Free Album Streaming: New CDs from R.E.M., Mike Watt, Exene Cervenka, & More

 
Above: Video for "ÜBerlin" from R.E.M.'s "Collapse Into Now," which is streaming online until its release on March 8th.

There's a great selection of free album previews online this week, led by the first new R.E.M. album in years—and many are calling it their best in more than a decade and a half. Also: new albums by Exene Cervenka, Dropkick Murphys, and Minuteman co-founder Mike Watt.

Here's a sampling of what's streaming right now; as always, check out each site for the full selection of free album previews available.

NPR First Listen:
* "Collapse Into Now" by R.E.M. (streaming until March 8, its release date)—this is said to be their best release since "New Adventures in Hi-Fi," which was the last R.E.M. album that I enjoyed all the way through
* "All Eternals Deck" by The Mountain Goats (streaming until March 29)—I haven't liked everything this band has done, but am always willing to give them a try
* "Smoke Ring For My Halo" by Kurt Vile (streaming until March 8)—I've only heard a few songs from this singer-songwriter from Philly; this will be a good chance to listen to get a feel for his work

KCRW Album Preview: 

* "Different Gear, Still Speeding" by Beady Eye (streaming until March 24)—first album from the new group featuring Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and several other members of the band

* "The Excitement of Maybe" by Exene Cervenka (streaming until March 29)—the latest solo album from the co-founder of the legendary L.A. punk band X

Spinner.com's Listening Party has albums including:
* "Volume 2 - High and Inside" by The Baseball Project—the second album by the baseball-themed band that includes indie rock all-stars Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), and Ira Kaplan (Yo la Tengo).
* "Going Out in Style" by Dropkick Murphys—the latest effort from the Celtic-meets-punk band
* "Long Player Late Bloomer" by Ron Sexsmith—he's a singer-songwriter, but not always a folkie, and this new album is produced by Bob Rock (known for his work with Metallica)
* "The Valley" by Eisley—glad to see a new disc by this brothers-and-sisters folk/pop band
* "hyphenated-man" by Mike Watt—the latest album by the bassist and co-founder of The Minutemen and fIREHOSE

AOL Music Listening Party has album previews including: 
* "Original Sin" by INXS—the '80s and '90s hitmakers do an album of their own tunes as a tribute to their late singer, Michael Hutchence. Features guest vocals by Rob Thomas, Ben Harper, John Mayer, and more

Music Notes: Spotify Signs with Sony; New R.E.M. Single Released; Lineups Out for Coachella, Bonnaroo, SXSW, & Jazz Fest

* R.E.M. on Tuesday released "Mine Smell Like Honey" (video with lyrics above), the first single from its forthcoming album "Collapse Into Now" (which drops March 8th). You can also preorder a deluxe version of the new R.E.M. album here, which includes a video and three bonus tracks (live-in-studio versions of “Discoverer,” “Oh My Heart,” and “Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter").

* The music subscription service Spotify has signed a deal with Sony for U.S. distribution, All Things D writes. Spotify, which is now operating in Europe, will have similar terms stateside that it has across the pond: "A certain number of hours per month of free streaming music, with the ability to pay for an ad-free version, or a more popular one that lets users listen on mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone."

* The Spring festival season is warming up, and a number of big events have recently announced who'll be playing. See the SXSW Music lineup (March 16th - 20th), Coachella lineup (April 15th -17th), Bonnaroo lineup (June 9th -12th: not officially released, but here's a photo of the poster), and Jazz Fest (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 29th - May 8th)

And, what would the week be without some dismal news from the record business:
* Digital music sales are slowing, the industry's trade group says. Revenues were up 6% for 2010 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, but in 2009 they were up 12% from the year before, and up 25% in 2008.

* Warner Music is keeping busy. The firm, one of the big four music companies, is looking to buy Britain's EMI, but has also hired Goldman Sachs to seek out potential suitors to buy it.

R.E.M.'s New Single "Supernatural Superserious" Video

The new R.E.M. album "Accelerate" won't be out until April 1st, but the band is busy getting the first single "Supernatural Superserious" out into the world. You can watch a video of the making of the video for the song (or at least that's what it seems to be) at the band's Web site.

R.E.M. also has a kind of minisite set up for the single, which shows different parts of the making of the video. I'm not sure what else it has, since it seems to be dedicated just to "Supernatural Superserious."

But at least it's something to keep us occupied until the new album and ticket on-sale dates come out.