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Man alive, you bastards owe me. i so should be home resting right now, watching hockey, but NOOOOO, i drag my sorry carcass into the office to work and make sure that y'all get your Free Music Friday fix. Seriously, my canonization better be imminent, i swear to Black Dynamite.
This one has been sitting in the inbox for a few weeks, but i kept forgetting to post it. It's a shame because this duet with Josh Ritter and Dawn Landes covering the folk classic "500 Miles" is pretty damn money. It's bittersweet, touching and all those good things you expect from acoustic folk tunes. Oh well, you've got it now. Sometimes, following labels pays dividends. i joined One Little Indian's mailing list due to sate my Bjork infatuation, but it's since lead me to the dulcet, bluesy tones of Dan Sartain. The latest newsletter continues the trend with the two from the man himself, one from the archive and a little taster from the new record too. The first track is a dark and dangerous boogie woogie stomper, and the latter has a touch more of a pissed off Elvis Costello vibe. Dig 'em. Jason Collett is getting ready to drop Pony Tricks, a reworked acoustic collection of 11 songs, including two never-before released tracks, on October 12. You know how much we love our Canadian brethren, so it was a no brainer we'd be posting the first single, a somber, slow burner. Check it out. What began as a one-off split-45 by songwriters Greg Cartwright and Coco Hames first got together for a one-off, split-45, but the two apparently dug one another enough to form their own band, The Parting Gifts. The duo will release their debut full-length album this fall on In The Red Records. Of particular interest to me, expect performances by Dan Auerbach, as well as Patrick Keeler, Jem Cohen, Poni Silver and Dave Amels. Maintaining our place as in bloggerdom as purveyors of world rock, here's a track by The Radio Dept., written for the recent Swedish elections. As if the title didn't give it away, the lyrics make it pretty clear that the boys in the band don't think too highly of the current government. As my knowledge of Sweden begins with their hockey team and ends with the Chef, i'll take their word on it. And to send you on your merry way, a rocker from local DC-talent, Mara Levi. In addition to teaching music and participating in Girls Rock! DC, Levi found time to drop her third CD, We Listen to Fools. The album (no CDs to keep things green) "processes the end of a five-year relationship, takes on a music industry that values conformity over individuality, smacks down the injustice of a capitalist system that rewards selfishness, and (of course) chronicles the search for new love." Oh, and it rocks. For the local kiddies, check out the release party at Phase 1 on Capitol Hill on October 15. Mention that you read about the party at LET and be met with blank stares on non-comprehension.
Holy Toledo, what a past few days. The Missus and i closed on our new house, which was a nightmare i'm not even going to bore you with right now. We won't have Interwebs (or cable, for that matter) 'til a week from tomorrow, hence the lack of posts recently. Of course, that doesn't mean i can't waste time at the office, now does it? Later this week, i have every intention of catching up on some band submissions (i have some great CDs still left to discuss, plus numerous offerings from Germany and up-and-coming female starlets to share), as well as the Greatest Mango Mix You Will Ever Hear, so you've got that going for you. In the interim, however, let's get past the yapping and onto the world of free mp3s for your listening pleasure.
First up, a Britney Spears cover by Or, The Whale. Why? Because Brit Brit covers amuse me, and that is enough.
mp3: Toxic (Britney Spears cover by Or, The Whale from Cokemachineglow's Fantasy Podcast)
Next up is a now late Valentine's tune from Paul and the Patients. According to Paul himself, it was inspired by a dream he had with every person he's ever loved in it. He's got it up at BandCamp.com as part of their Song of the Week Project (this marking the 18th week), but as of this writing Band Camp is down, so i can't say much more about it other than i'm sure Michelle Flaherty must be distraught. Oh, and i really dug the song artwork, so much so that it's today's post picture. The juxtaposition of a blindfolded, topless chick holding a heart and what appears to be a zipper scar in the middle of her chest? i dunno, i just dig it. i'm assuming it's not an ex-gf of his, but it's the thought that counts. Remember, kids, Uncle Terrible can and will be bribed with depravity, done artfully or otherwise.
mp3: Embrace (Paul and the Patients from the Song of the Week Project)
One Little Indian, home of Icelandic pixie Bjork, has the latest from Dan Sartain up for the price of your email addy, apparently the cost of doing such business these days. The fuzzy guitar line is instantly addictive, so let them know how to send you similarly themed junk mail and get your groove on.
mp3: Ruby Carol (Dan Sartain from Dan Sartain Lives) (available soon)
LET favorite Alan Wilkis has remixed Yeasayer's Ambling Alp. You may recall we gave AW's Babies Dream Big Top Ten CDs of the Year honors (#5, to be exact) a couple of years back. He continues on the good foot with this one.
mp3: Ambling Alp (Alan Wilkis Remix) (Yeasayer from Odd Blood [Remixed])
Not quite sure what to say about the next one by Malachai. It sounds like a bit of crate digging done right. The resulting sound is both timely and distant, but grabs you by the boo boo regardless. Domino imprint Double Six are to release the ‘Ugly Side of Love’ album this April 19th, but you can have a taste today. Initially released on Portishead’s Geoff Barrow’s Invada label (under the band’s old name Malakai) last year, the 13 track album will be preceded by the band’s debut radio single for Double Six ‘Snowflake’, which is set for release a week earlier on April 12th.
mp3: Fading World (Malachai from Ugly Side of Love)
Since you've grown accustomed to me overstuffing you, let's keep this train wreck a rollin'. To get your juices pumped for their upcoming tour with The Clientele this March, The Wooden Birds have put together a rather kick-ass, acoustic EP for free! It's pretty damn fantastic, if you're into that laid back, indie folk kinda sound. And right now, i am.
mp3: Believe in Love (The Wooden Birds from Motague St. EP)
And to close things out, plenty of DJ love from all over the place.
Master of the Mash-Up and Remix, DJ Z-Trip, just re-did the Dead Weather's "Treat Me Like Your Mother" with a little help from Slug of Atmosphere fame. Better than the original? You make the call. Hell, it's free, so why not?
In anticipation of his upcoming project on the Brainfeeder label, Daedalus has released his own trippy freebie, "Order of the Golden Dawn." Grab it ASAP, though, as they've only got the link up for a week.
Finally, the phat cats over at Low End Theory finally got around to posting this month's podcast, this time featuring D-Styles and Shlohmo. Shlohmo samples the hell out of "Half Baked" for his half, which is always a good thing.
mp3: Treat Me Like Your Mother (Z-Trip Remix ft. Slug from Z-Trip's website)
mp3: Order of the Golden Dawn (Daedalus from Righteous Fists of Harmony)
mp3: Episode 12 ft. D-Styles and Shlohmo (Low End Theory Podcast)
And i'm out.
Man alive, you bastards owe me. i so should be home resting right now, watching hockey, but NOOOOO, i drag my sorry carcass into the office to work and make sure that y'all get your Free Music Friday fix. Seriously, my canonization better be imminent, i swear to Black Dynamite.
