Free Album Streaming: New CDs from Lower Dens, Peter Gabriel, Ryan Adams, & More

Like last week, there is an abundance of good new indie and alternative albums on preview this week. And Jack White's solo debut, "Blunderbuss," is available for streaming this week on Spinner, after having its exclusive preview on iTunes last week. (Read a review of "Blunderbuss" by Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune here.)

White's bandmate from The Raconteurs, Brendan Benson, also has a new album streaming this week.



Also streaming this week is the "Nootropics," the new album by Baltimore's Lower Dens, the band featuring Jana Hunter, whose musical stylings tend toward folk or experimental, and who has been in a number of bands over the years. (See the video for "Brains," one of their new songs, above.)

Other notable albums including live albums from Peter Gabriel (in his orchestra-enhanced, "New Blood" configuration) and from Ryan Adams (the latest in the "iTunes Session" series). There are also new releases from Hey Rosetta!, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, the Dandy Warhols, Megan Reilly, Rufus Wainwright, and Santigold. And The Raveonettes have a new EP which I'm enjoying, though it's only four songs and has me wishing for more.

NPR First Listen:
"Nootropics" by Lower Dens
"Out of the Game" by Rufus Wainwright
"Master Of My Make-Believe" by Santigold
"Dr. Dee" by Damon Albarn

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Blunderbuss" by Jack White
"This Machine" by Dandy Warhols
"Into the Night" EP by The Raveonettes
"iTunes Session" by Ryan Adams
"The Legendary Demos" by Carole King
"New Blood - Live in London" by Peter Gabriel
"We Could Be Arsonists" by Loquat
"Seeds" by Hey Rosetta!
"What Kind of World" by Brendan Benson
"Aloha Moon" by Magic Wands
"Creature Creature" by Aaron & the Sea
"The Well" by Megan Reilly
"The Body Wins" by Sarah Jaffe

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Secrets Don't Make Friends" by Rocky Loves Emily
"Year of the Lion" by Bury Me a Lion

Free Album Streaming: New CDs by Ryan Adams, the Bangles, Dum Dum Girls, Kasabian, & More

Stream the new Dum Dum Girls album "Only in Dreams" above, or at Spinner below. 

The latest album from the prolific Ryan Adams and the first release in eight years from The Bangles are among the new albums online for free streaming this week.

For Adams, "Ashes and Fire" is at least the 12th album he's put out since 2000. And it's the first album he's put out since stepping away from The Cardinals, his backing band from 2004 to 2009.

On the not-so-prolific side of things, it's a fitting bookend to this summer's tour by the Go-Go's that The Bangles, the other hugely successful all-female band that arose in the 1980s, are coming out with a new album. In the current lineup are three members from those days: lead singer Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson (see an interview with Hoffs here).

Also streaming for free this week: new releases from the Dum Dum Girls, Tyler Ramsey of Band of Horses, acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Siskind, Kasabian, Canada's Ohbijou, and the rock supergroup Chickenfoot (featuring Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani).

NPR First Listen:
"Ashes and Fire" by Ryan Adams

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Sweetheart of the Sun" by The Bangles
"Only in Dreams" Dum Dum Girls (also streaming on YouTube)
"Metal Meets" by Ohbijou
"The Valley Wind" by Tyler Ramsey

"Velociraptor!" by Kasabian
"Diamonds & Death" by VHS or Beta

"Candygram for Mowo!" by Mocean Worker
"Number Seven" by Will Hoge

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Novel" by Sarah Siskind
"III" by Chickenfoot

KCRW Album Preview: 
"The Less You Know, The Better" by DJ Shadow (streaming until Oct. 25)
"Living in Patterns" by Pollyn (streaming until Oct. 25)

Skylar Grey Performs on "American Idol" Tonight; will do "Coming Home" with Diddy

I don't usually watch "American Idol," but may tune in tonight to see the appearance by the young singer/songer/producer Skylar Grey, who I wrote about (and first heard of) at the Grammys last month. She co-wrote Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" and "I Need a Doctor" those songs with Eminem and Dr. Dre on the Grammy telecast. She turned a lot of heads with her Grammy appearance, and sent many viewers off to Google to find out more about her.

Skylar Grey's profile will get another huge boost tonight when she's scheduled to be a guest on "American Idol" tonight, along with Diddy-Dirty Money and past "Idol" winner Adam Lambert. She is set to perform another song she co-wrote, "Coming Home," with Diddy (UPDATE: you can see the video above). Skylar Grey has been getting more attention in the press lately, too, including a profile in Billboard and a story in USA Today.

Speaking of "American Idol," apparently alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams got some exposure on the show last night when contestant Paul McDonald sang his "Come Pick Me Up." And yes, "Ryan Adams" became a trending topic on Google last night. One person who needs to learn more about Adams is "Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez, who said on the show that she didn't know the song and hadn't heard of the singer.

You can see McDonald performing the abbreviated version of "Come Pick Me Up" from the show below.

Musical Merger: Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore are Engaged

Roots rocker Ryan Adams and actress/singer Mandy Moore are engaged. It seemed like an odd pairing when they started dating a few years ago--the edgy alt-country musician and the sugary sweet actress--but after breaking up and spending time apart, they are back together and looking to make it permanent.

Moore's representative confirmed the engagement; Adams's people declined to comment on it.

Ryan Adams, former member of the alt-country band Whiskeytown, has released about half dozen names as a solo artist, performing most recently with his band The Cardinals. He's best know for "New York, New York," his love song to the city. He has dated high-profile women including the actresses Parker Posey and Winona Ryder and British singer Beth Orton.

Mandy Moore previously dated DJ AM, as well as the actors Wilmer Valderrama and Zach Braff, and tennis star Andy Roddick. She started out as a teen queen, doing teen-oriented movies and bubblegum pop, but her music has become more mature. Her well-reviewed album of cover songs, called "Coverage," featured new interpretations of songs from respected artists that aren't exactly household names, including XTC and Joan Armatrading.

Mandy Moore's films include The Princess Bride, A Walk to Remember, How to Deal, Chasing Liberty, American Dreamz, and License to Wed.