• One of the highlights of last year's CMJ was an early morning performance by the soulful Alice Smith at Nublu (pictured). "Dream" (MP3) shows where she's coming from -- classic soul, new school funk, rock and pop. Alice's upcoming album, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me, will be released by BBE in May. New Yorkers can -- and should -- see her at Southpaw this Saturday.

• Rock Insider, one of the few LA music blogs, has two good tracks from Foreign Born: "Into Your Dreams" and "Holy Splinter." The band has a release on StarTime International and is working on its debut full length.

• As the old saying goes, the road to sales passes through Katie Couric. (Just ask Jimmy Buffet.) Download a free video from iTunes of KT Tunstall 's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" performed live on the Today Show on January 20th. Her debut album, Eye to the Telescope, was produced by Steve Osbourne. It will be out in the States on February 7th.