With the David Bowie Symposium taking place over the next three days in the University of Limerick, it seems appropriate that we kick off with the rather fine Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars covers album that’s been assembled by Canada’s Paper Bag Records.

To be found at [link]paperbagrecords.com/downloads[/link] it features contributions from well-known names like Austra, Born Ruffians and The Acorn and the not so well-known Woodhands, Slim Twig and The Luyas.
Also up for grabs at the same address is the label’s 2012 Loss Leader sampler and The Paper Bag Sessions Vol. 1.

It’s been another busy week on the streaming front with [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] home to new offerings from Allah-Las, Peter Broderick, U.S. Girls, Vessels, Andy Burrows, Ryan Bingham, Lukid, Tall Ships and extreme German metallers Pig Destroyer.
[link]music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/1[/link] adds The Man With The Iron Fists soundtrack, Stone Sour and the legend that is Tony Bennett to the mix while its sister [link]music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/1[/link] site has the 25th anniversary edition of Peter Gabriel’s So and newbies from Diamond Rings, The Sword, Land Observations, tweaker and Arms Aloft.
The always bounteous [link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] is the go-to place for the latest Cody ChesnuTT (his capital Ts, not ours), Café Tacvba and Charles Mingus releases, Mr. Mingus’ of course being a retrospective.

[link]www.spin.com/articles/indian-handcrafts-civil-disobedience-for-lovers-full-album-stream?utm_source=spintwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spintwitter[/link] has a stream of the new album from Canadian prog-glurpers – I think they’re having a laugh at our expense with that description – Indian Handicrafts; [link]elvisdepressedly.bandcamp.com[/link]; Mike Skinner returns at [link]www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/oct/15/the-dot-and-that-stream%20%E2%80%A6[/link] with his new Rob Harvey-assisted D.O.T. project; there’s all sorts of Glen Campbell awesomeness at [link]soundcloud.com/tims-shoebox/this-land-is-your-land-rough[/link]; Delerium fans will want to make an immediate beeline for [link]www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/exclusive-stream-listen-to-delerium-s-music-box-opera-album-in-full/10254730[/link]; Irish power pop genius Marc Carroll previews his Stone Bead And Silver album at [link]soundcloud.com/onelittleindianrecords/it-was-lust-not-love[/link]; [link]soundcloud.com/annacalvi/the-wall[/link] is home to Anna Calvi’s beyond gorgeous cover of The Invisible’s ‘The Wall’; you can download a fab mix from Newbridge wunderkind Mmoths at [link]www.thefader.com/2012/10/23/download-mmoths-fader-mix[/link]; the Wexford-born, Montreal-domiciled Corner Boy, AKA Michael D’Arcy, has two new demos awaiting your [link]soundcloud.com/corner_boy attention[/link]; Lil Reese demonstrates why he’s the hottest hip hop thing to come out of Chicago in years at [link]www.thefader.com/2012/04/02/lil-reese-haters-mp3[/link]; in the unlikely event you want to check out the Rod Stewart Xmas album, it’s streaming at [link]www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2012/10/25/rod-stewart-merry-christmas-baby-album-stream/1644119[/link]; synth legend Giorgio Moroder has made a load of classic tunes available for free [link]soundcloud.com/giorgiomoroder[/link] download and 3 Doors Down treat us to a new single at [link]splash.3doorsdown.com[/link]

That nice Neil Young is streaming his new Psychedelic Pill album – his best in yonks – at [link]neilyoungpsychpill.warnerreprise.com/[/link] but you may have to download some additional software to listen.

There’s a free taster to be had from Girls Names’ France ’98 six-tracker courtesy of the below widget.

Already number on in the UK singles chart this week with the Florence Welsh-assisted ‘Sweet Nothing’, [link]www.calvinharris.co.uk/18months[/link] finds Calvin Harris streaming his new album, which features additional contributions from Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Dizzee Rascal, Example, Nicky Romero and Kelis. Heavyweight company or what?

This week’s visual treats start with an electrifying live set from Death Grips who ripped NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge a new one recently.

The Robert Cray Band are the latest A-Listers to drop by the NPR offices and perform a downloadable Tiny Desk Concert.

In Murcia t’other day to see Delorentos open for Wilco in a bullring, Free Music Friday was very taken with fellow support The Leadings who’ve given not just the Delies but Two Door Cinema Club the banging remix treatment.

If you missed Julian Temple’s extraordinary (in a good way!) Modern Babylon on BBC 2 recently, fear not, because it’s out this week on DVD. The best film about contemporary Britain… ever! you can watch the trailer here.

While others hung bunting up in celebration, Free Music Friday was rather sad this week to hear that James Blunt has decided to hang up his guitar.
Whatever you think of his music, Mr. Blunt was a true gent who always gave Hot Press great copy and was gracious enough to pop in to our Electric Picnic Chatroom. We’ll always remember him this way…