Now Streaming: New CDs from Gaslight Anthem, Matisyahu, Passion Pit, Purity Ring, & More

New releases by returning favorites and hot new artists take center stage among the albums streaming online this week. New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem return with "Handwritten," the follow-up to 2010's "American Slang." NPR Music's Stephen Thompson says of the band, "You may have heard every ingredient before, but in this particular concoction, they all sound amazing." He adds that, "If there were a psychotropic drug that made users feel like James Dean, "Handwritten" would render it redundant.



Video for "Fineshrine" by Purity Ring.

What else is streaming this week? Former Stereolab singer and guitarist Laetitia Sadier is back with a new collection, her first in two years. There's also the much-anticipated debut album by Canadian electronic duo Purity Ring, who've garnered a lot of buzz based on the few singles they've released.

And a lot of people are looking forward to the latest album by another electronically oriented band, Passion Pit, which made a big splash back in 2008 with its catchy tune "Sleepyhead." (Passion Pit's synthesizer player, Ayad Al Adhamy, played at 4 Knots Saturday with his side project Team Spirit, in which he sings and plays guitar. His name isn't mentioned on the Passion Pit website for the new album, "Gossamer," so I'm not sure if he's left the band or just taking a hiatus to focus on Team Spirit).

Also streaming this week: new albums by singer-songwriter Citizen Cope, punk/electronica band Shout Out Out Out Out, '80s alt-rockers Soul Asylum, and many more. See the websites below for the  complete lineup of albums they're streaming this week.

NPR First Listen:
"Handwritten" by The Gaslight Anthem
"Gossamer" by Passion Pit
"Shrines" by Purity Ring
"Silencio" by Laetitia Sadier

Spinner.com's Listening Party:

"Spark Seeker" by Matisyahu

"One Lovely Day" by Citizen Cope
"Spanish Moss & Total Loss" by Shout Out Out Out Out
"Broken Brights" by Angus Stone
"Go Outside" by Hot Panda
"All of the Unknown" by The Drowning Men
"Milo Greene" by Milo Greene
"19 - Songs for and Inspired By Valencia: Chapter 19" by Jen Schande
"Collective Guilt" by Zebra Tracks
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" by The History of Panic
"Limblifter" by Limblifter

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Delayed Reaction" by Soul Asylum
"Intrinsic" by The Contortionist
"Trouble With Machines" by District 97
"Proper Cowboy" by Diego's Umbrella