The schedule for CMW 2006, running from March 2 to 4, is now is up, and there’s a lot of familiar and unfamiliar names on the list. Naturally, the former are the ones that jump out at me but they’re also known quantities for the most part – when I get a chance a little closer to the fest I’ll have to do a little deeper digging as to what some of the other acts might have to offer. It’s also worth noting this isn’t a final schedule – a few of the more high profile venues still have empty listings, so something is likely still in the works.

You may not have heard of Small Sins, playing the Horseshoe on March 3 at 10PM, but you probably actually have – that’s the new name for the artists formerly known as The Ladies & Gentlemen. They have a new name taken from their debut album released last year to go along with their shiny new record deal with Astralwerks, so congrats to them. Other shows that have caught my initial interest are Great Lake Swiimmers at The Reverb (March 3 @ 11PM), The Diableros at The Horseshoe (March 4, 9PM) and Bella at Healey’s (March 4, 11PM).

Interestingly on Thursday night at midnight, it’s like six degrees of me. My old band Lake Holiday will be doing an acoustic set at The Session, while former bandmate from said band Laura Barrett is at Sneaky Dee’s and a Bluescreen bandmate’s other band, Fjord Rowboat, is at the Silver Dollar at 12:30AM. And if you want to widen the net a bit, I think Gentleman Reg, playing midnight at the Reverb, appears on the apocryphal Lake Holiday record. What to do, what to do? Probably stay home and watch television, actually.

In addition to the previously announce Isobel Campbell show at Revival on the Saturday at 9PM, one of the bigger-name foreign acts in town will be Norway’s Even Johansen, aka Magnet. In addition to performing with Stars at the Indie Awards at The Docks on March 1, he’ll be doing a show of his own at the El Mocambo on the Thursday at 11PM. Filter declared him an artist to watch, and though he’s kind of easy listening in that indie non-threatening boy sort of way, it’s certainly not bad. I first heard Magnet a few years ago when he duetted on a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay” a few years ago with Gemma Hayes and the cover’s not bad. You can see the video for that tune below (that’s not Gemma in the video) as well as hear a track from Magnet’s new album The Tourniquet.

MP3: Magnet – “Hold On”
Video: Magnet with Gemma Hayes – “Lay Lady Lay” (ASX)

And as a segue – Gemma Hayes tells The Independent about the agony of making sophomore album The Roads Don’t Love You. AndMr Zimmerman, apparently tired of all the back-looking surrounding No Direction Home late last year, is moving forward and working on a new album. You go, Bob.

And some more Canadian music news – JAM! reports back from Leonard Cohen’s induction into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame (well-deserved, obvs, but why did it take so long?). And The CBC has audio of a 42-minute interview with the man, which I imagine would be worth hearing if I could get my bloody RealAudio player to work. But don’t let that stop you.

Billboard features Sarah Harmer, who released her latest album I’m A Mountain in the US yesterday.

Sixeyes conducts and interview with Destroyer, who will obviously not be on tour with The New Pornographers this Winter as he’s got a new album, Destroyer’s Rubies, out on February 21 and a tour starting up in mid-March. Similarly, Neko Case will not be along for the Pornographer’s ride as she tells Billboard she’s got her hands full promoting Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, out March 7.

Anyone from T.O. who wants to see Built To Spill touring You In Reverse will have to venture south of the border to Buffalo on April 29 to catch them. Their expansive touring schedule doesn’t include us. Once again. But on the bright side, it IS a Saturday. Warm Spring day in Cheektowaga, anyone?

np – Belle & Sebastian / The Life Pursuit