Cuban Linx: The End of Alt.Country, John Paul Jones, Broken West, Grizzly Bear, Female Singer-Songwriters

There is a short but sweet essay on the rise and fall of alt.country at An Aquarium Drunkard, which posits Whiskeytown‘s soon-to-be reissued Stranger’s Almanac as a microcosm of the freewheeling genre. Can’t say I disagree. (An Aquarium Drunkard)

John Paul Jones (yes, that John Paul Jones) showed up to Largo to jam along on Jon Brion‘s performance on Feb. 23! (Easily Fooled)

You Ain’t No Picasso interviews my dudes The Broken West (the band behind my #17 album of 2007 — should’ve been higher, too) for his ever-frisky My First Time feature. (YANP)

Grizzly Bear premiered a terrific new song — which admittedly sounds like every other Grizzly Bear song — on KCRW last week. (Stereogum)

We’re awash in female singer-songwriters these days, and EW.com’s gallery nails a few of my recent favorites — namely, Laura Marling and Ingrid Michaelson. There are some gems among their other picks as well. (EW)