Downloads

Surfing the Web for new music, video and MP3 downloads can be a serious time investment. Tips from Times staff and contributors will help take the drag out of your click-and-drag. Some downloads may contain explicit lyrics. Except as noted, all of the selections are free and available online at latimes.com/downloads.

“Wake Up”

Tim Armstrong

www.epitaph.com/artists/artist/233/albdesc

Rancid’s frontman has a surprise hit on his hands with a track from his unfinished solo album. KROQ-FM and Indie 103.1 FM are getting heavy requests for “Into Action,” an effervescent ska workout Armstrong has recorded with the Aggrolites for a forthcoming solo album. This number, posted by his label, Epitaph, has more of an old-school reggae vibe but it’s equally infectious. Armstrong says the full album will be posted for free when it’s ready as a thank-you to fans.

“McFearless”

Kings of Leon

youtube.com/watchvLF0Lq3P6peU

There’s so much deep Southern mojo with these guys that they don’t have to do much on stage to be riveting. An official video for the first single, “On Call,” from the new album is shot as a seemingly live performance, but this one for the UK AOL Sessions is genuinely so. There’s Caleb Followill’s voice, of course, one of the most distinctive in modern rock, drawling, adenoidal and ... hey, let’s take this Southern thing all the way ... swampy. But listen to Nathan Followill’s exceptional drumming and how he changes up his syncopated patterns. “McFearless” becomes his spotlight moment.

“Typical”

Mute Math

www.mutemath.com

Martin Amis’ mordant novel “Time’s Arrow” explored the consequences of time in reverse with harrowing, sinister results. This video for Mute Math unfolds entirely backward, with hilarious results. Singer Dan Meany mimes the lyrics as each band member plays his part in reverse. The intent is a degree of normalcy, but the results are the Marx Brothers as gymnasts. Rarely has a video conveyed so much manic energy.

“September Blues”

Andreas Oberg

www.myspace.com/andreasoberg

From Pat Metheny to Wayne Krantz, Kurt Rosenwinkel to Ben Monder, Leni Stern to Bireli Lagrene, it’s an exciting gallery of guitarists in the current hothouse of jazz. Add Andreas Oberg, an extraordinary Norwegian player with a new solo album -- but this track isn’t on it. His bop vocabulary is deep, but Django influences percolate upward. Put everything on hyper-speed, and the listener will end up staring at the speakers, the computer screen, the wall, existence. When he throws in some Wes Montgomery octaves at tempo, it’s almost too much.

casey.dolan@latimes.com