Free Album Streaming: New CDs from Heartless Bastards, Of Montreal, & More

 New releases from Heartless Bastards, Band of Skulls, Ben Kweller, Chuck Prophet, and Shearwater highlight the notable albums up for free streaming this week. Heartless Bastards made a big splash a few years ago with their breakout album "The Mountain,"and many listeners got hooked on the booming vocals of lead singer and guitarist Erika Wennerstrom. The band, originally from Dayton, Ohio, now calls Austin home and is back with "Arrow,"its much-anticipated follow-up to "The Mountain."

"Arrow" by Heartless Bastards is one of the new albums streaming free this week.

In addition to the albums below, Exclaim.ca is streaming the new album by the Canadian band Islands, "A Sleeping and A Forgetting," and Pitchfork is streaming "Young and Old," the latest release from Tennis.

Some of the albums that were available last week on some streaming services are now available on other ones, such as Sharon Van Etten's "Tramp"and Paul McCartney's new album of 1940s and '50s songs. (Note: The "Tramp" MP3 album is currently $5.99 at Amazon.com.) Also, Van Etten is celebrating the release of today by offering a free download of a "Serpents" demo here.

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Arrow" by Heartless Bastards (streaming until Feb. 14th; also streaming at NPR Music)
"Plumb" by Field Music (streaming until Feb. 14th; also streaming at NPR Music)

NPR First Listen:
"Animal Joy" by Shearwater
"Le Voyage Dans La Lune" by Air

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Tramp" by Sharon Van Etten
"Kisses on the Bottom" by Paul McCartney
"Sweet Sour" by Band of Skulls
"Go Fly a Kite" by Ben Kweller
"Barchords" by Bahamas
"Be the Void" by Dr. Dog
"Paralytic Stalks" by Of Montreal
"Temple Beautiful" by Chuck Prophet
"The Singles" by Goldfrapp
"Let It Be Roberta - Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles" by Roberta Flack

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Lay Your Weapons Down" by Kiros
"Eulogy for the Damned" by Orange Goblin
"Scars and Stories" by The Fray

Free Concert Downloads & Streaming: Superchunk, Of Montreal, Robert Plant, Lost in the Trees

Above: Download or stream an hour-and-a-half concert by Superchunk (seen here playing in Brooklyn last year) free from NPR Music. Photo: duluoz cats

There are some good recent concerts you can now download or stream free at NPR Music. (Note: some shows that have been available for both may now be streaming-only.) Here are some of the more interesting ones available now:

* Superchunk live: The veteran rockers are back with a new album and tour after nearly a decade off. Runs about an hour and a half.

* The spectacle that is Of Montreal in concert: Too bad there's no video; their shows feature all kinds of bizarre costumes and sets. Runs about an hour and a half.

* Robert Plant and Band of Joy live: The former Led Zeppelin singer continues his Americana work with a band that includes, among others, the great singer-songwriters Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller. Runs 53 minutes.

* An abbreviated Lost in the Trees live set: The new North Carolina band brings its French horns, cello, tuba, and other instruments to play a 16-minute set in NPR's offices.