pretty Woman" for Twofer Tuesday.

JOHNNY MARR talks to The Guardian about finally embracing his old sound, David Cameron and why he and Morrissey don't talk any more.

BLOC PARTY: Kele Okereke talks to the Aquarian Weekly about where the band draws musical inspiration, touring, and Four. (Thx, LHB.)

BJORK talks to Filter about Biophilia and nature.

JOHNNY CASH: At Paste, six musicians discuss Cash, the 45th anniversary of At Folsom Prison, and the legacy of The Man in Black.

BRADLEY COOPER & JENNIFER LAWRENCE are not dating, according to the former: "I could literally be her father."

JODIE FOSTER clarified her Golden Globes speech, whatever it was.

GLENN CLOSE: The obligatory drunken Golden Globes GIF.

LINDSAY LOHAN may or may not have fired the man keeping her out of jail.

RUSSELL CROWE has been sharing some intimate rubdowns with burlesque goddess Dita Von Teese, according to the NYP.

ZACK SNYDER denies reports of involvement with the new Star Wars.

SOUTH PARK's Trey Parker and Matt Stone have wooed investors and raised money to form their own production studio.

NATALIE WOOD: New details released today by the Los Angeles Coroner's Office that show the actress had bruises on her body that "appeared fresh and could have occurred before she entered the water" and drowned three decades ago.

JURASSIC PARK 4: June 13, 2014. Oh dear.

MALI: For years, the United States tried to stem the spread of Islamic militancy in the region by conducting its most ambitious counterterrorism program ever across these vast, turbulent stretches of the Sahara. But as insurgents swept through the desert last year, commanders of this nation’s elite army units, the fruit of years of careful American training, defected when they were needed most — taking troops, guns, trucks and their newfound skills to the enemy in the heat of battle, according to senior Malian military officials. US planning collapsed swiftly when heavily armed, battle-hardened Islamist fighters returned from combat in Libya.

GERMANY: The Foreign Ministry said Germany would provide cargo planes and medical personnel to assist France in the military intervention in Mali, but ruled out deploying troops.

IRAN is working with southern secessionists in Yemen to expand its influence and destabilize the strategic region around the Straits of Hormuz, the US envoy to Yemen was quoted as saying on Sunday.

POLAR BEAR rattles a BBC cameraman's cage. Where is Werner Herzog when you need him?

THE PYTHON CHALLENGE, essayed by Dave Barry.

A 7-FOOT GATOR was apprehended near the main runway of the Punta Gorda Airport.

A THIEVING 3-LEGGED DOG walks into an Invercargill dairy, helps himself to a dog roll and gets away with the loot.

JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION gets a bit psychedelic with this clip for "Bag of Bones."

NEW ORDER is streaming the unreleased collection of Lost Sirens.

L PIERRE, a/k/a Aidan Moffat (The Arab Strap), is streaming The Island Come True.

AARON NEVILLE is advance streaming My True Story.

WIDOWSPEAK is advance streaming Almanac. 

THE RONETTES: "Baby, I Love You," without the Wall Of Sound. (Thx, Jon Hahn.)

CHEAP TRICK: "I Want You... to Want Me," on Aussie TV, circa 1979. Nary a cord in sight.

DAVID BOWIE: Tony Visconti talks to Billboard about the icon's surprise reappearance.The Guardian dives even deeper, reporting there are at least a dozen tracks that did not make it onto the upcoming LP.

SCOTT WALKER speaks with World Cafe host David Dye about terrifying his musicians with machetes on his latest record, Bish Bosch, as well as why he never listens to his old material and the "giant in a general's toilet" of "Zercon."

BBC SEX ABUSE SCANDAL: The British police and the country's leading child welfare group drew a horrific picture of more than 200 cases of sexual abuse of children as young as 8 by the television host Jimmy Savile in a report released on Friday, and prosecutors admitted for the first time that they could have brought Mr. Savile to trial before his death in 2011 but failed to do so. During his time at the BBC, Savile played a central role in two shows — “Top of the Pops,” featuring rock bands playing their latest hits, and “Jim’ll Fix It,” in which Savile responded to requests from viewers.

THE 15 BEST TOM WAITS SONGS, according to PopMatters.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Zero Dark Thirty tops the chart with 24 million and has a 29 million gross to date against a 35-40 million budget. Clearly, the Oscar snub of Katherine Bigelow didn't affect biz. A Haunted House placed with 18.8 million against a 2.5 million budget; clearly, the 9 percent Tomatometer was similarly ignored.  Gangster Squad shows with 16.7 million against a budget reportedly as high as 75 million. Ouch. Django Unchained drops 45 percent to the fourth slot with 11 million.  Les Miserables rounds out the Top 5 with 10.1 million. Below the fold, both Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook did increased biz seemingly tied to those Oscar noms.

BRITNEY SPEARS and Jason Trawick have broken up. Trawick was also removed as Britney's co-conservator. Spears is in “serious talks” to move to Las Vegas and headline a “Celine” type show.

LINDSAY LOHAN confirms the NYT article linked here Friday was pretty accurate, though she denies any drunk driving.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE and her boyfriend, About a Boy actor Nick Hoult, have split after two years of dating.

JASON SUDEKIS & OLIVIA WILDE are engaged.

DEMI MOORE is dating restaurateur Harry Morton.

EVAN RACHEL WOOD and husband Jamie Bell confirmed that they are expecting their first child.

MAN OF STEEL Henry Cavill made his red carpet debut at the Critic's Choice Movie Awards with a lady on his arm, and not just any lady, but MMA fighter and Haywire star Gina Carano.

TAYLOR SWIFT: Dumped for not putting out enough?

JESSICA SIMPSON and her fiance Eric Johnson spent much of their recent Hawaiian getaway fighting over her treatment of her father Joe, according to RadarOnline.

THE GOLDEN GLOBES were awarded to these folks.

MALI: President Francois Hollande says French troops are taking part in operations against Islamists in northern Mali. The US and African Union have also expressed support for the mission. France is finding the Islamists surprisingly "well-trained, well-equipped, and well-armed." The Islamist militants warned that France would pay a price for its intervention in Mali. President Hollande said France would not give in to "terrorist blackmail." Britiain is sending two RAF C-17s to provide logistical support for the Malian Army in its attempt to stem the advance of Islamist fighters. British personnel could play a role in training the Malian army, a Government minister has suggested.

SYRIA: Western and Israeli security experts suspect Syria may have tons of unenriched uranium in storage and that any such stockpile could potentially be of interest to its ally Iran for use in Tehran's own disputed nuclear program.  US officials are discussing with Middle East governments the steps needed to ensure that Syria's chemical and biological weapons sites are secured when Assad leaves office.

IRAQ closed all border crossings with Syria until further notice.

A PUPPY learns to navigate the stairs.

SCAVENGING DOGS have been left bleary-eyed after inadvertently feasting on cannabis while on walkies in northwest England.

AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER was busted for swiping a Chihuahua from an elderly nun.

ROCKY RACOON went out from his room and made off with some poor golfer's iPhone.

THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with XTC! Live on Rockpalast, February 10, 1982. Your setlist includes: "Respectable Street" (still one of my faves), "Towers of London," "Runaways," "Jason and the Argonauts," "Burning With Optimism's Flames," "Snowman," "Ball And Chain," "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)," "No Thugs In Our House" (another fave), "Senses Working Overtime" (ditto), "Making Plans For Nigel," "Living Through Another Cuba," "Generals and Majors," "Real By Reel," and "Life Begins At The Hop."

DIRTY PROJECTORS visited WNYC Soundcheck for an unplugged set in the studio -- and to make some predictions for 2013.

DAVID BYRNE & ST. VINCENT perform a full set, culminating with "Burning Down the House," at NPR.

THE HELIO SEQUENCE stopped by Morning Becomes Eclectic for a session.

TOWNES VAN ZANDT, Live in Mpls, 1973.

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN drops “Someday Our Love Will Sell Us Out” from their first LP of new stuff in eight years.

GUIDED BY VOICES drop "Copy Zero" ahead of a new EP.

TEGAN & SARA cover the Stones' "Fool To Cry" for HBO's Girls Season 2 soundtrack.

THE BESNARD LAKES drop "People Of The Sticks."

WHITE RABBITS cover "Instant Karma." Gonna knock you right on the head.

MOUNTAIN GOATS: John Darnielle spoke to Spinner on his new son's strange affinity for "Scarface," his opinions of his own songs and the importance of throwing things away.

BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB: Robert Levon Been and drummer Leah Shapiro talk to Rolling Stone about coping with the loss of Been's father, former Call frontman Michael Been.

SOLANGE KNOWLES talks to The Guardian about her sister, her career, and her new project with Dev Hynes.

THE 16 BEST POSTHUMOUS ALBUMS, according to Spinner.

CUTOUT BIN: From the La's to AC/DC, from Don Dixon to Paul Anka, from Marvin Gaye to the Violent Femmes. plus Robyn Hitchcock, CCR, the Velvet Underground, the Jam and more -- this year's final fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include: Gangster Squad, which is currently scoring 36 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; and A Haunted House, which was not screened for critics. In addition, Zero Dark Thirty expands wide, scoring 94 percent (Here's my take from Monday).

LINDSAY LOHAN: Here Is What Happens When You Cast Lindsay Lohan in Your Movie.

BRITNEY SPEARS: Y'all can't fire me; I quit.

THE OSCAR nominations went to these folks. Congrats.

ELTON JOHN and David Furnish have welcomed their second baby via surrogate.

LILY ALLEN and husband Sam Cooper became second-time parents when Allen recently gave birth to a baby girl in London.

CHARLIE SHEEN is covering a huge chunk of the funeral costs for the paparazzo who died while covering Justin Bieber.

IRAN is the likely culprit in a wave of cyber-attacks on US banks. Iran's oil minister acknowledged that oil exports have fallen by more than 40 percent due to economic sanctions. Iran's leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, warned the Iranians not to criticize upcoming presidential elections.

PAKISTANI transporters who carry NATO supplies to land-locked Afghanistan have gone on strike, disrupting the flow of goods to Western forces in a protest against a new customs regime aimed at cutting theft.

AFGHANISTAN: Lawmakers said disaster and civil war would follow if Washington pushed ahead with a suggestion to withdraw all its troops from the country after 2014.

A QUOKKA: I had no idea.

DOLPHIN STAMPEDE in the waters off Dana Point in SoCal.  So long, and thanks for all the fish.

QANTAS had its own dramatic ''snakes on a plane'' episode when a three-meter python joined passengers on an early morning flight to Papua New Guinea.

A NEW CAT BREED uglier than the sphynx.

FOXYGEN pays tribute to "San Francisco," sans flowers in their hair.

CHRISTOPHER OWENS (ex-Girls) is advance streaming Lysandre, an early candidate for one of 2013's best. Owens talks about his life and album with the New York Times.

LUCIUS played a Tiny Desk Concert at the offices of NPR. "Turn It Around" is my pick to click.

SEE A LITTLE LIGHT: Bob Mould and Friends Live. Free (if you give Google your CC info to set up an account).

BIKINI KILL: All Things Considered looks at Riot Grrrl Power plus 20 years.

JENS LEKMAN drops a freebie called “Olivia & Maddy,” as payment to two fans who helped him after Superstorm Sandy.

DAVENDRA BANHART drops "Für Hildegard von Bingen" ahead of Mala.

JIM JAMES drops "A New Life" ahead of Regions of Light and Sound of God.

THAO & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN drop the title track to "We The Common."

DAVID BOWIE is back in the spotlight, so how about some "Queen B^tch" from the OGWT? 

ELVIS PRESLEY: Musicians recount their odd encounters with The King.

THE SMITHS' albums ranked from worst to best, according to Stereogum.

THE POSTAL SERVICE reunion rumor.

BOB DYLAN and the Copyright Extension Collection.

LINDSAY LOHAN: Still Partyin' Like a Free Woman.  Li-Lo also has been accused of stealing a pricey bracelet that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor during filming of the Lifetime television movie based on the life of the late screen legend, according to RadarOnline. Meanwhile, Michael Lohan is threatening ex-wife Dina Lohan — either stop accusing him of rape, or face his legal wrath.

KIM KARDASHIAN does not feel the need to marry Kanye West, even though she's having his baby. But she does not want to be legally married to Kris Humphries when she gives birth.

JUSTIN BIEBER & SELENA GOMEZ: Now more dunzo than ever.

CHRIS BROWN & RHIANNA: Together at the Grammys?

KEVIN GARNETT vs CARMELLO ANTHONY: Video of the postgame screaming match involving Carmello's wife.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT is joining the long-gestating Sin City sequel, passes on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

TOM CRUISE: THR is excerpting a new book about Scientology and Hollywood, along with a response.

VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez, who has not been seen publicly in a month since undergoing a complex cancer surgery in Cuba, will not be back in Venezuela on Thursday to be sworn in for a fourth term, his government announced Tuesday.

INDIA: The lawyer representing three of the men charged with the gang rape and murder of a medical student aboard a moving bus in New Delhi has blamed the victims for the assault, saying he has never heard of a "respected lady" being raped in India.

THE UNITED KINGDOM: Whitehall is said to be increasingly concerned that Syrian chemical weapons may fall into the hands of extremists.

SYRIA: A jihadist group with links to al Qaeda has become the most effective of the different factions fighting the regime, according to a new analysis, and now has some 5000 fighters.

FUGITIVE KANGAROO: Now we have video.

IT'S A LABRADOODLE, not a lion, you nervous Nellies.

HEDGEHOG CHEERLEADERS are coming to Puppy Bowl IX. Dinsdale!

BUSTER THE DOG, who went missing after Hurricane Sandy, narrowly escapes euthanasia.