Back in June it was announced that Laura Marling was recording a new single with Jack White in his studio in Nashville. Now, the single is out as part of White's Third Man Records' Blue Series of 7" singles, and as it turns out, is a double A-Side single featuring covers of two classics.

Both simple acoustic renditions, the first is Laura's take on Jackson C. Frank's "Blues Run The Game" while the second is a version of Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done", a song which Laura performed live at her Dublin show at The Academy in April, revealing that it was one of the very first songs her daddy taught to her play on the guitar. He must be a proud, proud man.

Laura Marling, 'Blues Run The Game' by Tim Chester NME

Laura Marling, 'The Needle And The Damage Done' by Tim Chester NME  

Jack White is as busy a man as ever, with news just revealed that he is set to make a guest appearance on a new collaborative album between super producer Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi, being released under the name Rome. Norah Jones will also appear on the record.

Meanwhile, White has been hinting that the White Stripes might be ready for a comeback. Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said, "We thought we'd do a lot of things that we'd never done: a full tour of Canada, a documentary, coffee-table book, live album, a boxed set. It was one long project that took almost three years. Now that we've gotten a lot of that out of our system, Meg and I can get back in the studio and start fresh."

Or perhaps he's just saying that to help plug a new "ultimate" collection of White Stripes merch. Coming out on Third Man Records just in time for Christmas the extremely limited edition 'White Stripes Merchadise Collection' will set you back a whopping $499 (€362 approx). As well as all the White Stripes albums and singles on vinyl, the box includes a custom made White Stripes portable record player, White Stripes headphones and record player accessories including a White Stripes slipmat, cleaning brush and 45 middle adapters. Just 333 of these collections are being release and, as a festive bonus, the box also includes a red vinyl pressing of the White Stripes 2002 single 'Merry Christmas From The White Stripes'. Ah Jack, he gets a little gimmickier every day.

And if you've yet to see it, check out White's recent performance with Conan O'Brien of their duet 'Twenty Flight Rock'