Now Streaming: Hear New CDs from Johnny Marr, Josh Ritter, Chelsea Light Moving, & More

Singer-songwriter Josh Ritter has put out a number of excellent albums, and his new "The Beast in its Tracks"—written after his recent divorce—is one of the most anticipated albums streaming online this week. It's available on NPR Music, as are several new albums from indie groups: the new collections from Youth Lagoon, Waxahatchee, Chelsea Light Moving (fronted by Thurston Moore), and Cloud Cult.

Stream Josh Ritter's new album, and a live show, at NPR Music.

(As the photo above notes, you can stream Ritter's show from New York live on Monday, March 4th at 8 p.m. Eastern.)

Spinner is streaming another much-anticipated disc, the new release from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. Also on Spinner: albums from Doldrums, Suuns, and BOY, among others.

KCRW is offering a two-disc collection documenting Celluloid Records. Artists in this collection include Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Manu Dibango, Fab 5 Freddy, and Ginger Baker. and a track featuring legendary producer and Chic leader Nile Rodgers.

Learn more about Celluloid Records and see the track listing here.

NPR First Listen:"Wondrous Bughouse" by Youth Lagoon
"The Beast in its Tracks" by Josh Ritter
"Cerulean Salt" by Waxahatchee
"Presente" by Bajofondo
"Chelsea Light Moving" by Chelsea Light Moving
"Love" by Cloud Cult

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Change The Beat: The Celluloid Records Story 1979-1987, Disc One and Disc Two" by various artists 

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"The Messenger" by Johnny Marr
"Black Sun" by Gold Fields
"Nights and Weekends" by El Sportivo & The Blooz
"Images du Futur" by Suuns
"Lesser Evil" by Doldrums
"Mutual Friends" by BOY
"Modern Dances" by Teen Girl Scientist Monthly
"Galapagos" by Post War Years

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Stay Golden" by Taddy Porter

Upcoming Shows at Maxwell's: Thurston Moore, Bombay Bicycle Club, Cate Le Bon, Craig Finn, & More

Maxwell's in Hoboken has a great lineup of concerts planned in the coming weeks, and below are some of the highlights. I'm mentioning shows going a little far out, through the end of March, since the club has a small capacity and some of the more popular performers will sell out weeks in advance. (The March 2nd Cults show sold out at least a couple of weeks ago.)


Thurston Moore performing "Circulation" from his most recent solo album, "Demolished Thoughts."

As you'll notice, opening acts and set times are not available for some of the shows. Check the Maxwell's website for more details (you should probably check it anyway, to make sure the schedule hasn't changed). You can buy Maxwell's tickets online at Ticketfly, or at Tunes CDs in Hoboken or Other Music in NYC.

As usual for Maxwell's, the upcoming gigs reflect an eclectic mix of types and genres of rock. And generations as well. There are acclaimed new artists such as Welsh singer Cate Le Bon and British band Bombay Bicycle Club, and veteran acts including Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore (performing solo) and singer-songwriters Marshall Crenshaw and Garland Jeffreys. The Hold Steady's Craig Finn is also stepping out on his own, supporting his new solo album.

And there's the return of some blasts from the past: the Feelies side project Yung Wu, the Scud Mountain Boys, The Lemonheads (performing their album "It's A Shame About Ray"), and the Psychedelic Furs.

• Thurs. 1/26: Teddy Geiger/Jack Skuller, 8:30 p.m., $15 
• Fri. 1/27: The Gories/Boom Chick, 9:30 p.m., $20
• Thurs. 2/2: Jenny Owen Youngs/special guest, 8 p.m., $10 adv./$12 d.o.s.
• Fri. 2/3: Thurston Moore/Rhyton, 9 p.m., $20 SOLD OUT
• Sat. 2/4: Marshall Crenshaw/Garland Jeffreys, 9 p.m., $20
• Thurs. 2/9: Jeff the Brotherhood/t.b.a., 9 p.m., $10
• Fri. 2/10: Cate Le Bon/special guest, 7:30 p.m., $10 adv./$12 d.o.s.
• Fri. 2/10: "Pretty Good Friends" featuring Eugene Mirman, Kurt Braunohler, and more, 9:30 p.m., $13 adv./$15 d.o.s.
• Sat. 2/11: Dum Dum Girls/Widowspeak, 9:30 p.m., $15
• Fri. 2/17: Scud Mountain Boys/John Cunningham, 9 p.m., $15
• Sat. 2/18: Young Wu/East of Venus/Thousand Pittes, 7 p.m., $10
• Sat. 2/18: Mates of State/special guests, 10 p.m., $15
• Thurs. 3/1: Craig Finn, $15 SOLD OUT
• Sat. 3/3: Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby (7 p.m.), $10 adv./$12 d.o.s.
• Thurs. 3/8: Bombay Bicycle Club, $20
• Mon. 3/12: The Lemonheads performing "It's A Shame About Ray," $20 adv./$22 d.o.s.
• Tues. 3/13: The Lemonheads performing "It's A Shame About Ray," $20 adv./$22 d.o.s.
• Wed. 3/14: John K. Samson (of The Weakerthans) and The Provincial Band, $13 adv./$15 d.o.s.
• Sat. 3/24: The Psychedelic Furs, $40
• Sun. 3/25: The Psychedelic Furs, $40
• Wed. 3/28 Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, $20

Free Album Streaming: New CDs from Thurston Moore, Joseph Arthur, Ben Harper, Laura Cantrell, & More

Thurston Moore's new solo album (out May 24th) is now available for free preview.

I didn't expect to post another sample of free album previews so soon, but most of the ones I mentioned last week are no longer available. Obviously it's good to post these sooner rather than later, lest they disappear, so I'll try to post new ones each Monday, which is when they seem to be offered for preview.

Some of the latest free album previews that got my attention when I saw them: a new solo album by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore; new CDs by singer-songwriters Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper (hear an interview with Harper here); a disc of Iggy Pop bootlegs; several reissues from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on Spinner.com; and an album of Kitty Wells tunes by Laura Cantrell, the singer and former host of WFMU's much-loved Radio Thrift Shop show.

And contrary to what I mentioned in last week's post of free album previews, Spinner and AOL Music are still doing separate (though overlapping) listings of album previews. Here's a selection of some of the albums available for preview this week:

NPR First Listen:
Demolished Thoughts by Thurston Moore
The Graduation Ceremony by Joseph Arthur

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
Roadkill Rising: The Bootleg Collection 1977-2009 by Iggy Pop
Euphoric Heartbreak by Glasvegas
Pink Strat by Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen, Feist's guitarist)
Give Til Its Gone by Ben Harper
Diaper Island by Chad VanGaalen
Daydream Nation Soundtrack by various artists (includes tracks by Devendra Banhart, Sebadoh, Emily Haines, Lou Reed, and the Constantines)
Cosmic Ocean Ship by Mia Doi Todd
Let Love In by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (one of several reissues of the band's albums available on Spinner)
Bury Me in My Rings by The Elected (led by Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett)

AOL Music Listening Party: 
Kitty Wells Dresses by Laura Cantrell
The Dreaming Fields by Matraca Berg
Cicada by Hazmat Modine