Fountains of Wayne will release its latest studio album, Traffic and Weather, April 3, via Virgin. The first single from the album, “Someone To Love,” will arrive at U.S. radio in late February. The disc is a follow-up to the band’s 2003 classic, Welcome Interstate Managers. The majority of the disc was recorded at Stratosphere Studios, in New York City…

Wilco will release Sky Blue Sky, May 15, via Nonesuch Records. The disc, a follow-up to 2004’s A Ghost Is Born, was announced by frontman Jeff Tweedy Wednesday (January 17), while he was performing a solo show in Nashville, Tennessee…

American Idol season five runner-up Katharine McPhee will release her self-titled debut album January 30, via RCA Records/19 Recordings. “Ever since I was on the finale of American Idol, people have been asking me what kind of album I’m going to record,” McPhee said. “When I started working on my debut album, I was asked what types of music I liked. My favorite music is rhythmic pop and I love to dance, so that was our starting point. I was also asked what I wanted to sing about, what subjects I wanted to touch on. So this album really reflects me, a 22-year-old girl who knows what it’s like to fall in love and to have her heart broken, and also a girl who likes to have fun and enjoy life!” The first single from the disc, “Over It,” hit radio earlier this week…

Usher has been found guilty of speeding after an incident July, 4, 2006, when he was pulled over on Interstate 75 in Georgia, driving 103 mph. The R&B singer appeared in Bartow County court Wednesday (January 17) to face a speeding citation. He was fined $425 and ordered to perform 20 hours of community service…

Hopeless / Sub City Records will release the Take Action Volume 6 compilation CD/DVD, February 6, for the suggested retail price of $7.98. The annual charity compilation is comprised of 45 tracks on two CDs and 18 videos on DVD, all bundled in a specially-designed digipak. This year’s compilation includes tracks from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, My Chemical Romance, Emery, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Cute Is What We Aim For, In Flames, Rise Against, Hellogoodbye, Copeland, Underoath, and others. The compilation is released in conjunction with the 2007 Take Action Tour, which kids off February 1, in Washington, DC…

Lucinda Williams will hit the road in support of her new record, West, which hits store shelves February 13, via Lost Highway. Williams will kick off her tour March 6, in Tucson, Arizona, and wrap it March 30, in Nashville, Tennessee…

Connecticut’s The Voodoo Jets have been selected by Alpine Electronics to be part of a promotional campaign launching a new car receiver that was engineered with input from Apple. The Alpine iDA-X001 is the first aftermarket head unit designed for a fully integrated iPod experience in the car. The iDA-X001 includes a color 320 x 240 pixel TFT screen that displays artist, album and track information, and even album art from the iPod. Colorful graphics and song titles from the group’s debut CD Supersonic are pictured throughout Alpine’s promotional and press materials, which made their official debut at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “We are honored to have been given such prominent visibility by Alpine—this type of exposure is critical for an independent artist,” Voodoo Jets founder, Micah Sheveloff, said…

Astonish Records will release the self-titled debut from No More Kings, March 6. In anticipation of the release of the disc, the band has released the video for its first single, “Sweep the Leg.” The song was written from the perspective of Johnny from the The Karate Kid and the video features the original cast, including the actors who portrayed Johnny, the Cobra Kai, the Sensei and Ralph Macchio, who starred in the film…

The Academy Is… will release its new album, Santi, April 3, via Fueled By Ramen. The first single from the album will be announced soon…

Grammy winner Nanci Griffith will kick off a cabaret tour in support of her new torch song CD, Ruby’s Torch, January 28, in Boulder, Colorado. Griffith will remain on the road through mid-March in support of the Rounder Records release. Griffith is currently slated to wrap her tour March 17, in Alexandria, Virginia…

Zombi has announced a North American spring tour with Trans Am in support of its latest album, Surface To Air. The tour will kick off April 10 in Washington, DC, and wrap May 4, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…

Russell Simmons will address the World Jewish Congress American Section, Monday (January 22), in New York City. He will speak about “Unity: Fighting Our Fights Together.” Simmons is expected to champion the need for people from all backgrounds and cultures to stand up for each other – Jews, African Americans, Muslims and others – to defend against hatred and promote mutual respect…

Sundance Channel will premiere Robyn Hitchcock: Sex, Food, Death … and Insects, March 27, at 10:00 pm et/pt. The hour-long Sundance Channel original production, directed by John Edginton, follows Hitchcock and The Venus 3 (featuring Scott McCaughey, Bill Rieflin, and R.E.M.’s Peter Buck. The film captures Hitchcock at work as he adds to his stockpile of wry and twisted rock songs. The film includes live footage of performances in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Seattle, Washington from late last year…

Faber Drive will release its debut album, Seven Second Surgery in May, via Universal Republic Records. The group, which has supported MxPx and Nickelback among others. The disc was produced by Hinder producer Brian Howes and Nickelback producer Joey Moi. The first single from the disc will be “Second Chance.” The group is comprised of lead singer Faber, lead guitarist Hinsley, bassist Krikit, and drummer Red Bull…

Night Kills The Day will release its full-length debut, The Study of Man, March 27, via Score Records. The New York City-based group will hit the road in support of Electric Six and Test Your Reflex. The tour will kick off March 22, in Toronto, Ontario, and wrap May 12, in Detroit, Michigan…