Record-release roundup

Americana popsters the Midwinters will drop their sophomore EP All There Is on January 7. Two preview tracks are streaming online and available as free downloads: “Resign” and “Gets You By.” According to singer/guitarist Paul Donovan, “We’ll release it digitally at first, and then later we’ll do a CD-format version with additional songs on it.”

When jazz pianist Danny Green debuts his new album A Thousand Ways Home on January 8 at San Diego City College’s Saville Theatre, the set will be broadcast live on KSDS 88.3. “We’ll be playing material from the CD as well as some new originals,” says Green, whose band will include Tripp Sprague (sax), Justin Grinnell (bass), Julien Cantelm (drums), and Eva Scow (mandolin). “For the past 12 years, I’ve been in love with jazz, Brazilian, and classical music. To me, the title A Thousand Ways Home is about taking various elements from each of these genres and blending them together in my own way.”

A release party for the Tilt’s debut full-length Howlin’ happens January 23 at the Belly Up. “We’ll be playing an extra-long set with special guests such as Ben Moore [the Styletones] and Ryan Weiss [Family Wagon], both of whom played on the album,” says guitarist Jeff Irwin. “Our set will include all the songs off the album and a few off our next album, plus some covers, like Freddie King’s ‘Going Down’ and ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,’ by James Brown.”

Heavy Glow is releasing a vinyl seven-inch on January 29 at Soda Bar, featuring two songs planned for their upcoming full-length recorded with Nic Jodoin (Great Northern) and Michael Patterson (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Trent Reznor): “Mine All Mine” and “Headhunter.” Also on January 29, Fiction Family, the collaboration between Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) and Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek), will release a new full-length called Fiction Family Reunion, with “Foreman & Friends” playing that evening at downtown’s House of Blues. Recorded at Switchfoot’s Spot X Studio in Carlsbad, guest players include Nickel Creek fiddler Sara Watkins and multi-instrumentalist John Mark Painter. The album’s first single, “Up Against the Wall,” is streaming online.