Free Album Streaming: New CDs from Guided by Voices, Jaimoe, & More

The much-anticipated reunion album by Guided by Voices is the most high profile of the new releases available for free streaming this week (it would stand out even if this week's selection wasn't so small).

The "classic" GbV lineup reunited last year to play at the Matador Records 21st anniversary party, and has done some shows since then. The new album, "Let's Go Eat the Factory" (due Jan. 17th available now, on iTunes at least) features the same lineup (Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Greg Demos, Mitch Mitchell, and Kevin Fennell).

Pollard and company had their "farewell" tour seven years ago, but now they're back. As NPR Music says, "Let's Go Eat the Factory" is "for better and worse, a prototypical Guided by Voices album—it's 42 minutes long and has 21 songs."

Guided By Voices - Doughnut For A Snowman by FIRE RECORDS

Also online for streaming this week is the new album by another artist with decades of experience, though in a totally different vein than GbV: Allman Brothers Band drummer and founding Jaimoe Johanson. He's back with a new album from his group Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, called "Renaissance Man."(Despite the group's name, it incorporates blues, rock, & soul as well as jazz elements).

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Let's Go Eat the Factory" by Guided by Voices (also streaming at NPR First Listen)

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Renaissance Man" by Jaimoe's Jasssz Band

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Cloud Maintenance" by Kevin Hearn
"A Brushfire Holiday, Volume 2" by This Warm December (features G. Love, Matt Costa, Rogue Wave, Jack Johnson, and more)
"Christmas Album" by The Beach Boys

Beach Boys*, Burning Spear, The Antlers, Antibalas, Comedy Central, & More in a Big Week for Free NYC Concerts

Left: The Beach Boys (shown here in 2008) play a free show in Coney Island this Thursday (details below). Photo: Flickr user Wonker Wonker. 

There have been a lot of fun free concerts in NYC this summer, but this week is jam-packed with a diverse range of great entertainment (including the Beach Boys, The Antlers, and Antibalas on Thursday alone). (UPDATE: see Note below re: Beach Boys lineup.)

Here's a quick look at just some of the highlight of what's coming up for free NYC concerts this week:

Tuesday, July 20
* Summerstage: The Metropolitan Opera: Summer Recital Series Featuring Susanna Phillips, Michael Fabiano, & Pianist Jonathan Kelly - Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, 7 p.m.
* Summerstage: Lisa Lisa - Tappen Park, Staten Island, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 21
* Summerstage: Comedy Central Park presents The Daily Show and Friends, hosted by Lewis Black - Central Park, 8 p.m.
* Summerstage: Pharoahe Monch, Hosted by Danny Castro of Lyricist Lounge - Queensbridge Park, Queens, 7 p.m.
* Madison Square Music: Somi and John Ellis & Double Wide, Madison Square Park, 6 p.m.
* River to River: Burning Spear - Rockefeller Park (River Terrace at North End Avenue and Warren Streets), 7 p.m.

Thursday, July 22
* Seaside Concert Series: Beach Boys, The Turtles, Micky Dolenz (of The Monkees), and Mark Lindsay (of Paul Revere & The Raiders) - Asser Levy/Seaside Park, Coney Island, 7:30 p.m. (*NOTE: Though it doesn't say this on the concert's website the Beach Boys lineup playing Coney Island is the Mike Love/Bruce Johnston configuration; Love has apparently licensed the Beach Boys name. Brian Wilson is not part of this lineup.)
* RiverRocks: Brooklyn's The Antlers and Dinosaur Feathers, Pier 54, doors: 6 p.m.
http://riverrocksnyc.com/RR2.html
* River to River: Antibalas - (Afrobeat band that's also in Broadway's "Fela!"), Castle Clinton, 7 p.m. (tickets distributed starting at 5 p.m.)

Friday, July 23
* Summerstage: The Main Ingredient - Rochdale Park, Queens, 7 p.m.
* South St. Seaport: indie rock with Free Energy and Best Coast with Loose Limbs, South Street Seaport Pier 17, 6 p.m.

(Also: Sheryl Crow performing on Good Morning America and John Mayer on The Today Show.)

Sunday, July 25
* Summerstage: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, Fool's Gold, and DJ Frank of Voodoo Funk - Central Park, 3 p.m.