Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Daft Punk, Majical Cloudz, the Handsome Family, & More

"Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams, from the new Daft Punk album (see streaming link below).

The big news of the week in terms of streaming albums is the much-talked-about "Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk. It's streaming now on iTunes, where the group's fans gave it more than 4,000 five-star reviews before it was even posted.

Daft Punk fans have been posting their excitement all over the Internet today. And comments from the critics, while not quite as gushing as those of the diehard fans, are nevertheless quite positive (see Rolling Stone's review of "Random Access Memories.")

It includes contributions from Strokes singer Julian Casablancas, legendary producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers, electronic music composer Giorgio Moroder, Pharrell Williams, and more, and has a strong '70s disco vibe. Take a listen at iTunes, and see how the innovators in the electronic dance music genre are taking on the form now.

NPR Music once again has an eclectic mix of streaming albums, including the new ones from the Handsome Family and Latin rock group Piñata Protest. More albums may be added as I come across them. Dive in and enjoy, and leave your reactions in the comments section below!

[ADDED May 14th: Majical Cloudz]

iTunes Preview: 
"Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk (click on "View in iTunes," which will open that program. If you don't see a link to preview the CD, click on Daft Punk and it should come up.)

YouTube:
"Promises" by The Boxer Rebellion 
 
Pitchfork Advance: 
"Impersonator" by Majical Cloudz
 
NPR First Listen:
"Wilderness" the Handsome Family
"The Lighthouse" by G&D
"El Valiente" by Piñata Protest

Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Savages, She & Him, Natalie Maines, & More

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel are back with their third non-holiday album as the duo She & Him, creatively called "Volume 3," and it's one of the new releases streaming online this week. Also streaming is the new solo album by Natalie Maines, former lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, the debut album by all-female British band Savages, and others.

On a related note, there may be fewer albums being streamed each week as the result of AOL's decision to close down AOL Music and its Spinner component. Even sadder than the loss of the music content is the fact that all the employees lost their jobs. Maybe other websites will pick up the slack, in terms of streaming and in hiring some of the now-former AOLers.

[Updated May 2nd: Patty Griffin added.]
[Updated May 1st: see below to stream new releases from Fleetwood Mac and The Boxer Rebellion.]




"Silence Yourself" by Savages (below)


iTunes:
"Promises" by The Boxer Rebellion

WSJ Music Journal:
"American Kid" by Patty Griffin

NPR First Listen:
"Extended Play" EP by Fleetwood Mac [streaming for a limited time] 
"Volume 3" by She & Him
"Mother" by Natalie Maines
"MCII" by Mikal Cronin
"Sera" by La Vida Boheme

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Bigfoot" by Cayucas
"Haunted Head" by Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds

 Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"The Still Life" by Alessi's Ark
"The Yesterday Will Never End" by Hawk and Dove
"Iron Man 3 Original Sountrack" by various artists (including Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, Passion Pit, and Rogue Wave)

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Small Town Talk" by Shannon McNally feat. Dr. John

The Boxer Rebellion: Now Playing On Screen, & On Tour (including Brooklyn Tomorrow)

Above: The Boxer Rebellion play tunes they wrote for the new movie "Going the Distance" last month in Bryant Park.

British band The Boxer Rebellion just embarked on a U.S. tour, but you've been able to hear them on the big screen for a few weeks now. They wrote music for and appear in the new movie "Going the Distance," starring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore, which opened Sept. 3rd. The British rockers play an unsigned band that the lead characters go to see on a date.

I'd heard of The Boxer Rebellionin the past and liked the few songs of theirs I'd caught, but I unexpected got a free live preview of the songs they wrote for "Going the Distance" when I happened upon a show they were performing in Bryant Park one night last month (the show was preceded by a screening of the movie for a select audience).

It was one of those incredibly humid, sweaty nights we've had so many of this summer in New York, but that didn't slow down The Boxer Rebellionfrom banging out a set of catchy tunes. The band played Bowery Ballroom last night and have a show in Brooklyn at The Bell House.

You can see all the Boxer Rebellion tour dates here. And you can find out more about the band on MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube. Besides their songs for "Going the Distance" the band has two albums of its own out, Unionand Exits.