■ So, where were we? Ah yes, the STP compilation. That project took a big step forward recently when we obtained the rights to our first four albums, thanks to the always gracious Rob Simonds at East Side Digital. And we’ve narrowed down the list to 17 songs, pretty evenly gathered from the first album, Wonder Wheel, Mason’s Box, and Marina. We’re planning to sweeten the pot with some new songs and some live recordings, ranging from our appearance on Mountain Stage to shows at Maxwell’s, the Knitting Factory (you know, the one on Houston Street), and maybe even the Tinker Street Cafe in Woodstock. Formats for all of this are still being kicked around, but we do want to make this a special package of some music that’s been out of circulation for a long, long time. Please stay tuned. More details to follow.

■ And speaking of new songs…we’ll be starting tracking on about a half-dozen or so in the coming days, including some recent collaborations between John and Mike, and two from deep in the Sunburst-era notebook that have never seen the light of day. You can check out the debut live performance of one of the new ones, “Perfect North,” in the video below right.

■ While Speed the Plough will be woodshedding for awhile, members of the band will be out performing in a variety of incarnations. Check Facebook for Dan's pursuits (Flagland and Zelig), Ed’s ensemble (The Stimulus Package), and Mike’s band (Night Brigade). Ed and John will be reconvening with Yung Wu for an early show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on Saturday, February 18, joined by East of Venus and The Thousand Pities.

■ And then there are The Trypes. The long-awaited compilation project is scheduled for an April 24 release date. The project will feature a vinyl LP that includes the entire Explorer’s Hold EP, “A Plan, Revised” from the Luxury Condos compilation, and the earliest Trypes demo recordings, along with copious bonus downloads, and a booklet detailing the band’s history, with some notable guest contributions. It will all be presented in a handsome letter-press package that’s sure to be the envy of all your friends. Don’t worry, we’ll keep you up to date on all the developments.

■ On a related Trypes note: For all the folks who couldn’t make it, or get tickets, to our show with Yo La Tengo in December there’s good news. We’ll be playing again, to support another worthwhile organization, early this summer. Details to follow. Check back when you can.

■ In case you’re a first time visitor, or even if you’re not, please be aware that our sixth album Shine is available from New Jersey’s own Dromedary Records, on iTunes, at Amazon and elsewhere. Get yourself a copy or get one for a friend.