Christmas presents for those who are broke
You’ve got an internet connection, a CD burner, and a printer. Past that, you’re pretty much broke. What to do for Christmas presents? Happily, several artists have put albums up for download on their websites, and you can take advantage of their generosity burn off stuff and present music unavailable in stores to your friends and family.
Okkervil River has a nine song mixtape, entitled Golden Opportunities, recorded live on tour over the past couple of years. There’s a bunch of covers (Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Webb, John Cale), as well as an original tune entitled “Listening To Otis Redding At Home During Christmas.” The mixtape is available here in 192 Kbps, and you can also get a PDF of artwork and liner notes.
Foxboro Hot Tubs are not Green Day’s newest fake side project a la the Network (only this time as ’60s garage rock instead of ’80s New Wave). Or so they say, anyhow. You can get Stop Drop and Roll over at their site. No direct link - stupid Flash.
Trouble In River City is offering the latest release from St. Louis garage-punkers Left Arm for free! The record is called Dissatisoul, rocks your tits, and is available for download here. Of course, you can pay for it if you’re a decent human being.
Interesting fact: while trying to find a picture to run with this, I did a Google image search for the word “free.” First picture that popped up (literally)? A guy sucking cock. No lie. Needless to say, not what I was expecting and another reason I update from the basement, rather than the living room. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself - I would suggest not at work, school computer lab, or near small children, however.
the Vandals - “Oi to the World“