Tracing the geographic meanderings of Martin Zellar is about to get even more confusing. The beloved songwriter from Austin, Minn., is still living with his family in the Mexican mountain town of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, and he still plays most of his gigs around the Twin Cities. However, he spent a good chunk of this past year in Austin, Texas – where he also lived for a spell – finishing off his first new album in 10 years.

Titled "Roosters Crow," the record is set to arrive Feb. 7 with a list of players that reads like the Austin Chronicle's musicians registry. They include Dixie Chicks producer/dad Lloyd Maines, alt-country starlet Kelly Willis, Michael Ramos (a Mellencamp vet), Kevin McKinney (of the way-underrated Soulhat), Bukka Allen (Terry's son, now with the BoDeans), Brian Standefer (Alejandro Escovedo) and more scene vets. Of course, the album also features Zellar's Gear Daddies and Hardways bandmate Nick Ciola on bass and Austin-based Hardways drummer Scott Wenum. You can hear one of the new songs, "Running on Pure Fear" (featuring Willis), over on Zellar's site.

Zellar is moving with the Gear Daddies out to the Medina Entertainment Center for their holiday-week gig this year (Dec. 30) is not playing with the Gear Daddies again at the Fine Line over the holidays. The Fine Line will be the site of the "Roosters Crow" release party with the Hardways on Feb. 10 (tickets, $15, go on sale Friday at 11 a.m.). He will also preview the new disc next month with solo gigs Jan. 19 at Lyric Arts Company in Anoka and Jan. 20-21 at the Maplewood Performing Arts Center.