It’s Monday, which means it’s time for another edition of our regular start-of-the-week stream-a-thon, wherein we scour the Internet for worthy and/or noteworthy albums that are streaming this week at absolutely no cost. This week, our ears are equally balanced between better-than-expected group efforts and bands we’d almost forgotten about surging back into our hearts with a vengeance — with some preciously new Irish indie in the mix just for fun. Click through to get a little of everything — from updated punk rock to Antony Hegarty’s excellent cover of “Landslide” to Wayne Coyne weirdness to the first new stuff from Sebadoh in 14 whole years.
Various Artists — Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac
So, tribute albums aren’t the coolest kids on the block, but hear us out. First of all: Fleetwood Mac! Secondly, it’s pretty darn good, featuring a gorgeous, delicate take on “Landslide” crooned by Antony Hegarty, a twisty “Sisters of the Moon” by Shudder to Think’s Craig Wedren and St. Vincent, and the slightly dusty power-pop of the New Pornographers on “Think About Me.” Tracks have been trickling out slowly over the last few weeks, but now you can hear it as it was meant to be heard — in all its hodgepodge glory. The album’s out on August 14, but listen now at NPR.
The Flaming Lips — The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
It’s no secret that we’re lifelong fans of noisy freak-poppers The Flaming Lips, and we dig this insane, hallucinatory compilation featuring a veritable horde of “fwends”: Yoko Ono, Nick Cave, Bon Iver, Lightning Bolt, Ke$ha (yes, her song is actually kind of good) and Erykah Badu. Stream the album, which has been out for a while in various forms but has just debuted across the pond, over at the Guardian .
The Cast of Cheers — Family
We may not really need yet another buzz band from a charmingly accented yet still English-speaking country, but we just can’t make ourselves grumpy about this Irish four-piece’s energetic, catchy indie rock. Picture a slightly more whimsical Bloc Party and you’re on the right track. Stream the album — and read a handy track-by-track guide courtesy of the band — over at Drowned in Sound.
Redd Kross — Researching the Blues
Hell yeah! Redd Kross is back, baby. It’s been 15 years since their last album, and some five years since the band reunited for the festival circuit, but the California four-piece isn’t the least bit rusty. With ten songs packed into just 32 minutes, the sound is huge, juicy and totally vital for 2012. Put on your rock’n’roll shoes and listen to the kickass album, which comes out officially August 7, here.
Sebadoh — Secret
Forgive us, but there are so many moments spent in our bedrooms as teenagers rushing back to us right about now. One-time Dinosaur Jr. side project and lo-fi standby Sebadoh haven’t given us anything new in 14 years, but last week they treated us to a self-released EP, which, while only five songs long, still makes us pretty damn happy. In fact, it may be even more exciting because it’s only a taste — a taste! — of a promised full album in 2013. Stream the EP here.