With Ireland’s Euro 2012 dreams being so cruelly put to the Spanish sword last night – frankly, we were fortunate to get nil – the nation is in dire need of cheering up. Step forward then Free Music Friday with a veritable avalanche of new tunes for your aural delectation.

Our old [link]http://3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] pals weigh in this week with Neneh Cherry, The Samuel Jackson 5 (tee hee!), Smashing Pumpkins, Pop ETC., Way Yes, Xavier Rudd, A Place To Bury Strangers, Teen Daze, Sun Kill Moon, Pop Etc, Jaill, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Guided By Voices, The Hundred In The Hands, Giant Sand and Peaking Lights album streams.

[link]http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/1[/link] adds Waka Flocka Flame, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and The Rocket Summer to the list; http://www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen treats you to Fiona Apple, Glen Hansard, Hot Chip and Ravi Coltrane; and Metric, Future Of The Left and Skinny Puppy are all residing at [link]http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/1[/link]

J Dilla is back with Rebirth Of Detroit, a hip hop belter featuring guest appearances from the likes of Amp Fiddler, Chuck Inglish, The Almighty Dreadnaughtz and many more.

We don’t know how tearful it was, but Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff have reunited on a free [link]http://illroots.com/2012/06/11/dj-jazzy-jeff-mick-boogie-summertime-3-mixtape-3[/link] mix-tape that in addition to their good selves features Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, The Jacksons, LL Cool J and loads more hip hop luminaries.

The hip hop/R&B/smooooth soul treats keep on coming with the [link]http://www.soulculture.co.uk/music-blog/album-streams/usher-looking-4-myself-full-album-stream/#axzz1xZafuXe2[/link] Usher stream and the eight-track [link]http://astralwerks.bandcamp.com[/link] download compilation, which includes David Guetta, Eric Prydz, Swedish House Mafia, Air and Chemical Brothers among its bounteous treats.

Would five live Twin Atlantic tunes make last night’s Hispanic tonking a little less painful? It would? Excellent! [link]http://www.facebook.com/twinatlantic?sk=app_246006845508648[/link] is the soothing balm you’re in need of.

We’ve loads of Grimes-y goodness for you with a new tune, ‘Don’t Smoke That Blunt Bitch’, she’s recorded as part of the Lesbian Satanic Druglords – best band name ever!– and a repeat for those of you who missed it last month of her KEXP Radio Seattle video session.

Next, we hit a rich vein of American National Public Radio video sessions, all of which are available in audio download form as well. Score! Currently there’s The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, The Cranberries, Real Estate, First Aid Kit, Public Enemy, St. Vincent, Moby, Austra, The Kills, Beirut, Bon Iver, Dan Deacon, Sharon Van Etten, Alabama Shakes, Lower Dens, Polica and Julia Holter.
Phew!

[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/146574150/craig-finn-tiny-desk-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/147191308/the-cranberries-tiny-desk-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148160093/real-estate-tiny-desk-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/149220386/first-aid-kit-tiny-desk-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/140921051/public-enemy-in-concert-atp-festival-2011[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/141801564/live-tuesday-st-vincent-in-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/141657328/moby-in-concert-moogfest-2011[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/141657533/austra-in-concert-moogfest-2011[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/145979345/live-thursday-the-kills-with-jeff-the-brotherhood[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/143636141/live-wednesday-beirut-in-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/138890247/live-tuesday-bon-iver-in-concert[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148526561/dan-deacon-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012[/link] [link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148530119/alabama-shakes-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012[/link] [link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148474924/sharon-van-etten-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148530885/lower-dens-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/148530653/polica-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012[/link]
[link]http://www.npr.org/event/music/147351089/julia-holter-in-concert[/link]

While her Swell Season partner gazes out from the cover of the latest Hot Press, Marketa Irglova has her Live From San Francisco album available free from this handy-dandy player.

A recent visitor to the Hot Press Speakeasy @ Forbidden Fruit, Andrew Bird has the same deal going on.

As does the lovely Josh Ritter.

You’ll also find the new album from Family Of The Year – think Edward Sharpe mixed with Grouplove – at http://www.noisetrade.com/familyoftheyear, again for free but you’re very welcome to leave a few yo-yos in the tip jar.

Detroit hip hop man Black Milk is streaming the Live At Third Man Records album he recorded last year in Jack White’s Nashville gaff at [link]http://blackmilk.bandcamp.com/album/black-milk-live-at-third-man-records[/link]

Given a stonking 4 out of 5 in the current issue of Hot Press, Maximo Park’s The National Health has had its lead single, ‘Hips And Lips’, remixed by Errors.

St. Vincent is making sweet music again with David Byrne. Cop an earful at [link]http://lovethisgiant.com[/link]

Of all the things Free Music Friday was expecting this week, a stomping 8 minute Hot Chip remix of Bell X1’s ‘Flame’ really wasn’t one of them!
Have a listen at [link]http://soundcloud.com/bell-x1/flame-hot-chip-mix[/link]

Our old mucker Gavin Glass takes care of production duties on the [link]http://soundcloud.com/jerry-fish/celebrate[/link] version of An Emotional Fish's 'Celebrate', which Jerry Fish has re-recorded for Barretstown. Buy now and buy often!

Also pretty unexpected is Iggy Pop and Ginger Baker with their [link]http://soundcloud.com/prefixmag/iggy-pop-and-ginger-baker[/link] cover of The Black Keys' 'Lonely Boy'.

[link]http://www.tiltonhouse.net/presspage.html[/link] introduces us to summery Seattle-ites Smile Brigade; [link]http://www.kitsune.fr/journal/2012/04/downloads/new-compilation-kitsune-america-out-on-may-7th-free-minimix-by-jerry-bouthier[/link] offers a mini-mix of Kitsuné’s American sampler; [link]http://www.hotpress.com/Azealia-Banks/news/Listen-New-Azealia-Banks/8966471.html?new_layout=1[/link] sorts you out with a new choon from Azealia Banks; Mmoths gets his fader fingers on Vacationer at [link]http://mp3.rollingstone.com/download/Vacationer-trip-remix.mp3[/link]; and Dan Deacon mixes up The Beatles, The Animals, The Cranberries, Yo La Tengo and Dylan at [link]http://dublabmedia1.net/audio/podcast/02_03_12_dan_deacon_voc_mix.mp3[/link]

Some video treats now, kicking off with the whole of Metallica’s recent Rock Am Ring performance.

We’re very much liking the new single, ‘The Frontline’, and accompanying video from Limerick’s Senakah.

Which is where Free Music Friday must bow out for this week. Chin up footie fans, it could be wors... actually, no, it couldn't! Remember to send all your lovely links to @stuartclark66