Justin Townes Earle | Harlem River Blues

Get the title track for JTE's newest album for free. It's what you would expect from the lanky troubadour, smooth vocals and an authentic country sound.

How To Dress Well | Ready For The World

Brooklyn's lo-fi purveyor of bedroom produced soul has been rolling out haunting, ambient down tempo soul tracks since late last year.

It's newest track "Ready For The World" is pretty much exactly what I said about them in the last sentence: ambient, chilled out and ready for late night bedroom action or after hours smoke out sessions.

Check out (read: download) more of it's tracks here.

MP3: How To Dress Well - Ready For The World

Pretty Lights | Making Up A Changing Mind

It really is no secret that we're big fans of Pretty Lights around these parts. But, what was a little surprising to me is that I missed the latest release... that was released back in March. I am slippin.

The newest EP continues with the clever wordplay titles, and down-shifts a little bit. The classic soul and blues samples help give this EP a very laid back vibe. The music doctor prescribes it for the first thing you listen to after smokin' out or as the soundtrack to makin' it with you partner.

Get the whole shebang, shebang for free here.

MP3: Pretty Lights - Understand Me Now

Amplive Remix Why?

Amplive, of Rainydayz fame, has remixed a handful of tracks from Why? He continues his eclectic tastes in music, that I think is a prerequisite for Oakland rappers and producers. He transforms the folky "Black Purses" into head bobbin', hip shake inducing goodness. His take on "Uno Roses" is also a track definitely worth listening to as it's turned into a buzzy, slow burn.

You can download everything here.

MP3: Why? - Uno Roses (Amplive Remix)

Headlights "Get Going"

Apparently the new album is going to be a change of pace from the Champaign, Il group because of infighting. However, you wouldn't be able to tell it from their new song "Get Going." It's not a pop-rocker by any stretch, but, it's also not mired in glum. It's actually delightfully upbeat.

Their new album Wildlife is out soon via Polyvinyl. You can download the new single "Get Going" here and listen to it below.

Ryan Adams at The Gypsy Tearoom

I came across this little gem today, Ryan Adams live at the old Gypsy Tearoom, June 17, 2005.  I haven't been able to listen to it all yet, but, the quality is fantastic.  If it's not off the soundboard, then, it's by someone who really knows how to make a bootleg recording.  I was hoping this is the show where he got pissed and stormed off the stage because of the crowd noise.  But, I don't think it is.

You can listen to the show on the player below.  If you wish, you can download it here.

Setlist:

Love Is Hell
New York, New York
To Be Young
Magnolia Mountain
Easy Plateau
What Sin
Shakedown on 9th
Dear Chicago
When The Stars Go Blue
Please Do Not Let Me Go (aborted)
Please Do Not Let Me Go (resumed)
Kiss Before I Go
The End
Rescue Blues
Texas, Texas, Texas
Wonderwall
Come Pick Me Up
Mockingbird Song
Beautiful Sorta

Best of 2008

It's been a great year for new music here at BFD. We've seen a lot of bands and heard even more. So, now it's time for my list of the best and brightest of the '08. I was just going to do a top 10 of albums and songs, but, then I realized that there were more albums and singles I liked than just 10 of each. So, it's top 10 plus some.

Feel free to let me know if you like the choices or add what you think are better. Discussion is good for you and always encouraged.

BEST ALBUMS

15. Amplive - Radiohead Rainydayz Remixes

14. The Uglysuit - The Uglysuit

13. The Broken West - Now or Heaven

12. Uh Huh Her - Common Reaction

11. Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP

10. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

9. Portishead - Third

8. The Weepies - Hideaway

7. The New Frontiers - Mending

6. Matt Miller - EPII

5. Headlights - Some Racing, Some Stopping

4. She & Him - Vol. 1

3. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

2. School of Seven Bells - Alphinisms

1. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pershing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST SINGLES

19. The Cool Kids - "Pennies"

18. Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines"

17. Eastwood - "Right Place, Wrong Time"

16. Ladytron - "Ghosts"

15. Q-Tip - "Gettin' Up"

14. Amplive - "Weird Fishez"

13. Minus The Bear - "Throwin' Shapes"

12. Empire of The Sun - "Walking On a Dream"

11. School of Seven Bells - "Chain"

10. The Helio Sequence - "Keep Your Eyes Ahead"

9. Uh Huh Her - "Not a Love Song"

8. Grand Ole Party - "Look Out Young Son"

7. Headlights - "Cherry Tulips"

6. Kings of Leon - "Crawl"

5. The New Frontiers - "Look At Miss Ohio"

4. Lisa Miskovsky - "Still Alive (Teddybears Mix)"

3. Wye Oak - "Warning"

2. Matt Miller - "The Question Still Remains"

1. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Modern Mystery"

Yep, these are all the albums and singles that have tickled my fancy this year. I hope you enjoy and keep reading.

New Sorta

Well, tonight was the CD release show for the new Sorta CD.  I unfortunately had to miss it, I'm hoping to start catching more shows soon as soon as the work junk gets sorted out.  DC9 has a post containing a free download of the new track "Fool's Gold."

It's not a bad track per se, but, it's not great.  Trey has his usually crisp vocals, but, I'm not really diggin' the piano on it.  It doesn't really sound like a Sorta track to me.  It sounds more like a light-rock tune.  I dunno, maybe it will grow on me.  Maybe.

Moby's Revolver

I was-a-readin' an article by Jesse Hughley on DC9 about the 10th anniversary of Meltdown this Saturday at the World Famous Lizard Lounge.  Specifically about Moby headlining the event.  But, more specifically what really got me thinking about this song was the caption below the picture of Moby (that is also above this post).  It said "Let's hope Saturday is not when Moby reaches for his revolver."  Which automatically made me think of his cover of Mission To Burma's "That's When I Reach For My Revolver."  

It was one of those "Ahhhhh" moments, when you remember a song you loved, yet you'd forgotten.  I've never heard the original version, but, I'm sure it's good.  Mission To Burma are one of those bands I seemed to have missed out on.  Kinda like The Clash, Sex Pistols and those types of bands.  The only band I've "missed out on" and later really liked were The Ramones.  I really dig the Ramones.  But, I digress.  So, I found the song, put on the headphones, set the volume to stun and hit play.  Ahhhh, was it good!

MP3: Moby - That's When I Reach For My Revolver

Felix Da Housecat and Diddy "Jack U"

Diddy's at it again, he's doin' vocals on a house track. Three or four years ago he came out with one of the most bangin' house tracks I had ever heard called "Let's Get Ill." I was really more partial to the Deep Dish remix of it, it was a sexier, deep house remix of that track that blew my fuckin' mind. This joint he did with legendary producer and DJ Felix Da Housecat comes pretty close to the greatness of "Let's Get Ill," but, it doesn't surpass it.

It has almost an Acid House feel, it's definitely a peak hour track fa sho. I've tried several times to get this thing uploaded, but, it ain't working for some reason. But, you can get it at Voules Random. So, get the song, set your speakers to stun and push play on this bitch.

Band of Horses Playing The Bridge School Benefit

Band of Horses will be performing at the Bridge School Benefit show.  While it's true the show is in San Francisco and no where near The D.  But, I'm an obsessive bootleg collector and I'm sure there will be one surfacing of this show soon-ish after the show.  So, that being said--as soon as I find it I'll hip you to it as well.  

In the mean time, enjoy...

MP3:  Band of Horses - The Great Salt Lake from Everything All The Time

MP3:  Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost from Cease To Begin

Live South San Gabriel

I've never been able to see South San Gabriel.  But, I've seen Centro-Matic and then Will Johnson open up for My Morning Jacket on a couple of occasions--and it's kinda the same thing, right?  I was so smitten with Centro-matic that I went and picked up their album halfway through their set.  So, that should tell you something, right?

Anyway, thanks to the magic of the interweb and Flat Response you can download a bootleg of South San Gabriel's opening set from Denver's Hi-Dive from way back in September of this year.

MP3:  South San Gabriel - Trust To Lose (via The Flat Response)

Free Minus The Bear Download

That's right, a free download of Minus The Bear's "Guns and Ammo" from their upcoming EP Acoustic. If you go over to Spin's website, there you can get the song for this week only. I've been listening to it all morning and they bring the goodness on this one.

Live Beck Y'all!

It amazes me how many amazing shows Heather Browne over at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends gets her little hands on.  The truly amazing thing is they are always good quality bootlegs, not a lot of crowd noise and such.  

That being said, she has another choice boot up on her blog: Beck - Union Chapel London 2003.  It's extremely high quality and sounds like it came straight off the sound board.  This is from the Sea Change tour--the one with Oklahoma City's own Flaming Lips serving as his back up band.  But, I think that was on the American part of the tour, so I don't know if they are backing him up on this one.  I'm listening to it as I type this and "The Golden Age" is amazing.  But, since was from the Sea Change tour, it's prolly going to be a little more low key than your typical Beck Hanson tour.  This will make a nice little boot to listen to out on the back porch, fire crackling in the fire bowl and me sippin' on some ol' cold beer--excellent Fall music.

I was actually suppose to see him and the Lips at Will Rogers Auditorium in Ft. Worth.  I had just moved to Dallas and my buddy, his friends and my brother were coming down to see the show and they had my ticket.  The show was starting and they were no where in sight.  I kept trying to reach my buddy on his cellular phone device and couldn't reach him.  So, I was pissed because I didn't know if they were inside or just ditched me--so I left.  Yep, acted like a douche, I know.  

So, I can act like I got to see him on that tour and make up pictures in my head.  Or, you can go here and get it and love it yourself.

MP3:  Beck - One Foot In The Grave  (Union Chapel 2003)

Raveonettes Remix Treatment

Today is a remix kind of a day.  The Raveonettes are offering a free remix EP for a few songs from their delicious new album Lust Lust Lust.  I'm a big fan of the regular version of "Dead Sound" and "Aly, Walk With Me."  The "Lust" and "Dead Sound" remixes are not bad, but I really like the downbeat treatment of "Aly, Walk With Me."  It keeps the same feeling as the original but adds a little some'in, some'in.  I love the blips and beeps reminicent of early 90's house music verging on Nitzer Ebb aggression.  

The EP is free and the first in a series of three.  You can get the first one here.

1. Dead Sound (80KIDZ remix)
2. Aly, Walk With Me (Nic Endo remix)
3. Lust (Trentemøller Remix)

Ladytron "Ghosts" Remix

Ladytron has gotten the remix treatment for their song "Ghosts" by New Yorks alt-rap collective Blestenation. A lot of the same Ladytron production remains intact. But, as the label puts it, Blestenation has added "some ghettotech percussion and verses from MCs Werdplay and Various over top... tasteful, but a completely different steez."

As I'm writing this I'm giving it my first listen...fn sweet y'all. If you like a De La Soul type of flow then you will love this track.

We've been asked not to post the remix on our blogs. Kind of a bummer, but you can get the track here at RCRDLBL. I would say download it as quickly as you can, it's a hot one. But, until then take a listen to some Blestenation. I'm new to them, as of this morning new, but they good.

MP3: Blestenation - Juice

Free Chemical Brothers Remix

In anticipation of the Chemical Brothers releasing another compilation CD they are giving away a free remix of one of my all-time favorite ChemBros tracks--Hey Boy, Hey Girl. It's one of those tracks that you can't really turn up loud enough. I still love the crazy manipulated guitar breakdown...so fucking great.

Go here to download Hey Boy, Hey Girl (Soulwax "2 Many DJs" Remix). It's a great reworking of the song...it's one of the rare times a remix doesn't outshine the original.

Trent Reznor Love His Fans...Again

Man, Trent Reznor sure does love his fans. So far this year he's treated them with a free album and just last week treated them with a new song "Discipline."

Now he's telling his fan "I still love you" by releasing another album for free on the interweb titled Slip.

You can go here to get you Slip on. And as always, Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails. (Rock & Roll Daily)

Track listing:

1. 99,999
2. 1,000,000
3. Letting You
4. Discipline (mp3)
5. Echoplex
6. Head Down
7. Lights In the Sky
8. Corona Radiata
9. The Four of Us Are Dying
10. Demon Seed (mp3)

New Nine Inch Nails

I really like Nine Inch Nails. I also really like the fact that Trent Reznor embraces technology as a way to get his voice heard. Granted, it's Trent Reznor and his fans will listen anyway. But, I digress.

Last night, at midnight, NIN made a brand spanking new single available for FREE download! It's not in the same instrumental vein as Ghost I-IV, this one actually has lyrics! But, it's not the industrial banger I was hoping for. It's good, but, it focuses more on the electronic side of their sound and not the rocky sound. Get it here.

And, as always, Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails. (Stereogum)

New Wye Oak

Today I got a great surprise when the new Wye Oak single, "I Don't Feel Young," was in my inbox. It's a bit of a departure from the sunny, bright, pop sound of "Warning." Starts off a little dour, but, then the mood and the jangly guitar pick up in the middle of the song.

This is the second single off their new album If Children out on Merge Records on April 8.

Wye Oak - I Don't Feel Young (mp3)