Surfing the Web for new music, video...

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.

After today, Downloads will appear only on The Times’ website.

CASEY DOLAN

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“Don’t Stop Now”

Crowded House

www.crowdedhouse.com/news.php

Half of the upcoming album from the reunited Crowded House is surprising and adventurous and the other half is what you would have expected from the band during its heyday in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. That’s not such a bad thing considering the uniform excellence of Neil Finn’s writing and singing. “Don’t Stop Now,” the album’s first single and a co-write with Smiths/Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr, is an example of the tried and true, but more catchy on every listening. It’s available on the band’s website as a stream. “Give me something I can write about/Give me something I can cry about,” sings Finn in a voice that almost defines plaintive pop. The production by Steve Lillywhite sparkles and new drummer Matt Sherrod fills in solidly for Paul Hester, who committed suicide two years ago.

“Icky Thump”

The White Stripes

music.aol.com/franchise/firstview/white-stripes-new-video

Jack White opines on the state of immigration in this hallucinogenic video, subtitled in Spanish. In an extended dramatic metaphor, Jack plays a drunk American interloper and Meg White is a half-blind prostitute from south of the border. “Americans want nothing better to do/Why don’t you kick yourself/You’re an immigrant, too/Who’s using who/What should we do/You can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too,” declares Jack in his undisguised political commentary. The video holds many colorful surprises, but the music is straight Whites stomp with Jack turning in a wacky solo on his White Penguin guitar and Meg providing strong percussion support.

“Thunderball”

Carlton Patterson & King Tubby

play.rhapsody.com/album/blackwhiteindub/thunderballdidAutoplayBoun cetrue

Ah, the magical kingdom of dub, a land of endless echo, drifting melodicas, gut-thumping bass tracks and scratching guitars. King Tubby practically invented this subgenre of reggae, and a whole generation of late ‘70s British

punk bands (the Clash being one example) ate it for breakfast,

lunch and dinner. The spectral horns on “Thunderball” will have your eyeballs rolling back in your head.

“You Are the Sunshine

of My Life”

Ella Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder

boss.streamos.com/wmedia/verve/ella/ella_stevie.wax

In this duet performance from a concert in New Orleans in 1977 and included on a new Verve album celebrating the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald, both performers hold their own with this Stevie Wonder classic. Wonder isn’t known as a scat singer, but he does so here in obvious homage to Fitzgerald’s signature style. Before they begin, there are some spoken words and Fitzgerald sounds almost childlike and obviously as delighted to be sharing the stage with Wonder as he is with her.

casey.dolan@latimes.com