Now Streaming: New CDs from Bloc Party, Los Lobos, & More

Bloc Party's fourth album, cleverly titled "Four," headlines the slate of new albums streaming online this week. Also available this week are new releases from Los Lobos (a live version of their classic 1992 album, "Kiko"), Wojcik, Dan Deacon, and even those old southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd (I had no idea they were even working on a new album).

If you missed Yeasayer streaming online last week, you've got another shot to hear them this week, on Spinner.com.

This is an abbreviated post, and it may well be the only one I post for the next week or so, since I am out of town vacationing at a spot with limited Internet access. (This post is being typed at the local public library, which thankfully has free wi-fi.) Apologies for the minimal amount of posting, enjoy this week's streaming albums, and go out and see some live music with what's left of the summer.


"Octopus" from Bloc Party's new album "Four," which is streaming this week.

KCRW Album Preview: 
"Easy Star's Thrillah" by Easy Star All-Stars

NPR First Listen:
"America" by Dan Deacon
"The Seer" by Swans
"Postales" by Gabby Moreno
"The Salesman and The Shark" by Sean Rowe

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Fragrant World" by Yeasayer
"Four" by Bloc Party
"Selah Sue" by Selah Sue
"Cast The Same Old Shadow" by Dylan LeBlanc
"Vexations" by I Was Totally Destroying It
"The Glorious Dead" by The Heavy
"Sof' Sike" by Slim Twig
"Wake" by Jr. Juggernaut
"Escape From Crystal Skull Mountain" by Gregory Pepper and His Problems
"Happy New Year" by Happy New Year
"Wise Blood" by Wojcik

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"Kiko Live" by Los Lobos
"Last of a Dyin' Breed" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"I'm a Stranger and I Love the Night" by Scrapomatic

Now Streaming: New CDs from Divine Fits, Steve Vai, Yeasayer, & More

There are albums from a veteran artist and a new supergroup headlining the releases that are streaming this week. The veteran is Steve Vai, who's back with his latest album, "The Story of Light." The new supergroup is Divine Fits, a band that includes Britt Daniel of Spoon, Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade, and Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks.


One of the album trailers for the Devine Fits' debut album.

Among the other albums streaming this week are new releases from Yeasayer, Antony and the Johnsons, Yellowcard, Black Light Burns (fronted by Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit), and Los Straitjackets, the Tennessee surf rockers who perform wearing Mexican wrestling masks.

[Update, Aug. 16th: CBC is streaming F*cked Up's "David Comes to Life" this week in honor of the album being named to the shortlist of the Polaris Prize. You can stream it here.] 

NPR First Listen:
"Fragrant World" by Yeasayer
"A Thing Called Divine Fits" by Divine Fits
"Tracer" by Teengirl Fantasy
"Mature Themes" by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Spinner.com's Listening Party:
"Cut the World" by Antony and the Johnsons
"Cycles" by This is Cinema
"Jet Set" by Los Straitjackets
"Trying" by Spook Houses
"Raised by Wolves" by Jenee Halstead
"An Aside" by Black Swan Runners
"Southern Air" by Yellowcard
"Dark Star (Remix EP)" by Polica

AOL Music Listening Party: 
"The Story of Light" by Steve Vai
"The Moment You Realize You're Going to Fall" by Black Light Burns
"Mile Highby" by Kottonmouth Kings
"Hold Your Fire" EP by Sierra West
"Somewhere Beneath These Southern Skies" by The Dirty Guvnahs

Concert Notes: Gaslight Anthem, The xx, The Walkmen, & More On Sale Fri.

June 1st is not just the beginning of a new month, it's the day that a crop of great indie and alt-rock shows in New York City goes on sale. On the slate are groups including New Jersey's own Gaslight Anthem, The xx, The Walkmen, and Yeasayer. Peter Gabriel is coming to the area, too; his show goes on sale Saturday (see the list below). Happy ticket shopping!

New Brunswick, NJ's Gaslight Anthem plays Webster Hall on July 24th.

On sale Friday, June 1st at 12 Noon:
* The Walkmen at Bowery Ballroom, Wed., June 6th.
* The Gaslight Anthem at Webster Hall, Tues., July 24th.
* The xx at Terminal 5, Thurs., August 7th.
* The Vaccines at Bowery Ballroom, Mon., Sept. 10th, and Music Hall of Williamsburg, Tues., Sept. 11th.
* Yeasayer at Central Park Rumsey Playfield, Wed., Sept. 12th.
* Poliça at Webster Hall, Sat., Oct. 6th.

Also on sale soon:
* Peter Gabriel "Back to Front" at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Sun., Sept. 23rd ("'So' live, performed by the original 1987 lineup"). On sale: Mon., June 4th, 10 a.m.

NYC Concerts On Sale This Week: John Mayer, Vampire Weekend, Cheap Trick, Yeasayer, Imogen Heap

Left: John Mayer promotes his new album Battle Studiesat Madison Square Garden on Feb. 20.

There's no off season in the New York concert scene, and there are plenty of good shows coming up later this year and early in 2010. Here are some upcoming in-demand shows that have tickets going on sale this week:

Going on sale Wednesday, November 18th:
* Imogen Heap, Music Hall of Williamsburg - show date Dec. 3

Going on sale Friday, November 20th:
* Vampire Weekend, United Palace (Upper Manhattan) - show dates Jan. 17, 18, 19

* Yeasayer - show dates Feb. 8 (Bowery Ballroom), Feb. 9 (Music Hall of Williamsburg)

* Dropkick Murphys, The Wellmont Theatre - show date Feb. 24

Going on sale Saturday, November 21st:
* John Mayer and Michael Franti & Spearhead, Madison Square Garden - show date Feb. 20
* Cheap Trick, The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza - show date Jan. 25

And if you're looking for a show to attend sooner rather than later, additional tickets have been released for Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, November 24.