Download Campaign’s “The Black Album” for free

cover-campaign-blackAtlanta’s Campaign knows how to release music properly. You can stream their records on Bandcamp, where you can also download them as lossless audio files. They can be downloaded for free from the band’s website or assorted other locations. Or, you can just buy a physical copy, if such a thing floats your boat. In other words, you can get their music pretty much any way you want it, and that’s the way you need it to be, if you’re a band — making the fans able to get your music in their ears, without delay.
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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)

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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Low Culture (ex-Shang-A-Lang) demo available now

cover-low-cultureShang-A-Lang, the great lo-fi punk act from Las Cruces, New Mexico, plays their final show next month. Their final release, a 7-inch entitled Waiting for the End, is currently being pressed. I’m currently depressed, because my one chance to see them fell through, since they were playing a house venue in KC, and I wasn’t able to make it out there (even after trying my damnedest to get the show booked here in Lawrence).

Their farewell is November 4, at the Trainyard in Las Cruces with Underground Railroad to Candyland and Rumspringer (with whom they just released a split), but Chris already has a new band, called Low Culture, and you can get their demo on cassette from Dirt Cult right now. It’s also streaming on Bandcamp with a free download, so check it out, and send a few bucks if you like it. Chris describes the band’s sound as “a bit like Shang-A-Lang, but is a bit more scrappy and upbeat maybe?” It’s pretty well on the mark, but you can decide for yourself below.

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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Free music to soundtrack your holiday weekend

Before I step away from the computer for a glorious three days of over-indulging in sun, booze, and fire-cooked meats, I wanted to share some free tunes that’ve found their way onto the Internet over the past few days. There’s some good stuff for you to play while in the car, at the beach, or next to the grill.

loseyerdamnmindFirst, we’ve got a bunch of new stuff from Evil Weevil. The record label’s got previews of six upcoming releases and artists, including perennial Rock Star Journalist faves the Hussy.

Although not a new track, this number from Cement Tomb Mind Control ought to further convince you to buy the LP, as well as whet your appetite for their upcoming single (singles, actually – they’ve got a couple coming out on Slovenly Records’ imprint Black Gladiator later this year, as well). More info about those releases, including tentative dates, is at the Evil Weevil blog.
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Download the Prevenge / Dig It Up split 7″ for free

cover-prevenge-dig-it-upOver the past few years, it seems that some of the best rabble-rousing, “let’s go!” punk rock has come from the north. Be it Off With Their Heads in Minneapolis or Career Suicide up in Toronto, the cold weather seems to have affected the music. The higher the latitude number, the more beer one needs to get through the winter, I suppose.

Such is the case with this split from Montreal’s Prevenge and Dig It Up on Pavones Records. The songs are urgent, yet never claustrophobic. These are big, open numbers that’ll blast through your speakers. Prevenge take the D4/OWTH route, whereas Dig It Up lean towards the Fucked Up/Career Suicide style. It’s like the best of both styles, on one handy-dandy 7-inch.
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