Now Streaming: New Albums from Jeff the Brotherhood, Mission of Burma, Old Crow Medicine Show, & More

There's another hefty-sized helping of new albums streaming this week, including releases from the Nashville rock outfit Jeff the Brotherhood, Old Crow Medicine Show, Clare and the Reasons, and more. There's also "Unsound," the latest album in Mission of Burma's comeback after a 20-year absence (Paste gives it an 8.2 review).


Teaser video for Jeff the Brotherhood's "Sixpack."

Singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell is also back with a new album, "I Can See the Future." I had heard various songs from her work in the past but didn't really get interested in her until I heard a story on her in connection with her last album, 2009's "Artificial Fire." Her latest album is produced by Joe Chiccarelli, who has previously worked with The Shins, The Strokes, and The White Stripes.

Also this week: a best-of set from The English Beat, and a new album from Louis Prima Jr., who carries on the legacy of his famous father.

And this week you'll get a second chance to preview the new releases by Dirty Projectors, Debo Band, and Rhonda Vincent.

NPR First Listen:
"Hypnotic Nights" by Jeff the Brotherhood
"Major" by Fang Island
"Yellow and Green" by Baroness

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Swing Lo Magellan" by Dirty Projectors
"Carry Me Back" by Old Crow Medicine Show
"Unsound" by Mission of Burma
"I Can See the Future" by Eleni Mandell
"KR-51" by Clare and the Reasons
"Forever So" by Husky
"Debo Band" by Debo Band
"Keep the Beat: The Very Best of the English Beat" by The English Beat
"Just Married" by Glocca Morra
"You Belong to the Minutes" by The Ugly Club  (CD release party July 13th at Maxwell's)
"Small Fame" by Bend Sinister

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Harakiri" by Serj Tankian
"Sunday Mornin' Singin' LIVE!" by Rhonda Vincent
"Return of the Wildest!" by Louis Prima Jr.
"Backbone" by June Divided

Now Streaming: New CDs from Dirty Projectors, Rhonda Vincent, Stevie Jackson, & More

Happy 4th of July to all of our American readers... and that goes double for fans of a certain New York band. That's because "Swing Lo Magellan," the new album by Dirty Projectors, is streaming online this week, one of the few offerings in a pretty slim week. It's one of those infrequent album streams available from the New York Times, which combines an article about the band with the chance to hear the artist's new album. (They did this with The National's "High Violet" last year.)


"Gun Has No Trigger" from the new Dirty Projectors album. 

In this case, the Times interviews the band's frontman, David Longstreth, asking him about topics ranging from his approach to running rehearsals to the influences on his songs (which include the Bible and Lil Wayne).

Check out the stream of "Swing Lo Magellan" below, then watch their NYC concert live on July 9th on the Bowery Presents YouTube channel. You can also see Dirty Projectors live on July 10th at a benefit concert for Celebrate Brooklyn, with Wye Oak and Purity Ring (tickets still available as of July 4th).

New York Times: 
 "Swing Lo Magellan" by Dirty Projectors (with an interview with David Longstreth)

NPR First Listen:
"Still Runnin' Round In The Wilderness" by Matt Munisteri (jazz guitar)
"Debo Band" by Debo Band
"Positive Force" by Delicate Steve

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Freak Out!" by Teenage Bottlerocket
"Frightened" by Easter Island
"(I Can't Get No) Stevie Jackson" by Stevie Jackson
"Still Wanna Fight" by Mic Harrison & the High Score

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Sunday Mornin' Singin' LIVE!" by Rhonda Vincent
"Bad Decisions" by SIVA Addiction
"Captors" by Wolves at the Gate

Photos: The Shins, Monday Night at Terminal 5 (Show #2)

The Shins' Monday night show at New York's Terminal 5 may not have sold out in advance (as did the first and third concerts), but there was no shortage of fans or energy at the gig. James Mercer brought his revamped lineup back for a second night, playing a setlist similar to that of the previous night (see the Village Voice review of that show for details).

The Shins: Jessica Dobson, Yuuki Matthews, Joe Plummer, and James Mercer. (Not in photo: Richard Swift.)

Mercer has been around long enough to know the sound he wants, on record and on stage, and the current Shins roster is full of talent: singer-songwriter Richard Swift on keyboards, Jessica Dobson (who has worked with Beck and others) on guitar, Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse on drums, and Yuuki Matthews of Crystal Skulls on bass.

As with Sunday night's Terminal 5 shows, the group got harmony vocals from Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle of Dirty Projectors. (The Shins have had several different very capable backup singers on this year's tour, including The Watson Twins during their set at the first weekend of Coachella.)

Naturally the band's latest album, "Port of Morrow,"got the most exposure during the show, but the set also featured favorites including "Kissing the Lipless" (the concert's opening number), "Young Pilgrims" (which Mercer performed solo acoustic to begin the encore), "Caring is Creepy" and "New Slang" (both from the "Garden State" soundtrack), and "Phantom Limb" from The Shins'  previous album, "Wincing The Night Away."(Here is a Shins setlist from last night that claims to be complete but with the songs out of order.)

Since I've never seen The Shins in concert before I have nothing to compare Monday's show with, but it was a solid performance that had the crowd into it throughout. The band delivered a tight performance that in many cases had more of a rocking edge to it than the original studio versions of the songs, which was fine by me.

Though some fans of The Shins might be disappointed by the absence of some of the old members, it's hard to argue with Mercer's current lineup.

James Mercer.

Matthews, Mercer, and Swift.

Jessica Dobson with Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle in back.