This Machine Kills iPods

New Wilco Download Available

This week’s abbreviated Download Lowdown is a goodie; mind you a small donation may be in order. (Providing JPEG proof of your barrel only wardrobe will also suffice.) A new Wilco performance of Woody Guthrie's once-again-timely "The Jolly Banker" is available now on the site by going to http://wilcoworld.net/woody/ with suggested donation to the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives. Listen to Jeff Tweedy talk about it on Public Radio's "Marketplace" at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/.

…In the gentle reminder portion of this post. The Wilco tour is on and dates/tickets for the summer portion are available now. The highly recommended and entirely excellent Ashes of American Flags DVD is available pretty much everywhere now as well. Wilco (the album) is out June 30th. Info at http://wilcoworld.net/

Isn't it great to be a Wilco fan?

Downloaders of the World Unite

Free Music Archive Launches

Interested in acquiring some great and free (gratuity accepted) music to download? This is your chance. The Free Music Archive is up and running, with about 5000 tracks available for streaming or download in its library. All of the songs are licensed under Creative Commons, and the selection itself is carefully maintained by cred-heavy organizations like WFMU, KEXP, dublab, and ISSUE Project Room.

Much like open-source sampling sites, FMA does not restrict the use of any of its music-- chop, remix, and soundtrack as you see fit. Also, the site maintains bios of featured artists and accepts tips via PayPal.

I must say the a lot of this stuff is right up my completist tendency alley. There’s a lot of live radio broadcast-type stuff up right now, but most of it seems to be of pretty high quality, and recognizable, too.

Take the time to search it out. You might just find some downloadable treasures.

Your Weekly Download Lowdown

For the record I do not receive royalties from Daytrotter nor have I ever done so. I just like them a whole heck of a lot. (So you may have noticed.) The little website that enthralls, challenges, thrills, occupies and entertains me on a diabolically consistent basis. Seems the venerable Daytrotter has done it again with two new sessions I would be remiss if I didn’t bring to your downloading attention.

The first is prolific musician Bob Mould. Yes, that Bob Mould- founding member of Husker Du and Sugar. (His real claim to fame though is writing the Daily Show theme song “Dog on Fire”.) Bob previews a number of songs from his forthcoming ANTI Records release entitled Life and Times and this one is on fire. I’m really looking forward to his new release due out on the 7th of this month. Download Here

Next up is another veteran of the music scene. Stephen Malkmus. This time Stephen isn’t promoting anything in particular but just doing what he does best- Quirky jams and wicked rock outs. The highlight might just be the unreleased "Funk 49"; Featuring the incendiary talents of Portland's Blitzen Trapper. Download Here

Speaking of which, NPR is currently hosting a show from the aforementioned Washington rockers. The quintet headlined NPR Music's day party from The Parish in Austin, Tex., on March 19th and it’s definitely a keeper. Listen and download here.

And lastly but certainly not leastly, Chicago’s favourite son’s Wilco have a performance up on Aquarium Drunkard. This time featuring their smoking hot performance on Austin City Limits from the summer of 2007. If you didn’t really like Sky Blue Sky listen to some of the songs in a live setting and you might just change your mind. Download Here

Happy downloading!

Your Weekly Download Lowdown

Always Something Good to Listen To

A couple things to recommend for your listening pleasure on this cold, post-Oscar February morning.

First up- Hot on the heels of a European trek opening for Fleet Foxes (and upcoming Elbow dates), Ottawa’s the Acorn are back with a stunning Daytrotter session. This is one band that has managed to completely beguile me with their music and compelling lyricism. At times reminiscent of the Talking Heads with latter period Talk Talk thrown in for good measure I am eagerly anticipating the follow-up to their excellent Glory Hope Mountain from 2007. Part biographical narrative, part surreal fairy tale, Glory Hope Mountain is the story of Gloria Esperanza Montoya. Based on interviews recorded in early 2006 by her son, Acorn songwriter Rolf Klausener, the album is a sonic retelling of the stories from her early life in Honduras to her eventual immigration to Montreal in 1972. It remains one of my favourite CD’s in years.

If you don’t own it yet, go out and get it today. It is just that spectacular. The Daytrotter Session features a number of tracks from that release.

Up next from Minnesota Public Radio is a great studio performance featuring Antony and the Johnsons with songs from their latest CD, “The Crying Light”. The release is doing extraordinarily well across the pond and this session goes a long way in illuminating that secrets of that success.

Songs performed: "Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground," "Epilepsy Is Dancing," and "Another World."

Lastly, an NPR World Café Session featuring the Denver-based band DeVotchKa. The band has found widespread support for its film music (in Little Miss Sunshine and others) as well as its five full-length albums, the latest of which is last years brilliant "A Mad & Faithful Telling". During this session, eclectic singer, Nick Urata talks about crafting DeVotchKa's breakthrough film soundtrack, as well as his admiration for “Old Blue Eyes”, whose songs the band often covers.

Listen here.

Fleet Tweedies? Wilcoxes? Fleeco? Whatever... It’s a Free Download

But You Have to Promise to Vote

It’s so nice when inspired collaborations result in a little musical magic. Such is the case this week for your ‘mini’ download lowdown’. The super fantastic Fleet Foxes and Wilco covered Bob Dylan's classic "I Shall be Released" at a recent live show, and they're giving it away online if you promise to vote. Go here to Wilcoworld.net make a pledge and get a free download. It’s a goodie too!

Such tumultuous times. And in the spirit of giveaways that seem to be sweeping the nation, we've got something free for you. No it's not a pile of cash (sorry) but rather an audio postcard of sorts from a summer's night in Oregon with our friends the Fleet Foxes & a lovely Bob Dylan tune. All we ask is you check the "I pledge to vote in the 2008 Election" button below. If you can spare it, we also encourage you to consider a donation to Feeding America . (and please feel free to pass this link along to friends, family members, etc.).

Your Weekly Download Lowdown

Girl Talk - Feed the Animals

Greg Gillis, a.ka. Girl Talk’s new album Feed the Animals is now up for download on the Illegal Art Website. The download is being offered too using that Radiohead band model of paying whatever amount listeners deem worthy,(even if they wish to pay nothing). It should be noted though, Girl Talk does have some incentives if you do choose to pay, The download variants are as follows: Five dollars gets you the digital FLAC files and a seamless mix of the album, while ten bucks will get you that and a physical copy of Feed the Animals when they become available in September. For ten thousand dollars Girl Talk will come to your bedroom and recreate the album up close and personal and then make you breakfast.*

Please note, if you choose to download the album without payment you’re met with a series of options of why you decided not to offer some capital investment; basically an attempt to make you confront your own searing download guilt. My cursory listen of album reveals a much more focused and flowing effort when compared to Gillis’ previous stellar effort Night Ripper. Avril Lavigne, Kanye West, Rod Stewart, and even Procol Harum all get dropped in the mix and so far this Girl Talk is totally intoxicating.

Move over John Oswald, there’s a new kid in town.

* Blogger imaginations are a wonderful thing.


Spoon - Underdogs And Their Old Tricks Of Brilliancy

I won’t spoil this one with unnecessary verbiage. All I can say is to head over to our good friends at Daytrotter for an absolutely free download, sans any semblance of guilt. The mighty Spoon have recorded a session the includes a stunning Paul Simon cover of Peace Like a River.

Mmmmmm, sublime.