"Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams, from the new Daft Punk album (see streaming link below).
The big news of the week in terms of streaming albums is the much-talked-about "Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk. It's streaming now on iTunes, where the group's fans gave it more than 4,000 five-star reviews before it was even posted.
Daft Punk fans have been posting their excitement all over the Internet today. And comments from the critics, while not quite as gushing as those of the diehard fans, are nevertheless quite positive (see Rolling Stone's review of "Random Access Memories.")
It includes contributions from Strokes singer Julian Casablancas, legendary producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers, electronic music composer Giorgio Moroder, Pharrell Williams, and more, and has a strong '70s disco vibe. Take a listen at iTunes, and see how the innovators in the electronic dance music genre are taking on the form now.
NPR Music once again has an eclectic mix of streaming albums, including the new ones from the Handsome Family and Latin rock group Piñata Protest. More albums may be added as I come across them. Dive in and enjoy, and leave your reactions in the comments section below!
[ADDED May 14th: Majical Cloudz]
iTunes Preview:
"Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk (click on "View in iTunes," which will open that program. If you don't see a link to preview the CD, click on Daft Punk and it should come up.)
YouTube:
"Promises" by The Boxer Rebellion
Pitchfork Advance:
"Impersonator" by Majical Cloudz
NPR First Listen:
"Wilderness" the Handsome Family
"The Lighthouse" by G&D
"El Valiente" by Piñata Protest
Monday, May 13, 2013
Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Daft Punk, Majical Cloudz, the Handsome Family, & More
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Concert Notes: Tickets for Bob Dylan, Laura Marling, Pere Ubu, Pet Shop Boys, & More On Sale Soon
It's another big boatload of great concerts going on sale Friday (and some on Saturday). Among the most anticipated shows is the Americanarama tour featuring Bob Dylan, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket, which will come to Jones Beach and to Pier A Park in Hoboken, which hosted its first-ever major show last summer when Mumford & Sons played there.
And, of course, there are plenty of gigs at indoor venues, for us vampires who enjoy see shows in dark, smelly clubs, even when the weather is bright and sunny outside. Enjoy, all...
Speaking of outdoor gigs, next week I'll start posting about the lineups for this summer's free outdoor shows, including SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn, and the televised Today Show and Good Morning America concert series.
On sale Friday, May 3rd:
* Laura Marling at Roulette, Tues., May 28th. On sale at 12 Noon.
* The Olms (Pete Yorn and J.D. King) at Gramercy Theatre, Mon., June 10th. On sale at 10 a.m.
* Counting Crows and The Wallflowers at Hammerstein Ballroom, Thurs., June 27th. On sale at 10 a.m.
* The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream at PNC Bank Arts Center, Fri., July 5th, and at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Sat., July 6th. On sale at 10 a.m.
* The Polyphonic Spree at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Tues., July 9th, and at Bowery Ballroom, Wed., July 19th. On sale at 12 Noon.
* Pere Ubu at Bowery Ballroom, Thurs., Sept. 12th. On sale at 12 Noon.
* Pet Shop Boys at the Beacon Theatre, Mon., Sept. 16th and Tues., Sept. 17th. Both on sale at 11 a.m.
On sale Saturday, May 4th:
* Americanarama Tour at Pier A Park, Hoboken: Bob Dyan, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, and Ryan Bingham, Fri., July 26th. Also at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater (with Beck, but without MMJ), Sat., July 27th. On sale at 10 a.m.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Savages, She & Him, Natalie Maines, & More
M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel are back with their third non-holiday album as the duo She & Him, creatively called "Volume 3," and it's one of the new releases streaming online this week. Also streaming is the new solo album by Natalie Maines, former lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, the debut album by all-female British band Savages, and others.
On a related note, there may be fewer albums being streamed each week as the result of AOL's decision to close down AOL Music and its Spinner component. Even sadder than the loss of the music content is the fact that all the employees lost their jobs. Maybe other websites will pick up the slack, in terms of streaming and in hiring some of the now-former AOLers.
[Updated May 2nd: Patty Griffin added.]
[Updated May 1st: see below to stream new releases from Fleetwood Mac and The Boxer Rebellion.]
"Silence Yourself" by Savages (below)
iTunes:
"Promises" by The Boxer Rebellion
WSJ Music Journal:
"American Kid" by Patty Griffin
NPR First Listen:
"Extended Play" EP by Fleetwood Mac [streaming for a limited time]
"Volume 3" by She & Him
"Mother" by Natalie Maines
"MCII" by Mikal Cronin
"Sera" by La Vida Boheme
KCRW Album Preview:
"Bigfoot" by Cayucas
"Haunted Head" by Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds
Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"The Still Life" by Alessi's Ark
"The Yesterday Will Never End" by Hawk and Dove
"Iron Man 3 Original Sountrack" by various artists (including Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, Passion Pit, and Rogue Wave)
AOL Music Listening Party:
"Small Town Talk" by Shannon McNally feat. Dr. John
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Meat Puppets, Kim Richey, Amy Speace, & More
Here's a brief (and quite late) post here on some of the new albums streaming online this week. At least you've got a few more days to enjoy these.
Among the items of interest is a new album by the Meat Puppets, who started out as a punk band in 1980 and influenced many bands including Nirvana.
Nick Drake lives on in a new collection of his songs covered by artists including Teddy Thompson and Lisa Hannigan, and Robyn Hitchcock. The collection was put together by Joe Boyd, one of Drake's producers, and was culled from several years of live "Way to Blue" concerts that Boyd put on around the world over a period of years.
And there's a new album by one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Kim Richey. In addition to putting out a number of her own discs, Richey has seen her songs covered by a range of artists, including Brooks & Dunn, which had a hit with their version of her "Every River." (Another talented female singer-songwriter, Amy Speace, also has a new album that's streaming this week; see below.)
Fire up your web browser and enjoy!
Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Top of the Pops" by Art Brut
"Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake" by various artists
"Death" EP by Bloody Knives
"Rat Farm" by Meat Puppets
"Love Me, Love Me Not" EP by Ariana & the Rose
"As It Is On Earth" by Spacehog
"Weekend" by Underground Lovers
NPR First Listen:
"Sing To The Moon" by Laura Mvula
"Love Has Come For You" by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
"Twelve Reasons To Die" by Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge
"The Secret Will Keep You" by Brass Bed
"You Knew" by Mother Falcon
AOL Music Listening Party:
"How to Sleep in a Stormy Boat" by Amy Speace
"Thorn In My Heart" by Kim Richey
"Something Beautiful" by Oleander
"Stairway to Hell" by Ugly Kid Joe
"Stories" by The Bunny the Bear
Friday, April 12, 2013
Coachella 2013: Streaming Live Now!
If you aren't at Coachella, no problem: once again, the huge (and hugely popular) California music festival is offering a generous amount of its performances via live streaming on YouTube.
There are three separate channels you can watch, so at times you'll have to choose which of the overlapping acts playing at the same time you want to see—hey, just like being there! (Although you can easily switch from one channel to another, as opposed to running back and forth from stage to stage.
Head on over to the Coachella YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/coachella, starting at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time (6:30 Eastern) and settle in for a long weekend of live sets from acts like Beach House, Purity Ring, Earl Sweatshirt, Bat for Lashes, The xx, New Order, Jessie Ware, Cloud Nothings, Wu-Tang Clan, and Dead Can Dance.
Friday's schedule (all times Pacific):
3:30 p.m. – Jake Bugg
3:30 – Stars
3:30 – Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
4:20 – Johnny Marr
4:30 – Beardyman
4:35 – Divine Fits
5:20 – Alt-J
5:20 – Metric
5:20 – Polica
6:10 – Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
6:10 – Passion Pit
6:25 – Palma Violets
7:00 – Japandroids
7:00 – Local Natives
7:25 – Jello Biafra
7:50 – Sparks
7:50 – Of Monsters and Men
8:40 – Beach House
9:30 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
9:45 – Purity Ring
10:10 – Grinderman
10:35 – Infected Mushroom
11:15 – Jurassic 5
11:25 – Foals
11:40 – The Stone Roses (highlights)
12:10 a.m. – Tegan & Sara
12:10 – How to Destroy Angels
12:15 — Earl Sweatshirt
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from The Flaming Lips, Iron & Wine, Todd Rundgren, & More
One of rock's most legendary musicians/songwriters/producers, Todd Rundgren, has a new album coming out, and that's just one of the free streaming albums available for you to listen to this week. The Flaming Lips haven't been around as long as Rundgren (they have a mere 30 years of music making under their belts), but they also have a new album that's attracting a lot of interest.
Also of interest this week is the new album by singer-songwriter Iron and Wine, the latest from the rocking Portland trio The Thermals (who are great in concert), and a 10-year retrospective from Canada's Arts and Crafts label, a double album featuring songs and artists that have put that indie company on the map: Broken Social Scene, Feist, The Stills, Stars, The Dears, Dan Mangan, and Ra Ra Riot. (See the full track list here.)
And there's a disc by The Shouting Matches, the blues-rock side project by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.
Pitchfork Advance:
"Desperate Ground" by The Thermals
"Floating Coffin" by Thee Oh Sees
NPR First Listen:
"The Terror" by The Flaming Lips
"Inspiration Information/Wings Of Love" by Shuggie Otis
"Grownass Man" by The Shouting Matches
"Ghost On Ghost" by Iron and Wine
Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"State" by Todd Rundgren
"Beyond Was All Around Me" by Young Man
"The Boat of the Fragile Mind" by Belle Mare
"Henry Blak" EP by Henry Blak
"Electric Sounds" by Sad Baby Wolf
"Arts & Crafts: 2003-2013" by various artists
AOL Music Listening Party:
"42: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" by various artists
"Stars In Stereo" by Stars In Stereo
"Talking Underwater" by Kree Woods