Now Streaming: New CDs from David Byrne and St. Vincent, Dave Stewart, Ian Hunter, & More

This Labor Day is a happy one indeed, with plenty of tasty, high-profile new albums up for streaming. One of the most anticipated is "Love This Giant," the collaboration between David Byrne and Annie Clark, the singer-songwriter-guitarist better known by her stage name, St. Vincent.

This latest musical odd couple doesn't sound quite as unusual as the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration, but I'll definitely be interested in hearing what these two have come up with in the studio. They're out on tour now, so if you like the album, by all means check them out live.


Video for "Girl in a Catsuit" by Dave Stewart, featuring Orianthi.

Also new this week: the latest solo albums by two veteran British artists, Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter and Eurythmics member Dave Stewart; and brand-new collections by Two Door Cinema Club, The xx, Azure Ray, Jens Lekman, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Sheepdogs, and Black Mountain (the soundtrack for the post-apocalyptic film, "Year Zero").

And there's a new album by Tanita Tikaram, the British singer best known for the haunting 1980s hit "Twist in My Sobriety." She's back with her first new release in seven years.

You also get second chances to hear the new albums by Stars, Deerhoof, and the Avett Brothers.

Summer may be over, but that means the Fall crop of record releases is coming on strong. Happy listening, all.

NPR First Listen:
"Love This Giant" by David Byrne and Annie Clark

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"When I'm President" by Ian Hunter
"The Ringmaster General" by Dave Stewart
"Year Zero: The Original Soundtrack" by Black Mountain
"Beacon" by Two Door Cinema Club
"As Above So Below" by Azure Ray
"The North" by Stars
"Breakup Song" by Deerhoof
"Bootlegs" by Sondre Lerche
"I Know What Love Isn't" by Jens Lekman
"The Sheepdogs" by The Sheepdogs
"Paperback Lover" by Karlie Bruce
"Rattle Them Bones" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Magic" by Smash Mouth
"Sweat Like The Old Days" by Holy Ghost Tent Revival
"The Sky Road" by Jessie Kilguss & Radio Gold
"Can't Go Back" by Tanita Tikaram

KCRW Album Preview: 
"The Carpenter" by the Avett Brothers
"Coexist" by The xx

Free Album Streaming: New CDs from Dave Stewart, Stephin Merritt, CSS, & More

Video for "The Gypsy Girl and Me," from Dave Stewart's new album.

After last week's free preview of the debut album by Jeff Bridges, I was curious to see what album previews would be showing up online this week. Well, how about "The Blackbird Diaries," the first solo album in 13 years by Dave Stewart (of The Eurythmics), recorded in Nashville with guests including Stevie Nicks and Colbie Caillat?  Or a collection of outtakes and rarities from Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields? Patti Smith is also represented with "Outside Society," the first single-disc retrospective (18 songs) to span her entire career.

Some other new previews this week that I haven't heard yet but am looking forward to:
"Dos" by Andrea Echeverri, half of the Colombian rock band Aterciopelados ... a new CD from Canadian singer-songwriter Ana Egge ... the self-titled album by Committed, the gospel-singing winners of NBC's a cappella singing competition, "The Sing-Off" ... "La Liberacion," the latest album by the always entertaining Brazilian party-rock band CSS ... and "Tassili," the newest effort by Tinariwen, the guitar-based collective from Mali.

See the websites below for even more free album previews, since the titles below are just a sampling. Generally the albums stream online for one week; I give the date if the album is available longer than that.

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"The Blackbird Diaries" by Dave Stewart
"Obscurities" by Stephin Merritt
"La Liberacion" by CSS
"Rise Ye Sunken Ships" by We Are Augustines
"Bad Blood" by Ana Egge
"Outside Society" by Patti Smith (a greatest-hits album)
"Let Alone Sea" by Arrica Rose & the ...'s

NPR First Listen:
"Dos" by Andrea Echeverri

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Tassili" by Tinariwen (streaming through Sept. 20)

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Committed" by Committed

Which albums are you looking forward to hearing the most?