Friday Freebies

Now if I had been super organised I would have had this post up much earlier today. Normally I write my Friday Freebies posts on a Thursday night whilst my good lady wife watches the soaps. Rather than sit in front of my computer all night (which funnily enough is what I have been doing this evening), I decided to head an see Behold, The Old Bear at Bloc. Bloody good it was too, even if I did I have to leave early to catch my train. Although I write a music blog I often feel that I am not out at enough gigs these days. Then again back in the day I was pretty much out every other night. Anyway, enough of my inane ramblings, on with this weeks belated Friday Freebies...

Randolph's Leap
As I already said I was out last night, normally during the week I tend not to drink, however, last night I decided to treat myself as I had a little bit of celebrating to do. In case you haven't already heard, the line up for this years T Break got announced today, featuring amongst others Capitals, Beerjacket and Randolph's Leap. I guess it's not much of a secret how much I love 'the Leap', so it's great to see all of the hard work that we've put in come to fruition. That and I can now tell my folks something that I have been involved in that they will a frame of reference for. Anyway, enough about me, you're only here for the free stuff so here we go... To celebrate the fact that they'll be playing at this years T in the Park,the band have made their double A-side single 'Counting Sheep / Deep Blue Sea' free to download on Bandcamp.



Plastic Animals
It's been a wee while since we heard anything from the Edinburgh outfit, Plastic Animals, so it's nice to have them back. The band release the follow up to their last EP, 'A Dark Spring' on the 2nd of June with another equally as good EP called Automaton. As a wee teaser, the band are releasing the lead track, 'Ghosts' as a free download on Bandcamp. You can also catch them playing live next month in Glasgow at the launch night for the Touch Sensitive album at the Old Hairdressers (across from Stereo) alongside our very own Adam Ross from Randolph's Leap.




PAWS
I don't know if it's just my Twitter feed, but it seems as if half of Scotland has relocated down to Brighton for this weekends Great Escape Festival and I can't help but be a little jealous. I mean where else are you going to get to see The Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks and PAWS all on the same bill in an intimate venue. Certainly not in Glasgow that's for sure. On the plus side though, PAWS have a new EP coming out soon on cassette. I don't know about you, but I am really loving the rebirth of cassettes and just because they annoy Kev from Avalanche. For now though, all you need to know is that Misled Youth the lead track, is available for free download on SoundCloud.

  03 Misled Youth by Fat Cat Records


Sean Armstrong
Lo-fi expermintalist, Sean Armstrong has just released his new album Hippy Bullshit on Orange dayglo cassette. If you're not a fan of tapes or you just want to check out more, then you're in luck as the album is free to download on Bandcamp.



The Leg
Earlier tonight I found myself listening to the latest episode of Cloud Sounds, one of my favourite podcasts run by a guy called Ted from Manchester, who's patter cracks me up. In his latest episode he played a few Scottish tracks, our very own Son(s), Ambulances and The Leg. Which reminded me that I had fully intended to include The Leg in Friday Freebies fucking donkeys ago, but somehow forgot. So here they are, the Edinburgh outfit released their album 'An Eagle to Saturn' on Song, By Toad at the end of last month. I still haven't listened to it, mainly because I forgot I had it. I have heard the single from it, 'Bake Yourself Silly', which is pretty fucking damn good. Time to get my finger and give the album a listen I reckon.

Night Noise Team
Edinburgh outfit, Night Noise Team have a new EP coming out in June called Pieces, in anticipation of it's release their PR firm, the excellent, A Badge of Friendship have posted up Picking Up The Pieces as a free download on SoundCloud.

  Night Noise Team - Picking Up The Pieces by abadgeoffriendship

Eugene McGuinness
If you listen to 6Music on a regular basis then you're bound to have come across Eugene McGuinness at some point. If you don't listen to 6, then shame on you. Shame on you indeed. His last single 'Shotgun' was getting some pretty hefty airplay a month or so ago, you might recall it's the song that starts off like the theme to Batman before descending into a catchy wee bugger of a pop tune. If you have no idea what I am talking about or even if you do, all that you really need to know is that this song and his other single, Lions, are both up free download on his Facebook page.

Isobel Campbell
I will probably use this for a future 'We've Got It Covered' post, so I'll keep this brief, Isobel has released  a cover of  Franz Ferdinand's 'Walk Away', which she is giving away as a free download in exchange for your email address. Talking of 'We've Got It Covered' posts, tomorrow is my 100th cover post, so make sure yo check back in for a special wee cover that I had specially recorded for me from Monoganon.

Mike Nisbet
Last years album 'Vagrant' caused a bit of a commotion amongst the Scottish blogosphere towards the tail end of the year. So much so that he even appeared in the BAMS top ten for 2011. If you haven't already checked the Oban born singer-songwriter out, then you should start off by checking out his Coffee & Cigarettes EP, which is free to download on Bandcamp.



Luminous Monsters
If 12 minute psychedelic/progressive/drone/cosmick/freeform ecstasies/ersatz orientalism sounds like your kind of thing, then should check out Luminous Monsters EP 'Golden Scales, Blazing Plumage' which is free to download from Bandcamp.





Queen Jane
You might remember Queen Jane from a few weeks back as they were one of my Fresh Meat Monday starlets, well now that the Cumbernauld four piece have made their Denver EP free to download, you've got no excuse for not checking them out. You can catch them playing live at Scottish Fiction Presents at the Captain's Rest on Sunday, 17 June alongside Michael Cassidy, Spook School and Saint Death.



Scottish Fiction
Talking of Scottish Fiction, he's just posted up the latest in his series of free EP's, featuring The King Hats, aLCATRAZkIDz, Thula Borah and Father Sculptor. You can get yourself a copy simply by heading over to his Bandcamp page.



Bacchanal Party
Last, but not least we have Glasgow outfit, Bacchanal Party, who were also announced as being one of the bands playing on this years T Break stage. If like me, you've only just heard of them, then you get yourself acquainted by downloading their album for free here.

Friday Freebies

 

Butcher Boy

If you sign up to Damaged Goods mailing list then they'll send you 11 free tracks, which includes a song from Glasgow outfit Butcher Boy's  recent album Helping Hands.

Field Music 
Arguably the most under-rated band in the UK at the moment, Field Music are a abnd who continue to just get better and better. They're soon going to release their new album Plumb, as a wee teaser they've posted up the track “A New Town” for free download on Stereogum.

Evil Hand
Derek Bates, one half of Bottle of Evil, has just made his new mini album 'Rain Check' free to download on Bandcamp, rather ace it is too.

Holy Esque
The most exciting new material that popped into my inbox this week came from Glasgow outfit, Holy Esque, who's tune 'Rose' was one of the most exciting new things I have heard in a while. You don't need to take my word for it, just head on over to their SoundCloud page where you can download the song for free.

Kill The Waves
Electronic dream-pop outfit, Kill The Waves apparently blew everyone away with their appearance at King Tut's earlier in the week. If you fancy finding out what all the fuss is about then just head on over to their SoundCloud page where you will find a whole host of free tunes up for grabs.

FOUND
If you head on over to the FOUND Bandcamp page you can find yourself a  free download of the ComputerScheisse remix of Anti Climb Paint.

Eugene McGuinness
It's been fecking ages since we last heard anything from Eugene McGuinness, it's been that long that I simply presumed that he'd decided to call it a day. Thankfully he hasn't given up the ghost and even more excitingly if you head over to Facebook and 'like' his page he'll give you a free download of his new song 'Thunderbolt'.


DJ Shadow
You can download yourself another free track from the DJ Shadow's most recent album, The Less You Know, The Better. Download 'Give Me Back The Nights' for free here.


Bones & Money
Aberdonian label, Tuff Wax Records continue to impress, their most recent release comes from Bones & Money who have posted up their new single Close​/​Anxious for free download on Bandcamp.


Nerina Pallot
A free MP3 download of Long Tall Grass Of Summer by Nerina Pallot  is available here.


Khol
Experimental Glasgow outfit, Khol have made their EP 'Medicine Songs' free to download on Bandcamp.

Tim Chaplin
One half of the Factory Kids, Tim Chaplin has just released a new a mini album, Due Style, which you can download for free on his Bandcamp page.

Friday Freebies

Mitchell Museum
As you might have gathered I have a lotta love for the 'Museum, so when it came to this weeks FF's this one went straight to the top of the pile. In anticipation of the release of their debut album, ‘The Peters Port Memorial Service’ they have decided to put a bunch a few old tracks out on a little 6 track EP called “We lost 1^st prize”. As if that wasn't amazing enough they're giving it all away for free on their Bandcamp.
Mitchell Museum with zeez tracks you are really spoiling us!

Eugene McGuinness/Eugene + The Lizards
Eugene + The Lizards are releasing a double A-Side single featuring the tracks 'Bugjuice' and I Want Action, the tracks will be available from 1st March via digital download. Oddly though Bugjuice is available now as a free download from his website, go figure. Or go download now.

Joanna Newsom
Drag City have put up a wee sampler from the forthcoming Joanna Newsom album 'Have One On Me', you can download the song 'Kingfisher', just right click save, and hey presto you're on your way to a better life.

United Fruit
The noisy as fuck weegie quartet, United Fruit have put up three songs recorded live at Oran Mor to for free download, get downloading here.

I'm From Barcelona
While touring around the world with their two latest releases “Let Me Introduce My Friends” (2006) and “Who Killed Harry Houdini” (2008) the members of I’m from Barcelona have been working on the upcoming “27 Songs from Barcelona”. Inspired by Kiss’ simultaneous release of four solo albums in 1978, “27 Songs from Barcelona” features one solo song for every member in I’m from Barcelona. You can download the songs that have been posted so far here.

The Late Call
'Born in Germany, currently based in Stockholm, and having cut his teeth on the live circuit in Edinburgh whilst studying here, you could say the Late Call (aka Johannes Meyer) is a truly international artist'. The band have a free MP3 of their song 'Linnea' available to download over at Tapete Records. If you like what you hear then you you can catch The Late Call tonight at the Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh or tomorrow in Glasgow at the Flying Duck.

Plan B
I know it's not an MP3, but it's too good not to mention, Plan B the much missed indie magazine has put all of it's back issues up for free download (torrent), you can download them all here.

Triple J
The Aussie Radio Station has a whole host of free MP3's up for you to get your grubby little mitts on, so if you fancy checking out what's floating our Antipodean cousins proverbial boats then look no further. There is also a whole host of other stuff that you will have heard of, including Fyfe Dangerfield (Gulliemots frontman), Midlake and Shout Out Louds.
A banquet of free tunes awaits you here.

Beggars USA
Has a whole host of free MP3s up for download, including tracks from Taken By Trees, Holly Miranda, The Morning Benders, Basia Bulat, The Mountain Goats, Vampire Weekend, Golden Silvers, Jeffrey Lewis, Elvis Perkins, The XX, Blue Roses, British Sea Power, St. Vincent and Titus Andronicus. Get downloading here.

Friday Freebies

Dupec
One of my favourite new bands for 2009, Dupec have uploaded all of their tunes for you to download for free, out of all of todays FF's this is the one I urge you to check out (hence the reason why it's been bumped to the top). Grab them here.

Andrea Marini
As recommended by the good over at Elba Sessions
All of Andrea's previous material can b downloaded for free over at his Bandcamp

Deerhunter
Ambient Punk's Deerhunter have posted an album's worth of free rare material from 2005, you can download yourself a copy here.

Kevin Devine
Brooklyn singer songwriter Kevin Devine is giving away a free MP3 of his festive offering ‘Splitting Up Christmas’ you can download it for free here.

Domino Records
To celebrate the festive season they've put together a special sampler of free tracks taken from 2009 and some forthcoming 2010 releases. It includes tracks from Final Fantasy, Eugene McGuinness, Wild Beasts, The Kills, Franz Ferdinand and King Creosote. You can grab yourself a copy here.

The Joy Formidable
Another band giving away a festive tune‘My Beerdrunk soul is sadder than a hundred dead Christmas trees’, it's is free to download from here

Spin
Spin Magazine are giving away a compilation of 'Ones to Watch in 2010', featuring the Soft Pack, The XX and Final Fantasy, all you have to do is give them your email address here.
While I think about it seriously these are their big tips? The Soft Pack who got tipped last year, the XX who already have an album out and Final Fantasy, an already well established artist, I suppose I shouldn't grumble as they're giving away freebies, but seriously a bit more effort could have been made.

Moustache of Insanity
The pop duo are giving away their new EP, 'Postcards to Strangers' for free here.

4AD
Another record label giving away some tracks, this it's the legendary indie label, 4AD, who are giving away a Sampler featuring Atlas Sound, The Big Pink, Camera Obscura, Deerhunter, The Mountain Goats, Tune-Yards, M.Ward, Anni Rossi, Future of the Left, The National, St Vincent & Broken Records. All that they ask in exchange is your email address.

Hibernate Records
The Micro indie-label are giving away a free sampler over at their Bandcamp.

Banjo Or Freakout
London-based Italian fellow Alessio Natalizia, a.k.a Banjo Or Freakout has made available a Christmas album, entirely for free here.

FOUND
FOUND have made a special Christmas present just for you, it's a 72 minute laptop mix of some of their favourite tunes from the last year, some old classics and some brand new exclusives you can download yourself a copy here.

Bedford Records
Another label getting into the festive spirit are Bedford Records who are giving away free download of new track 'Stories' by their latest signing, Aberdonian singer songwriter Myke Black, intrigued? then find out more here.

Can
Legendary German band Can are giving away their cover of the the Christmas classic 'Silent Night, click here for your free download.

There will be no Friday Freebies next week as it's Christmas and you've had enough freebies to last you till the New Year.