Cowboy Junkies are coming at fans from multiple directions these days. The band has set a few dates across New York in March, followed by an assortment of New England and mid-Atlantic shows in April and later ’22.

The Canadian quartet has also received the “authorised biography” treatment, penned by Dave Bowler. Music Is The Drug is a self-described “deep dive,” befitting a band who has stayed together over 35 years,

Approaching “tome” status and pushing 580 pages, Bowler explores the band’s catalog, recording sessions, and life on the road. The author has worked on the project since 2006, gaining interview access to long-time crew members, collaborators, fans, and others along with all four band members.

For the moment, the $40 package includes a specially assembled CD of live recordings from 2012, 2017, and 2018. Tracklist for the limited-supply CD while it lasts:

All That Reckoning (part 2)
Working On A Building
Sing Me A Song
Square Room
3rd Crusade
Fairytale
Good Friday
Walking After Midnight
Five Years

Third Crusade catches my eye, originally recorded for an album that surprised me.

Spoon On The Road Behind Lucifer

Spoon is also hitting the road with tour dates in support of their upcoming Lucifer On The Sofa. The band starts with an appearance this weekend at Wilco’s fest in Mexico, followed by one California date in February. April’s proper tour leg includes a dozen dates, mostly east coast dates with a few in the upper Midwest.

Here’s the band’s official pitch for Lucifer:

“Spoon’s tenth album, Lucifer on the Sofa, is the band’s purest rock ’n roll record to date. Texas-made, it is the first set of songs that the quintet has put to tape in its hometown of Austin in more than a decade. Written and recorded over the last two years –both in and out of lockdown –these songs mark a shift toward something louder, wilder, and more full-color.”

Both advance tracks sound encouraging. If you haven’t heard the first “single,” it rocks but swings. Fans can play the devil out of Lucifer On The Sofa as of February 11. I plan to pick up my copy via Bandcamp.