Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Yo La Tengo, Dropkick Murphys, & More; New David Bowie Single

New albums by Yo La Tengo and Dropkick Murphys headline this week's selection of free album previews. And on the occasion of David Bowie's 66th birthday today, Ziggy Stardust is giving the gifts, in the form of a new song and video ("Where Are We Now?," below) and the promise of a new album, "The Next Day," to come in March.  It's his first album of new music in 10 years; read more in Rolling Stone.

And to commemorate Bowie's big day, CBC Music has put together a video collection of seven of the best (and worst) Bowie collaborations, from "Under Pressure" (with Queen) and "Peace On Earth/The Little Drummer Boy" (with Bing Crosby). You can guess which category those tunes belong in.



Yo La Tengo played some of the songs from its new album, "Fade," at its Hanukkah shows at Maxwell's last month, and now you can hear the whole album below at Pitchfork.

NPR Music is streaming new music I wasn't familiar with, including The Lone Bellow, a group it compares to Mumford & Sons and The Civil Wars, and the soundtrack to the film "Hecho En Mexico," which features songs by a number of contemporary Mexican performers, including Lila Downs, Ruben Albarran of Café Tacuba, Julieta Venegas, and Kinky.

Check it all out below...

Pitchfork:
"Fade" by Yo La Tengo

NPR First Listen:
"The Lone Below" by The Lone Bellow
"Somewhere Else" by Indians
"Hecho En Mexico (Soundtrack)" by various artists

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Signed and Sealed in Blood" by Dropkick Murphys
"Gangster Squad (Original Soundtrack)" by various artists
"5-4-3-2-1...Perhaps?" by Snuff

Free Album Streaming: New CDs from the Dropkick Murphys, Warren Haynes, & More

New live albums from the Dropkick Murphys and Warren Haynes and friends highlight the new CDs up for free online preview this week. These two releases from musicians who specialize in high-energy live shows should make up in quality for what's missing in quantity in yet another week with a relatively slim number of titles available for preview.

The Haynes album is a two-disc set to benefit Habitat for Humanity and it features the guitarist and some of his very talented friends: there's his own band, Gov't Mule; Bob Weir & Friends; John Hiatt & The Goners; Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and others. According to Haynes' website, the show was recorded at his annual Christmas jam in 2002. I'm not sure why it took so long to see the light of day, but nevertheless it's here now.


The new Dropkick Murphys album includes 10 live songs from their Fenway Park shows.

The new Dropkick Murphys release, "Going Out in Style: Live at Fenway Park Edition," includes the band's full "Going Out In Style" album as well as 10 songs recorded live at their Fenway Park shows in the fall. Among the live tracks are "Hang 'Em High," "Sunday Hardcore Matinee," and of course the title track.

Another notable new album streaming this week is "The Very Best of Neil Diamond," featuring 23 of the original studio recordings by the singer and songwriting legend whose tunes have been covered by everyone from The Monkees to Barbra Streisand to Urge Overkill. Just this week Diamond was feted at the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.

Also on preview this week is a release I'm really looking forward to hearing: "Whitehorse," the self-titled album by the duo of acclaimed Canadian roots singer-songwriters Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland. (This isn't exactly a "new" release since it dropped in August, but in any case it's up for streaming this week.)

For R&B fans, there are new albums by Anthony David and Anthony Hamilton.

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Going Out in Style: Live at Fenway Park Edition" by the Dropkick Murphys
"New Album" by Boris
"Sweet Creatures" by Crash Street Kids
"Dog Year" by Miracles of Modern Science
"The Lost and Found" by The White Buffalo

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Warren Haynes Presents The Benefit Concert Volume 4" featuring Warren Haynes and others
"The Very Best of Neil Diamond" by Neil Diamond
"Whitehorse" by Whitehorse
"Live from Paris" by Shakira
"Location, Location, Location" by Anthony David
"Damn Son" by Kid Is Qual
"Hats Off to the Bull" by Chevelle

NPR First Listen:
"Back to Love" by Anthony Hamilton