Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Free Album Streaming: Listen to New CDs from Bruce Springsteen, Kaiser Chiefs, & More

The big release this week is "Wrecking Ball"by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, but there are some other fine new albums streaming online this week. That includes the new album by Kaiser Chiefs, the first album by Tanlines, and new albums by Now, Now and Miniature Tigers.

As I wrote the other day, Springsteen and band appeared on Jimmy Fallon last week; you can see the videos here.

"Wrecking Ball" comes out March 6th, and it's streaming online at Soundcloud.

The Oscar-winning movie "Once" (starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) has been turned into a Broadway musical, and you can preview the original cast recording below. I'll be curious to see how that sounds. Speaking of curiosity, you can stream a new album featuring a collaboration between Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki.

And I have to mention another intriguing selection, the latest album by journeyman guitarist, singer, and songwriter Tim Foljahn. He's been in the band Two Dollar Guitar; played on albums by artists as diverse as Cat Power, Townes Van Zandt, and Thurston Moore; and has made albums of song cycles and experimental music. His new album "Songs for an Age of Extinction" is his first "song-based" album in several years, according to his website. (You can download a couple of tunes from the album at Foljahn's website.)

I saw Foljahn Friday night at Cake Shop, opening for Jennifer O'Connor (who I wrote about last week before the show). I enjoyed his set, which featured songs that had a kind of '70s-style feel: sometimes psychedelic; other times recalling English folks songs of that era. Foljahn is touring with O'Connor, (see dates here), which is no coincidence: his new album is released on the Brooklyn singer's own Kiam Records label (which released her latest album, "I Want What You Want," among others).

O'Connor and Foljahn will be doing a series of dates this spring, including at South by Southwest next week.


Tim Foljahn and band playing at New York's Cake Shop Friday night.

Check out the titles streaming below (and see the websites for additional albums), and leave your comments below on which of these new albums you're enjoying.

Soundcloud:
"Wrecking Ball" by Bruce Springsteen

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Start the Revolution Without Me" by Kaiser Chiefs
"In the Bright Rain" by Crushed Stars
"Threads" by Now, Now
"Songs for an Age of Extinction" by Tim Foljahn
"Milk Famous" by White Rabbits
"Mia Pharaoh" by Miniature Tigers
"The Clearing" by Bowerbirds
"Secret Music" by Secret Music
"Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968" by Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin

Rolling Stone:
"We Will Raise Our Voices to the Air (Live Songs 04.11-08.11) by The Decemberists (disc one of two available for streaming)

NPR First Listen:"Mixed Emotions" by Tanlines
"Once" - Original Cast Recording
"Krzysztof Penderecki / Jonny Greenwood" by Krzysztof Penderecki and Jonny Greenwood


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