R.E.M., ''#9 Dream''
New Rock and Roll Hall of Famers R.E.M. released this just in time for their induction last week. Appropriately enough, it's a reverent tribute to rock history: Michael Stipe and Co. give the John Lennon solo number a hazy, jangly arrangement that suits it perfectly. The result harkens back to the dreamlike sound of R.E.M.'s late-'80s albums. And with all profits going to Amnesty International's campaign to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur, there's really no excuse for passing this one by. (Buy it on iTunes)
KELLY ROWLAND FEAT. EVE, ''Like This''
Some early listeners have been left cold by the former Destiny's Child singer's performance on her new single, but forget Kelly's understated vocals (and Eve's solid cameo) for the time being. This one's all about the beat, which comes courtesy of the deservedly ubiquitous Polow Da Don; his polyrhythmic tin-can percussion is the nicest nod to Washington DC's go-go scene since Amerie's 2005 hit ''1 Thing.'' If the production on the rest of Kelly's album, out June 27, is this strong, we're in for a definite treat. (Buy it on iTunes)
DNTEL, ''Dumb Luck''
Jimmy Tamborello's intricate glitch-pop programming won millions of unexpected fans when the Postal Service, his long-distance collaboration with Death Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard, hit it big a few years back. That dynamic duo reportedly has a new disc in the works, but Tamborello has kept himself busy as he waits for the DAT tapes to show up in his mailbox, as evidenced by Dumb Luck, his second full-length under the Dntel alias, which hits stores April 24. The title track pairs laptop-on-the-fritz noise with acoustic strumming and some wonderfully glum lead vocals from Tamborello himself. (Download it from Sub Pop's website)
ARMAND VAN HELDEN FEAT. FAT JOE AND BL, ''Touch Your Toes''
Fat Joe made it very clear on 2004's hit ''Lean Back'' that he and his friends ''don't dance'' — they ''just pull up [their] pants.'' So what's he doing guesting on a track by an international house DJ? There he is, rapping along with Armand Van Helden's four-on-the-floor beat like a regular Ibizan. Whatever the explanation for his change of heart, Joe certainly seems to be enjoying himself. (Buy it on iTunes)
SECRETARY BIRD, ''Somewhere Girls''
Last fall, Southwestern rockers Friends of Dean Martinez performed most of the soundtrack for the film Fast Food Nation. They did a decent job of complementing the movie's uneasy atmosphere, but the real standout from that set came from band member Mike Semple, who recorded one song on his own under the name Secretary Bird. Semple has a full album of world-weary, lo-fi guitar pop out now, and as this Pavement-esque selection confirms, he's a noteworthy talent in his own right. (Download it from EW.com)
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