• One of the busiest local bluegrass/old-timey bands lately have been the TRICK BRITCHES. Makes sense. After a summer spent in Europe busking for their bread, they've likely gotten used to playing every day. Look for a second album from the band, Hard Fought Day, recorded at ACADIA RECORDING CO., this spring.
• Are you doing the RPM CHALLENGE this year? The sixth annual event gets people — solo artists, bands, whomever — making an entire album in the course of the month of February. So far, more than 6000 bands have accomplished the feat. Are you in? Get the details at rpmchallenge.com.
• Looking for some people to play jazz with? OCEAN SOL, a guitar-bass-drums trio, want it known they have a "sit-in" policy and are looking for players. Next gig is February 12 at the Local Buzz.
• As ZACH JONES (the one who used to be in AS FAST AS) gets ready for his sophomore solo record, he's releasing a maxi-single to whet appetites. "Never Easy" will be paired with "Scene of the Crime" and "Shame," all three recorded with JON NOLAN down in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, at MILLTOWN RECORDING, along with old AFA drummer ANDREW HODGKINS and bassist STU MAHAN. You can grab the single March 1. The full-length will drop not long after.
• SPOSE is already getting ready to drop another album. Look for The Peter Sparker Mixtape before spring is out.
• Been missing SARA HALLIE RICHARDSON? Well, she's back from NYC, where she just got done recording much of the follow-up to the excellent A Curious Paradox, from 2009. She reports having six songs in the can toward an eventual 11-track album that ought to hit this summer.
