Music Free for All

I got an e-mail from old pals Insect Guide letting me know about their new free music release coming up on 12/20. When I went to the Eardrums Pop website to look around, I found a few other cool freebies, and immediately snagged them for my iPod.

First I came across Baffin Island, a band led by Melanie Whittle of The Hermit Crabs, and including members of The Very Most. Their sound reminds me of groups I listened to a lot back in the mid-90's when I lived in Boston (Roslindale), with my co-contributor Jay: bands like Velocity Girl, Letters to Cleo and Jale. Their 3-song offering is spunky and upbeat, and should be perfect for upcoming dreary winter days.

Then I opted for the 4-song EP by Sometimes Always. The music reminds me of My Bloody Valentine mixed with R.E.M., way back when both bands were first starting to form their signature sounds. It's a cool blend, and I was surprised to find that the band is just one dude from Indonesia. My music catalog is generally dominated by female singers and instrumentals, so it's always nice to find acts with a decent male voice.

Next up was Tiny Fireflies. It was the first music that caught my eye (and ear) on the site, but I tried to download it twice to no avail. Luckily there was another download option (further down the page), and I was finally able to make the EP mine. Kristine's ethereal voice is right in the bullseye of my personal taste, and I was thrilled to find out she heads another pair of projects, Tiny Microphone and Very Truly Yours, both out of Chicago. These songs will fit seamlessly into any mix of Ivy, Olive, Mazzy Star, and An April March.

And last but not least, three songs by the aforementioned Insect Guide. And amazingly, track 2 features Graeme Naysmith of Pale Saints (one of my all-time favorite bands) on guitar! The band does a great job with their e-mails of keeping me up to date on great new music in the genres I am partial to, as well as giving me "blog fuel" for this music journal. Check out their earlier free songs (including cool covers of Lady Gaga and Simple Minds) that we told you about here and here! So if you want some cool music, click the link of each band above, and be swept away to their respective pages at Eardrums Pop for some free audio magic, and check out the other bands (under "Releases: singles" for the free stuff) while you're there...