Free Music Friday is, like so many of you, devastated by the death on Wednesday of Sopranos star and all-round acting genius James Gandolfini.

Yesterday, Steve Van Zandt paid tribute to his friend and colleague, saying:

“I have lost a brother and a best friend. The world has lost one of the greatest actors of all time. Maureen and I send our deepest sympathy and love to Deborah, Michael, Lily, and all of Jimmy's family.”

We’re remembering him the way he should be remembered by watching Tony whack Ralphie.

Our Noise Trade friends kick us off this week with a Camp Bisco festival sampler featuring the likes of Bassnectar, Lotus, Vacationer, The Werks, Dan Deacon and Tori Y Moi who almost stole the Forbidden Fruit show a few weeks back from Chic.

Those nice Noise Trade folk have also produced a 14-track appetite-whetter for Louisville, Kentucky’s Forecastle bash, which includes Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Moon Taxi, original Sugar man Bob Mould, Mona, A Lion Named Roar and Greensky Bluegrass among its standouts.

The hot streaming action commences at [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] where you’ll find new tunes from Tuung, Young Fathers, Master Musicians of Bukkake, The JCQ, Quasimoto, Dangers Of The Sea, Sonny & The Sunsets and Valient Thorr;
[link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] treats us to latest releases from Smith Westerns, Mavis Staples, Austra, Primal Scream and the Indiependence-bound Bosnian Rainbows; James Holden, All Tiny Creatures, Matias Aguayo, Lightning Dust, The Orwells and oOoOO are all residing at [link]pitchfork.com/advance[/link] and you can cop an earful of Omar, Billy Price and Harry Connick Jr. at [link]pitchfork.com/advance[/link]

New Jersey’s very fine Black Numbers label are gifting us a free sampler featuring the likes of Real Friends, Maker, Tiny Moving Hearts, Light Years, Banquets, Diamond Youth and Great Lakes USA.

Barcelona producer John Talabot gets the dubby remix treatment courtesy of Pional.

Smashing Pumpkins drummer Mike Byrne goes math-rock with new outfit Bearcubbin’ whose name yer’ price Get Your Remix EP showcases the studio wizardry of Carlow beat-maker Auxiliary Phoenix.

If you like a parp, you’ll love this freebie from Amy Lynn and The Gunshow, an NYC nine-piece who ooze saxy soul.

Jar Of Clays come over all intellectual with the Homer’s Odyssey-inspired ‘Inland’, which can be found at [link]www.rollingstone.com/music/news/inland-by-jars-of-clay-free-mp3-20130617[/link] and follow the [link]www.manicstreetpreachers.com[/link] instructions to bag a live ‘Let Robeson Sing’ featuring Gruff Rhys.

Jackmaster Hater, Aaron Carl, Soul Capsule, Blaze, Nail, DJ Skull and Vester Koza are among the bounteous delights to be found on Pariah’s summer mix for Fabric.

[link]www.self-titledmag.com/2013/06/19/download-this-now-pariahs-fabric-promo-mix/#more-33065[/link]

One of our fave NYC spitters Davon King at [link]limelinx.com/c8ccw[/link]

Jingly-jangly Californians The Mantels say ‘Hello’ with this lysergic-drenched gem.

This week’s acidic adventures continue with ‘Hang Onto A Dream’ from the Florida-raised, Los Angeles-domiciled Strangers Family Band.

[link]soultemplemusic.bandcamp.com/track/unorthodox-2[/link]Raekwon, JD Era, Ghostface Killah and RZA guest on ‘Unorthodox’, the first taster from Tony Touch’s The Piecemaker 3: Return Of The 50 MC’s, which also includes contributions from Method Man, Prodigy, Action Bronson, Busta Rhymes, KRS-One, Eminem and Republic Of Loose’s mate Style P.

Arctic Monkeys took everyone by surprise this week with the unleashing of their mean ‘n’ moody ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ single. An album, we presume, can’t be too far away…

The video treats continue with this equally nifty promo for O Emperor’s ‘Contact’.

Cricket pop fans will love this stumpingly good vid for The Duckworth Lewis Method’s ‘It’s Just Not Cricket’.

A second trailer has been released for Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, a ruddy, bloody dangerous new film co-starring Colm Meaney as a rival chat-show presenter who goes seriously off the rails. There’s only one man who can help defuse the ensuing hostage situation – Alan Partridge!

It’s in cinemas on August 7.

Free Music Friday’s whelm is bit undered to be honest, but you might like to check out Stephen Marley’s dubstep remake of ‘Buffalo Soldiers’, which adorns the upcoming Bob Marley remix album. Let us know if you’re more impressed than we are!

They were supposed to have split up following a major tour barney, but The Civil Wars – aptly named or what? – are back with ace new single ‘The One That Got Away’.

And that’s yer’ Free Music Friday lot for another week. We’re off to a seedy dive bar to salute Mr. Gandolfini further. Keep those links and comments coming to @stuartclark66 and squeeze every ounce of fun you can out of the next 48 hours.