So who doesn’t love the weekend and free music? We dig both and want to share the love. PopWreckoning is proud to present ‘Free Music Friday’ — we’ll give you a quick rundown on a band and have an mp3 streaming and available for download. We think it’s a solid idea and hope you do, too!
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Juliette Commagére
Juliette Commagére of LA outfit Hello Stranger will be releasing her first solo effort, Queens Die Proudly, on October 24th through Aeronaut Records. Joining her are Ry and Joachim Cooder, as well as up-and-coming songwriter & brother, Robert Francis.
She’s already toured with the Foo Fighters and now she’s got residencies with the likes of Joachim and Petra Haden in LA and NYC. Listen to the title track from her forthcoming album.
“Queens Die Proudly” (download)
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Whales and Cops
We just reviewed Whales and Cops’ EP, but it should be pretty obvious by now that we love anything with any sort of relation to Philadelphia’s Man Man, and since Whales and Cops boasts former members of the chaotic rock group as well as a similar sound , we’re enamored.
Today, we’re bringing you “Bosuns of the Yard,” a heavily electronic track with lots of beeps and boops layered under deep, raspy vocals reminiscent of their former act.
“Bosuns of the Yard” (download)
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Emanuel and the Fear
Here we have a newly recorded track from Emanuel and the Fear’s debut album. The Brooklyn ten-piece lists influences from John Coltrane to The Shins to Daft Punk. This tune is a bit mellow but some electronic flourishes and a lovely violin and flute melody.
“Alright (We’re All)” (download)
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Nicole Atkins & the Sea
Rock and roll chanteuse Nicole Atkins lent a previously unreleased track to the Choke soundtrack. PopWreckoning fell in love with Nicole at Austin City Limits and we’re pretty sure you’ll dig her, too. This song is pretty sultry, fitting for Choke, and shows off a bit of Nicole’s darker side.
“Crystal Ship” (download)
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Filed under: free music friday | Tagged: emanuel and the fear, juliette commagere, mp3, nicole atkins, whales and cops | 1 Comment »
Empire of the Sun
Jean On Jean is ex-Out Hud/Raooul songstress Molly Shnick. Her [moniker] self-titled debut, a theraputic release following the breakup of Out Hud, will be released by Kanine Records next month. Her direction with this solo effort is different than some of her former bandmates who now operate as !!!. Shnick’s lush cello playing is still extremely prevalent and compliments well her sweet vocals and twinkly percussion.
Sun Airway is an extension of The A-Sides, who put out an album with Vagrant Records last year but has already called it quits. Not even close to being finished with music, front man Jon Barthmus and drummer Patrick Marsceill decided to build their own studio and start fresh, working with different sounds and studio experimentation because guitar rock was becoming way boring. Before the pair’s full length album hits in 2009, preview their new sound.
Citay is a band that has dared to delve into this realm of a guilty pleasure with their 70s rock sound. They have resurrected the guitar army, bringing three guitars to the stage supported by bass, drums, and a multi-instrumentalist/ singer. The beauty of their music is in their vast levels of technique. There is a no wanking Phish-style guitar noodling, nor is there the excessive masturbatory ten minute guitar solo, instead you get all that is loved from 70s rock crafted into complex arrangements and truly amazing interplay between three guitarists whose fingers move like lightning.
First up we have the “American Idol” Contestants’ cover. Just kidding, we wouldn’t put you through that, but we are going to feature another version that was used on the same network.
The third cover is done by bluegrass group Iron Horse. Blue grass is not usually my cup of tee, but this cover is just ridiculously fun and hard not to love. If you like this, you should check out their whole album of Modest Mouse covers.
Lucky readers, today you get 2 for the price of none with Hearts of Palm UK. This LA three piece will soon be releasing their debut album For Life and you can preview it now. These ladies harmonize beautifully over electronic tinged pop gems.
On October 21st, Anni Rossi will release a six-track mini album titled Afton as her label debut. The 22 year old Chicago-based Rossi is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who will release her first full-length album early next year on 4AD.
Swedish born, New Orleans based songstress Theresa Andersson recently released Hummingbird, Go!, a surprising sweet blend of 60s pop, gospel and R&B. Theresa will be touring the album in November (dates can be found through links below) so you can catch her wonderful sound live. Until then, indulge yourself with another 2 for none.
The first half of the year saw us going pretty bonkers over some pretty great Canadian acts (
One-woman band From is fronted by founder Roni Brunn, a cosmopolitan musician who grew up in Tel Aviv, attended high school in Beverly Hills and graduated from Harvard with a degree in economics. Prior to her musical endeavors, Brunn created a high-end line of handbags, started Math-Club (an organization that puts on recreational math events) and created websites for big names such as Ringo Starr and Justin Timberlake.
The newest band on the Fat Wreck Chords roster is ska-punks Star F**king Hipsters. Their debut album Until We’re Dead drops at the end of the month and they’ve recently made track “Two Cups Of Tea” available for download. You can catch the band touring the country and rocking and, at times, screaming their faces off in support of the new release.
For good measure, our last featured Free Music Friday band is Portland gem Starfucker. The all-male trio brings hi-fun to sweet, lo-fi harmonies with a brand of sometimes minimalist, sometimes synth-heavy electronic pop perfect for lazing about in the park as summer [unfortunately] fades away. Their debut album hits September 23rd.
