Tiger! Tiger! makes their entire discography available for free download

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Nothing makes me happier than music, most days. Really, the only thing that’s better than music is free music, and that’s what we have here. Michigan’s Tiger! Tiger! somehow ended up with a bunch of Bandcamp downloads, and decided to bestow them on fans or curious lookie-loos such as myself. So, now through February 22, you can hit their Bandcamp page and download anything you like, free of charge.
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Download the Young Leaves’ new single for free

cover-young-leaves-aliveWhile I’m only familiar with the Young Leaves because of their Art of the Underground single series release, their music is pretty much instantly recognizable. Like fellow Massachusetts trio Dinosaur Jr., there’s a drawling sneer to their songs that seems uncommonly suited for the powerful rock ‘n’ roll being purveyed.

However, where J Mascis and company work with big guitar, the Young Leaves are powered by strong basslines. “The Love Song” is streaked with fuzz and thud, and the drop D tuning at the start of “Alive and Well” gives you the fear that shit’s going to go grunge, but both tracks are amazingly tuneful and poppy. It’s date night music for people who might otherwise have destroyed their hearing at a metal show.
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mc chris drops “Apple Lung”

cover-mc-chris-apple-lungAt some point, my excitement over the new mc chris mixtape, Apple Lung, just becomes a litany of the songs he uses to remix his tracks: “Ohmyfuckinggod — he takes ‘Hoodie Ninja’ and uses Sleigh Bells’ ‘Infinity Guitars’ and Devo’s ‘Whip It’ and ‘Hijack’ gets mixed with The Little Shop of Horrors theme and David Bowie!”

Bonus points for mc doing his second-ever cover. The first was Atom & His Package’s “Punk Rock Academy,” and now it’s “The Time Warp.” Those are a couple of serious, nerd-cred choices.

Honestly, having it drop the morning of Labor Day is perfect timing. There’s going to be people grilling, drinking, and partying all day today, and this is as good a soundtrack as any. Frankly, I’m rocking my ass off six ways from Sunday down here in the basement, wishing I had a reason to blast this sucker outside. That being said, it goes just as well with coffee and PJs as I imagine it does with cheap beer and cut-offs. Party time, bitches.

Download Apple Lung from mc chris’ site.

Download Deathwish’s summer sampler

cover-deathwish-sampler-2012Nothing says “hot summer nights” quite like sweating one’s ass off at a variety of house shows and poorly-ventilated clubs. Deathwish would also like to remind you that summer is also the time when labels hook you up with free music to throw in your headphones or stereo (be it home or vehicular) with their summer 2012 sampler:

Deathwish are proud to present the Punk/Hardcore soundtrack to your sun scorched vacation, “Summer 2012”, our newest FREE Digital Sampler.

Bands included (in order of appearance): Narrows, Oathbreaker, Heiress, Whips/Chains, Rise And Fall, Give Up The Ghost (AN), Loma Prieta, Victims, Birds In Row, Code Orange Kids, Touche Amore, Single Mothers, Living Eyes, Punch, Self Defense Family, Cursed, New Lows, Starkweather, and Deafheaven.

“Summer 2012” is an eclectic hour long trip into the Deathwish world. Download and experience the diversity and creativity within the world of aggressive music we represent. If you like what you hear, please support these artists by seeing them live and by purchasing their releases and apparel in the DW Estore.

Download the Deathwish Summer 2012 Sampler (left click, Mediafire)

Back from “Vacation”: reconsidering the latest Bomb the Music Industry! LP

cover-btmi-vacationDespite the fact that it came out months ago, I only recent snagged a vinyl copy of Bomb the Music Industry!‘s latest, Vacation. It’d taken me a while to warm up to the newer sounds of the Brooklyn band. This new record is certainly a switch from the ska-punk-indie experimental noise that they were known for.

This is a truly mellow, introspective record, but like Fletcher said in a recent NN2S strip, it’s not mature – “Punk bands don’t get better when they mature. Cheese gets better when it matures. And more smelly. Punk bands that mature just get more boring. And less smelly.”
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Stupid holidays

In between getting involved in a hit-and-run, our furnace blowing fuse, and just generally going crazy, the site’s on hiatus until the week after Christmas. I promise you a Boxing Day year-ender podcast, and then a slew of new record reviews. In the meantime, enjoy some a half-assed Christmas present in the form of free punk rock from Spain’s Hermanastra. You can listen to and download their new album, Tic galopante, below.

Podcast #69, “Shortchanged”

spare-changeNo mincing words here: I feel like hell, and I’ve taken on far too many projects. It’s the freelancer’s nightmare: more work than you can handle. I hate to turn stuff down, because it’s possible that the next job you turn down will be the last job you turn down. It’s a little sketchy, and a little nerve-wracking, but it’s the life I lead. So, that being said, I highly suggest taking a listen to this week’s episode. It’s short, but it’s good. Let’s just say it’s quality over quantity and call it good. Fuck … now I have to go do another interview.

Podcast #69, “Shortchanged”
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Download “New York Rules” comp for free

nyrulespackageRemember the New York Rules cassette we reviewed back in March? Well, Burn Books has officially sold the hell out of the limited edition compilation, and is now offering it for free download. While you don’t get the truly enormous poster with which it came, the sonic fidelity of MP3s are roughly equivalent to that of a cassette, meaning you folks who like your shit lo-fi will still be somewhat happy.

Plus, you know – fucking free music. Shut your mouth if you’ve any complaints and make with the clicky-click to get some free tunes from Night Birds, Pregnant, and more.

Download New York Rules (left click, Mediafire)

John Wilkes Booth Records’ David Solender on the label’s recent split releases

cover-billy-raygun-lipstick-splitThough still several months shy of celebrating its third birthday, John Wilkes Booth Records has become a solid purveyor of pop-punk. In addition to releases from the band for which he drums (Billy Raygun), David Solender has put out recordings from Blockhead and What Happened? Solender recently put out two splits: an LP from Billy Raygun and Lipstick Homicide, as well as a live cassette from Big Eyes and Rational Anthem. We e-mailed back and forth with Solender about the new releases, as well as a little of the label’s history.
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Support the Humanoids

humanoids-tinyWhen I saw St. Louis pop-punk act the Humaoids opening a show at the Record Bar this summer, it’d just been announced that they’d signed to Paper + Plastick, the vinyl/digital label ran by Vinny Fiorello from Less Than Jake. What I didn’t know was that Paper + Plastick has started using their site Free Music First as a way of gauging reaction. Essentially, the label determines whether or not they’ll go to the trouble of pressing a record based on how well the album does as a free download.
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