White Dress Offer Free EP Download

Austin is currently in the grips of its growing annual new year's tradition Free Week.  Among all the free madness, my favorite Austin band White Dress is offering their self-titled EP as a free download. This release gets my highest recommendation. Imagine if Amy Whinehouse fronted a White Stripes-esque garage band. Snarling guitars, bluesy/soulful harmonies; that's pretty much what comes to my mind when I hear the sound they have on here. Seriously, check this out. It's FREE, so you have no excuse not to.

GET IT!!!

Okkervil River gives away Golden Opportunities 2 EP

It's the time of year for giving, and it looks as though at least indie-rock Santa is looking out for us. The nugget of gold stuck in your stocking is in the form of a new offering from Austin heavy hitters Okkervil River.  It is a five song EP of covers titled Golden Opportunities 2, which obviously is the follow-up to their "mixtape" of covers from 2007. The original was a free downloadable gift to their fans, so keeping with the tradition the new EP is up on their website right now. The songs were recorded live to two-track here in the ole live music capital of the world and are filled with Okkervil goodness. Don't miss this chance to grab some new tunes from one the most consistently great indie bands of the last couple years.

Golden Opportunities 2 comes to us on the heals of Okkervil River's sensational full-length I Am Very Far released earlier this year. From that album the band has released two different videos for the track "Your Past Life As A Blast." Below are both.

Balmorhea on Daytrotter

The latest Daytrotter Session from Austin's indie-classical/chamber music majesties Balmorhea is now available for you all to consume and love. This recording features renditions of the two tracks from their recent 7" vinyl release, "Candor" and "Clamor," along with a new untitled song. I'm convinced that there is no possible way that something recorded at the Daytrotter studios can sound anything less than amazing. This is no exception. Hop over and download it right away.

In other Balmorhea news, their previously limited album Live at Sint​-​Elisabethkerk is now officially available digitally on iTunes and through Bandcamp. A physical repressing from Western Vinyl is coming soon as well. I picked up a copy during their last swing of touring, so I definitely recommend this. The added arrangements to the the live performances breathe new life into these songs. It's like hearing them for the first time all over again.

 Live at Sint​-​Elisabethkerk does contain a performance of what could be my favorite song from them, "Steerage & the Lamp." The keys on here are astonishing. Take a listen below.

Paper Bag Records is True Blue - Free Madonna Tribute Compilation

This is pretty cool. I've always claimed that I am Madonna's biggest heterosexual male fan, so this news is right up my alley. Indie label Paper Brown Records has released this covers tribute compilation of Ms Ciccone's True Blue album and it's available now as a free download. The compilation features Woodhands, PS I Love You, the Trinity Stardust approved band The Rural Alberta Advantage, and an awesome version of one of my Madonna favorites "La Isla Bonita" done by Laura Barrett.

So check out the Paper Bag Records site for a free download, or stream it first over on Soundcloud.

Download Free Music For SXSW 2011

I've got to be the laziest music blogger when it comes to SXSW. The big event officially kicked off today with the start of the Interactive and Film portions, yet I haven't begun mapping out a game plan for next week's music festivities. There are plenty of shows and parties this weekend as proof that the music doesn't wait until Wednesday. But I guess I officially still have a couple days to come up with something.

For anyone else that is in the same boat as me, or is a little clueless as to who to go see, here are a few worthwhile samplers that I've come across in the past couple days. I'm sure there are plenty more, but if you're looking for free music of SX bands, here is where you start.

The Austin Town Hall Sampler
featuring: La Sera, She Sir, The Great Nostalgic, Secret Cities, Toro Y Moi, Cloud Control, Everyone Everywhere, The Cults, Yuck, etc.

SPIN Presents AUSTIN POWER
featuring: Jessica Lea Mayfield, Okkervil River, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, J Mascis, Twin Shadow, Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten, The Kills, etc.

Don't Mess With Texas Sampler
featuring: The Black Angels, Charles Bradley, OFF!, The Dodos, Say Hi, Surfer Blood, etc.

Ioda Opening Day Bash Sampler 
featuring: Gold Panda, Beach Fossils, Weekend, True Widow, Queen Sea Big Shark, Withered Hand, etc.

Dirtnap Records Sampler
featuring: High Tension Wires, Mind Spiders, Something Fierce, Bad Sports, The Steve Adamyk Band, etc.

Austin’s Great Nostalgic Offer More Album Details, Videos, and Free Download.

The march toward the release of the Great Nostalgic’s next album is gaining momentum. The band is solidifying a new lineup, gearing up for SXSW shows, and of course prepping the album for a March/April release. In a recent email, frontman Abram Shook gave me some details on the themes of Hope We Live Like We Promised…

“The album does indeed still maintain a bit of a concept, though not quite as much of a story arc as the first record.  This one is set up more as a series of vignettes about ordinary life in a neighborhood.  Sometimes the stories intersect, and sometimes they spin off in their own directions, kinda like the movies Short-Cuts, or Smoke.  It’s definitely poppier and lighter than our first record, but still keeps a 70's psychedelia feel throughout, and reveals more with multiple listens.”

According to Shook Hope We Live Like We Promised is sequenced for vinyl-style listening, songs heard in groups of sides. So if you want to get the full effect, picking up the vinyl album would be a good idea. The pre-order is a great deal and is up on their site.

Also on the site they have made the download of their spectacular debut available for free/donation. So if you’re unfamiliar with the Great Nostalgic this is a great way to catch-up. Especially for any non-Austinite that may be reading this, so you can hear the quality music our local Austin scene offers.

The band is also releasing a new video every month leading up to Hope We Live. The first two are already available.

January’s offering was “The Great Unknown.”




And the latest for February is "Spirit World"




p.s. I have heard the album (yes, be jealous) and can attest to Shook’s statements above. It’s poppy, it’s fun, and another solid offering from the band. I’ll most likely post a short review/write-up closer to the album’s official release.

Free Download of Sharon Van Etten's Bowery Ballroom Show

Looks like Sharon Van Etten is giving away a free download of her very recent [01.08.11] show at New York's famed Bowery Ballroom. 

Van Etten is riding the wave of acclaim brought on by her latest album Epic. Which, for the record, is Trinity Stardust approved. The live set pretty much features 90% of that album along with some new songs as well. It was recently reported the she is working with The National on her next album, so perhaps these new tunes are a preview of that. Either way, this is a great chance for those not yet familiar with Van Etten to sample her work. So head over to nyctaper to get the live set. And after you fall in love with her (yes it will happen), jump to her site to pick up Epic. It is quite.... errrrr.... ahhh..  EPIC!

The Authors Give Away Latest Album for Free Week

As Austin celebrates Free Week, this the first week of the new year, it looks as if some bands are doing more than just playing free shows. New wave rock advocates The Authors are offering their latest album Get Haunted as a free download on their bandcamp page. So at least for this week, jump over there and grab some free tunes. I myself haven't listened to the album yet (that will change after today), but Austin Town Hall did name it as one of their Top 10 Austin Albums of 2010. So it should be quality.

The Authors themselves will show up during free week on Jan. 7th at Emo's. Later in the month they will hit up Lamberts on Friday the 28th for the Above The Radar Showcase.