Free Music?

Forget The Charlatans free album, and that terrible Violet-copy-of-everything-else-they've-ever-done-Hill song that Coldplay recently gave away, good quality free music has been sitting around on the Internet for ages. I remember when "download single" meant you could head over to Ash's website and pick up Clones for free...or Slipknot's to download Pulse Of The Maggots, if you're into wearing scary masks and all that. Despite the "digital revolution" (CDs are digital anyway -gasp-, so goodness knows why this term seems to be used exclusively to refer to mp3s), bands are still making their music available to download for free, even though "download single" no longer makes a gleam of triumph appear in the eyes of cheapskates (read: me). Never mind about the one sad little song that iTunes gives away each week (two if you count the promotion with Bebo, which doesn't seem to work half the time anyway and not having a Bebo account I can't really do much about that), there's a lot more than that out there.

Label Samplers:
I was just looking up a band that I only have one track by, Allister (currently on hiatus), to try and get more songs by them, and I came across their label site, Drive-Thru Records. Unfortunately for Little Miss Out Of Pocket, there weren't any more tracks available by Allister, but the label did have a free sampler available for download with a bunch of tracks by their current roster, so I figured it was worth a look at. Click on the featured download box. You may have to download something called Echospin, but this only takes a minute and then you'll be able to get all the mp3s.
Click. Includes tracks by Halifax (no, nothing to do with those irritating bank adverts with the walking purses and suchlike), An Angle and Socratic.
http://www.drivethrurecords.com/home.htm

Being a rather bored bean indeed, I decided to type "download label sampler" into Google, in the hope that something would turn up. This was a good decision, as I immediately found a few more bundles of tracks. I clicked on something called Bridge 9, thinking that I had heard that name before. You type your name and e-mail in (if you don't want to part with your personal data then it doesn't matter if it's complete rubbish) and you can download the sampler.
Click. Includes tracks by New Found Glory, Ruiner and Have Heart.
http://www.bridge9.com/

The next thing that caught my eye was Matador Records. Apparently this is an annual sampler, so do check back in about a year's time for more musical goodness. They also have various other mp3s up on their website, so have a look around.
Click. Includes tracks by Cat Power and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks.
http://www.matadorrecords.com/

There are various other label samplers wandering around the web, so go and check it out for yourself. Label samplers are also given away free in music magazines such as Rocksound and at indie record stores like Banquet Records, so keep an eye out.

Label Sites:
Although Wikipedia is what some might call the font of all knowledge, label sites are an excellent place to start with when you want to find out about a band. They usually have songs available to listen to and some tracks may be up for download as well. Downloadable tracks are more commonly found on indie label sites. Major labels aren't that keen on giving away free music. It is worth looking up a band on Wikipedia to see what labels they previously released records with even if they are with a major label now, as some labels have songs from alumni as well as previews for their current roster. Here's a list of some label sites that I have found particularly useful:

Epitaph/Burning Heart
http://www.epitaph.com/
http://www.burningheart.com/
Oddly enough, although the same bands appear on both sites (Epitaph has the rights to distribute Swedish record label Burning Heart Records' output in North America), they don't have the same tracks up for download, so you can collect a few more than usual to try out before picking up a record if you're into bands like The Hives, Refused, Millencolin, Matchbook Romance and The Offspring.

Sub Pop
http://www.subpop.com/
How my heart crumbled when I discovered that my local HMV no longer sells ex-chart CD singles. Oh well, I was still able to get Balloons by Foals off the label site, so that'll be enough to tide me over until I can get their album. Other artists you may want to check out include Sleater-Kinney and CSS.

Purepainsugar
http://www.purepainsugar.com/
This is a French record label, and they have a very good collection of songs for those wishing to find out more about euro-screamo/European skramz/EU hardcore/whatever else you feel like calling some people from Europe screaming while accompanied by delectable guitar parts and raging percussion. A sudden yearning on my part for more bands like Amanda Woodward was dispelled upon discovering this website, which has music by Mihai Edrisch, Raein and many others.

Level Plane
http://www.level-plane.com/
Set up by Greg Drudy (Saetia, Hot Cross), this was one of the first places I went to when I was trying to find more music that could be called "people screaming while accompanied by delectable guitar parts and raging percussion", or hardcore (but depending on who you are speaking to that could be asking for trouble as people do not always seem to agree on what is "real" hardcore). Aside from this, bands such as the aforementioned Amanda Woodward, City of Caterpillar and Transistor Transistor have released records with Level Plane, so you can check them out here.

Jade Tree
http://www.jadetree.com/
There's some great alt rock bands to be found here, such as Jets To Brazil, onelinedrawing, Pedro The Lion and The Promise Ring. Just go and download some stuff now, you'll probably love it.

...In Conclusion:
Yes, it may be possible to just live off free songs, but the point of all this is to introduce you to new acts and encourage you to buy their records. Labels don't give away music for the fun of it. Free music is a good way to find bands you wouldn't have heard on the radio, so go out and support indie acts by purchasing their records if you like what you hear.

Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

Jason Mraz
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Release date: 9th June 2008 (CD)
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things is a bright, breezy pop album perfect for the summer. In terms of influences, Jason Mraz has drawn on various genres, including hip hop, reggae and even opera, which is features on what has to be one of the most ambitious songs on the album, Coyotes. As brilliant as the song is, I can’t help but feel that the ending (which has a curious chorus of children joining in the song) is a bit naff, to be frank. Aside from this, there is an outstanding duet, Lucky, featuring little-known female singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat, whose melodious voice integrates perfectly with Mraz’s vocals. Mraz has also roped in English soul-pop artist James Morrison for a collaboration on Details In The Fabric, which is a beautifully constructed song, showcasing the vocal talent of both artists extremely well.

Being familiar with Mraz’s previous work, it is interesting to see that there are no tracks with quite the same punchiness of previous singles Wordplay and Geek In The Pink. Comparing this album to Mr. A-Z, it is difficult to say that We Sing… is a great improvement. There are plenty of perfectly pleasant songs, yet these lack any kind of real direction to make them chart hits. Despite these shortcomings, Mraz’s latest album is a relaxing listen, a must for any pop fans. Other standout tracks include The Dynamo of Volition and Only Human.

Current Events

This did actually start out as something about current events &c, so I'm just posting to say that I am rather glad indeed that Boris Johnson is London Mayor. Thank goodness Mr Livingstone is no longer in power. It is also rather amusing that Labour only got 24% of votes for local councils and the LibDems got 25%. Ha.

In other news, exams begin in a week's time, so that will be fun. Or not.

This frightful weather is set to continue. How awful. I'm perfectly happy when it is sunny, but the great looming clouds overhead always seem to be present. It's terrible.

As for music reviews, I have been rather lazy on that front. Besides, I couldn't find anything legally accessible online that I wished to review, except for half pof Hadouken!'s album, but what good is half of it? Instead I shall recommend the new Darren Shan book, called Death's Shadow. I got my copy signed yesterday, but it will be a while before I can begin reading it since I am currently supposed to be reading the following:

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, which must be finished by Thursday for the school Book Club meeting - er.
My Friend Maigret by Georges Simenon, which I must admit I have given up on now.
Spies by Michael Frayn, which is being re-read on account of having to write an essay on the book for an exam, without the book for reference. This is worth 30% of my English Lit AS, I think I should be worried. Regarding Spies, we went to see it peformed as a play on Wednesday, and it was quite excellent. Certainly put the book to shame.
The Swap by Antony Moore, which I also seem to have given up on, hm.
Not to mention a couple of other books which I haven't even begun yet but must return to the library soon. I don't want to be fined.

I Was A Cub Scout

Here is my latest review, enjoy.

I Was A Cub Scout
I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope
18th February 2008
Originally a one-man band with a drum machine, I Was A Cub Scout is now a synth-pop duo consisting of Todd Marriott and William Bowerman. Having released four singles since 2006, the album is finally out this year and the band looks set to make it big.

I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope showcases Bowerman’s drumming effectively in tracks such as Echoes and Lucean, which makes a refreshing change from similar acts that do not necessarily accomplish this well. Echoes was recently released as a double A-side along with Pink Squares. A special version of the latter was recorded at the New Slang club night in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. It features, among others, Dartz! and Sam Duckworth of Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. fame. This version can be downloaded from www.banquetdigital.com.

Although not all the tracks on the album are up to par, highlights on the album include Part 3, an eerie track that has quite a different atmosphere to most of the other songs, We Were Made To Love and The Hunter’s Daughter. These tracks certainly make the album worth purchasing, and on the whole, it is a beautifully crafted success.

It also lives here: http://www.xtaster.co.uk/mycontent_Article.aspx?id=2586

Bits and pieces

Firstly, I have decided to do away with the (rather garish) green layout and went for this instead.

A couple of my reviews are now up on the Xtaster website, with more to come (as soon as someone releases something worth checking out).

http://xtaster.co.uk/public/content_article.aspx?id=1775 (9 Black Alps)

http://xtaster.co.uk/public/content_article.aspx?id=1771 (Idiot Pilot)

Christmas was rather nice, although I got lots of pairs of socks. My sister got a remote controlled plane which is refusing to take off, and neither of us are sure what "trim" is (nothing appears to happen when either trim button is pressed) so I shall have to seek help regarding that.

Sadly, I have a Mechanics exam the first week back, and attempted a past paper today. How depressing that I have to revise over the Christmas holiday!

And finally, The Share Exchange is in existence. So clicky click and get Estilo some hits.

Argh, just remembered I have to write a presentation about a work of art for General Studies. How rubbish.

Estilo!

www.estiloonline.co.uk is the website of the Young Enterprise company Estilo. We are in the process of creating a site that will help young people aged 14 - 18 learn more about finance, in particular the stock market. So check out our company site :)

2007 is nearly over...

2007 is nearly over…
…and a ton of bands have broken up! British alt rockers yourcodenameis:milo went on an indefinite hiatus back in August. Vocalist Paul Mullen was reported as having joined The Automatic in October, following the departure of keyboardist/vocalist Alex Pennie. Although it is a disappointment that ycni:m won’t be making any more music for now, Mullen joining The Automatic will most likely result in a fantastic sophomore album from the band.

Experimental band The Blood Brothers announced their break up in November, after 10 years of making music together, which resulted in five albums being released, among various singles and EPs. Their individual style will be a hard gap to fill. Philadelphians Hot Cross, soon after releasing the fantastic Risk Revival decided to cancel their US tour and quit making music together. This happened in July, less than a month after their second album was released.

The list of bands that broke up, or went on hiatus this year is rather long, but 2007 also had some great albums released. January saw the release of the Mercury Music Prize winning debut album by Klaxons, Myths of the Near Future. An innovative record fuelling the “nu-rave” scene (although the band claim that this is simply “a joke that’s got out of hand”), this is an album you really ought to check out if you enjoy the singles.

Fall Out Boy returned in February with Infinity on High, an album that spawned the hit singles This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race and (the bizarrely titled) Thnks fr the Mmrs. Although not to everyone’s taste, it must be said that the band have a brilliant ability to create great pop songs. This ability is shared by Kaiser Chiefs, who released Yours Truly, Angry Mob in the same month, which was an excellent follow up to their debut album.

In March, former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, a new “rockier” Idlewild, and the crazy Enter Shikari, who seem to have fused hardcore with dance music, all released albums. Not many people seem to pay Charlotte much attention these days, but The Deep Blue showcases her song writing talents very well. Make Another World resulted in a fair amount of criticism for Idlewild, but the album is not necessarily deserving of this. The band has written some excellent songs. After generating a lot of press attention, possibly because they appeared to be hardcore’s answer to nu-rave, Enter Shikari’s Take To The Skies lived up to expectations and is…mind-blowing, whether or not you’re a fan of the music.

The second album from Arctic Monkeys was also released in April, entitled Favourite Worst Nightmare. Quirkier than their debut record, there are some truly outstanding songs on this album, including Teddy Picker (released as a single on the 3rd December). In May, Welsh rockers Funeral for a Friend released their third album, Tales Don’t Tell Themselves, a concept album about a fisherman.

June saw the release of Puzzle by Biffy Clyro, who have suddenly shot to popularity after remaining relatively unknown for the past few years. Fans of this band should check out Reuben, whose third album, In Nothing We Trust was released in the same month. The recent single Deadly Lethal Ninja Assassin features ex-Million Dead frontman Frank Turner, whose first solo album was released all the way back in January, and titled Sleep Is For The Week.

Ash shocked everyone by releasing their last album in July. Twilight of the Innocents is going to be the last complete album that the band members will record, as they have decided to embrace the digital age and release more singles more often, rather than a few albums over a long period of time.

August…High School Musical 2: The Soundtrack, anyone? Didn’t think so. Moving on swiftly, Foo Fighters latest album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, came out in September. In addition, Wolves by Idiot Pilot was also released. Dashboard Confessional, made famous by Vindicated, showed a folkier edge in latest album The Shade of Poison Trees, released in October, and definitely worth checking out. This month also saw Jack Peñate’s first album, Matinee appear (finally!). Let’s hope that next year is as full of great music as this year was.

Songs to check out:
yourcodenameis:milo ft. The Automatic - The Trapeze Artist
The Blood Brothers – Camouflage, Camouflage
Hot Cross – Turncoat Revolution
Klaxons – Isle of Her
Fall Out Boy – The Take Over, the Breaks Over
Kaiser Chiefs – Highroyds
Charlotte Hatherley – Behave
Idlewild – If It Takes Your Home
Enter Shikari – Anything Can Happen In The Next Half Hour…
Arctic Monkeys – Brianstorm
Funeral for a Friend – Out Of Reach
Biffy Clyro – Who’s Got A Match?
Reuben – We’re All Going Home In An Ambulance
Frank Turner – Back In The Day
Ash – Twilight of the Innocents
Foo Fighters – The Pretender
Idiot Pilot – Planted In The Dark
Dashboard Confessional – These Bones
Jack Peñate – Second, Minute or Hour

Thrice and Saves the Day

I figured I may as well stick my reviews up here. You can check out older ones here.

Thrice - The Alchemy Index: Vol I & II

The Alchemy Index is a four-disc concept album, with each disc representing Fire, Water, Earth or Air. There are only six tracks on each disc, but the album is being released in two sets, each containing two of the volumes. The first set, containing Fire and Water was released in October 2007, while the second set will be released in April 2008. The band members have said that Fire will be the most familiar to fans of the band. It is certainly a lot heavier than Water, and certainly an epic collection of songs. Water is far more ambient, featuring calmer tracks that are quiet and more melodic. The first collection is certainly a must for anyone who is a fan of band, and well worth buying if you’re looking for an introduction to Thrice. While the songs may not be catchy, radio-friendly tunes, they have been constructed with great skill and are definitely worth checking out.

Saves the Day - Under the Boards

Under the Boards struck me as being quite a melancholy record. There are poppier moments, such as the tracks Radio and Can’t Stay the Same, yet these have a poignant undertone to them. Frontman Chris Conley stated that the album “is an expression of…reflection and remorse”, which can certainly be heard on all 13 of the tracks. The album is composed excellently, with energetic tracks such as Bye Bye Baby and slower moments such as Turning Over in My Tomb fitting together perfectly. It is difficult to choose a stand out track as all the songs are brilliant. A superb follow up to Sound The Alarm, checking this out is a must if your tastes fall into the categories of rock, pop and punk.

What is wrong with people

Plastic bags:
Don't you just hate when people in stores say "would you like a bag for that?" all smiley, and when you say "yes", they suddenly glare at you? If it annoys them so much that I'm not environmentally conscious, then they shouldn't have offered a bag in the first place! Do they expect me to carry my gigantic Dykeenies <3 You shopping bag everywhere or something? And those paper bags they have in Primark, they break all the time. If you're going to switch to a more "environmentally conscious" method of transporting goods, then at least make sure it's up to the job.

The Simpsons:
I was just watching that delightful episode on C4 about Apu's arranged marriage. You know, the one where Homer storms in to sabotage the wedding dressed up as Ganesh, in the belief that Apu wants the wedding stopped. Except...he did storm in, but it then suddenly cut to something else. Did they cut out his speech about being Lord Ganesh on the grounds of it being religiously offensive or something? Or was it just a mistake? In addition, why are the episodes being shown ten years old? I can remember watching them the first time round on BBC2 back in the day. (Actually those were probably repeats too since I don't think I was even in Britain in 1997.)

Now there was something else that ridiculously annoyed me which I wanted to write about, but sadly I have forgotten it.

Music recommendation: Blackhole - a band featuring Frank Carter's (of Gallows) brother on vocals!

Episode 03

Here's the third episode, in which I show my disgust for the 2012 Olympics logo, celebrities getting special treatment from the prison system and exams.

No Thanks Episode Three.mp3

Sites that may or may not be useful for this episode:

The frightful logo can be seen in all its glory here.
The Ting Tings are located here.

Episode 02

Here's the second episode, in which children's books, Welsh music and exams are mentioned.

No Thanks Episode Two.mp3

I'm going to start linking to "useful sites", so here goes:

The website for Joshua Wright, author of Plotless, Pointless, Pathetic can be found here.
The graffiti artist Bansky can be found here.
And finally, Hell Is For Heroes live here.