Free Album Streaming: Rhett Miller Live, Calexico's "Selections," Soundtrack to Michael Jackson's "Immortal," & More

New albums from Rhett Miller (formerly of the Old 97s) and Calexico highlight this week's free streaming albums. The Miller album is "The Interpreter," a live recording from Largo, the famed L.A.'s club. Calexico's new album on preview is a live one too, titled "Selections From Road Atlas 1998-2011." As the name indicates, it's a collection of tracks from the "Road Atlas" box set, which features all of Calexicos self-released tour albums on vinyl (it also includes MP3 versions of the music).

Preview Calexico's live collection this week at Spinner below.

Also of note this week is "Immortal" by the late Michael Jackson, the soundtrack of the Cirque du Soleil tour of the same name. The album is billed as "Michael Jackson's greatest recordings remained for Cirque du Soleil," and includes remakes and mash-ups of his tunes. You can see a video about the making of the album below.



And there's a tribute album to Linda McCartney featuring Beatles and Paul McCartney songs performed by country and pop artists including Ricky Skaggs, Shedaisy, Kenny Loggins, and Timothy B. Schmidt (who's been in Poco and the Eagles). I'm not sure of the connection between Linda McCartney and country music, but the collection (which is said to have received the blessing of Sir Paul) is to raise money for the Women and Cancer Fund, created in the memory of Linda (who died of breast cancer in 1998).

(My usual note: there are more albums available for streaming than just the ones listed below, and some of them are up for longer than one week.)

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Selections From Road Atlas 1998-2011" by Calexico
"The Interpreter (Live at Largo)" by Rhett Miller
"Immortal" by Michael Jackson

Other albums from Spinner this week include "Better Days" by Fonda, "Wildfire" by Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun, and "Grimm Reality" by Dimlite.

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Let Us In Nashville - A Tribute to Linda McCartney" by Various Artists
"Stream of Conscience" (EP) by 2/3 Goat (yes, that's "two-thirds goat")

Also on AOL Music: "No Kings" by Doomtree, "Streetlight Lullabies" by Toh Kay, "Break the Spell" by Daughtry," and "Your Name All Over It" (EP) by Knockout Kid.

What new releases are you looking forward to this week or in the coming weeks?

Hear the Entire Michael Jackson Single "This Is It" Streaming Online

The new album by the late Michael Jackson won't be coming out until near the end of this month, but the unreleased single of the title song, "This Is It," is now streaming online at the singer's Web site. The streaming began at Midnight Eastern time, Monday, October 12th.

The album "This Is It" will be released October 26th and 27th (except for the vinyl version, which hits stores on November 10th). The movie based on rehearsals for the "This Is It" tour will hit theaters on October 28th. (You can find show times and dates and reserve tickets to see the movie by visiting www.ThisIsIt-Movie.com). The film is scheduled to run for two weeks only.

Jackson's Web site says that the album is the companion piece to the film and that it includes "the music that inspired the film, demo recordings, and two versions of the previously unreleased song, 'This Is It.'"

Spike Lee Throws Free Brooklyn Dance Party Today to Celebrate Michael Jackson's Birthday

Today would have been the 51st birthday of Michael Jackson, and film director Spike Lee is throwing a free dance party in Brooklyn to celebrate. The public is invited to the event, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in the borough's Prospect Park.

Brooklyn's own DJ Spinna will be there to spin MJ tunes, and even though the weather looks a bit rainy it seems the party will be going on. (DJ Spinna, along with Q-Tip and Mark Ronson, will be playing Michael Jackon songs at a party at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square tonight.)

According to the Web site The Root, Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitzh will be at the festivities and will declare Aug. 29 “Michael Jackson Day.” (The site has directions to Prospect Park, too.)

The New York Post has information on other Michael Jackson birthday events in New York here.

Music News: New Phish CD, No More Radiohead Albums, Woodstock’s Forgotten Man, and Michael Jackson Concert

This week's developments in the music world involve everything from '60s classics to today's alt-rock groups.

Vermont jam-rock band Phish will release its new album "Joy" on Sept. 8th. Paste Magazine says that fans can buy the album in "CD, vinyl records, or splurge on the Joy Box, containing an explosion of Phish paraphernalia, including a second album, Party Time, just in case Joy alone doesn't cut it." Phish worked on the album with producer Steve Lillywhite, who also produced their 1996 album as well as recordings from U2, Dave Matthews, and other big names.

Thom Yorke has said in an interview that Radiohead will release no more full-length albums. The article in Believer quotes Yorke as saying that recording full-length albums had become "a drag" and that the band will instead focus on producing EPs and downloadable singles, such as their new “Harry Patch (In Memory Of),” a tribute to the recently deceased last British veteran of World War I.

It's the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, and the Wall Street Journal has an article on Bert Sommer, which it calls "Woodstock's Forgotten Man." The musician, who performed on the iconic festival's first day, wasn't represented on the Woodstock albums, and the article says his name was even omitted from the original commemorative plaque placed at the site of the concert. Though he recorded a few albums, he never became widely known, and died in 1990. A friend created a tribute Web site to him, www.BertSommer.com.

Michael Jackson will be getting a tribute concert fit for the King of Pop, an affair in the lavish Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, home to the last emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Jermaine Jackson, the oldest brother of Michael, is lining up artists to perform at the gig, which may attract an audience of "at least 85,000."

British folk-rocker and activist Billy Bragg criticizes the record labels for trying to sic Internet providers on illegal music downloaders. In an article in The Guardian, Bragg says that while he is opposed to copyright infringement, record labels and Internet companies shouldn't be penalizing music fans. He suggests that "Clearly, some form of P2P subscription service is the way forward, if only because it provides the most convenient way for consumers to access music."

Guitarist Orianthi Turning Heads Again - Rehearsing with Michael Jackson (VIDEO)

Australian guitarist Orianthi created a buzz for her sizzling guitar playing on this year's Grammy Awards as a member of Carrie Underwood's band. Now the 24-year-old guitarist is attracting attention again with another TV performance: she's seen performing "They Don't Care About Us" on stage with Michael Jackson during one of his last rehearsals.

If you haven't seen the clip featuring Orianthi and Michael Jackson, you can view it above. Or you can see it and a video of Orianthi playing, and read more about her, in an article at MusicRadar.com.

People magazine's Web site has comments from Orianthi (whose full name is Orianthi Panagaris), on what it was like being part of Michael Jackson's final rehearsals.

Although there won't be any Michael Jackson tour for Orianthi to play, she will be performing at the public memorial for Jackson at the Staples Center in L.A. this Tuesday, according to the Australian news Web site News.com.au.

Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Orianthi moved to Los Angeles after signing a record deal. She has played with great guitarists from Steve Vai to Carlos Santana, and is working on a new album.

Orianthi is now working on her new album, but has a previous one, Violet Journey. And she is also selling some MP3s at the Orianthi fan site, www.orianthi.net.

Michael Jackson, King of Pop, Dies at Age 50

Michael Jackson certainly had some odd habits and an assortment of health concerns, but no one expected him to die, as he did today at the age of 50. Ironically, Jackson was preparing for a huge comeback effort that would try to restore his reputation (and his financial solvency). He was scheduled to play 50 sold-out dates at London's O2 Arena.

But the King of Pop died this afternoon in Los Angeles when he collapsed at his home and was taken to UCLA Medical Center. Paramedics found him in a coma when they were summoned to his mansion, and he died of a suspected heart attack. An autopsy may take place as early as tomorrow, and it is hoped that will clear up questions such as whether drugs (legal or otherwise) were a cause of Jackson's death.

The L.A. Times notes that celebrities offered their Michael Jackson thoughts and reactions on Twitter, and the paper's Web site offers an obituary, a timeline of his life, and Michael Jackson photos from throughout his life.

Music by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 has been flying off the shelves at Amazon.com and other retailers. At one point, 17 of the top 25 bestsellers in music at Amazon were by one of those two artists. Among other things, the retails is selling the MP3 version of The Jackson 5's album "ABC" for $7.99.

Whatever one thinks of his personal life, Michael Jackson was one of the most talented and enduring artists of our day, and he has legions of fans throughout the world.