Friday Freebies

Field Music
To kick this weeks freebies off we have one of the most under-rated bands in the UK, Sunderland's finest sons have just announced that their their fourth album, Plumb, will be out in February next year. As a wee teaser they've made the song "(I Keep Thinking About) A New Thing" free to download from their website.

The Fruit Tree Foundation
After the success of last year's First Edition album, Rod Jones of Idlewild fame has done something a bit different this year, as they've launched a new mentoring programme which saw Rod Jones, James Yorkston and Withered Hand, pairin up with aspiring singer-songwriters, Liz Cronin, Marie Collins and Lucy Cathcart Frödén (from Tall Tales/Social Services) to create two songs each. The results of which are pretty damn impressive, you don't need to take my word for it though as you can download the EP for free via The Skinny's website.

The Jezabels
This Australian outfit are already being heavily tipped as ones to watch in 2012, having caught them a couple of months back in Tuts I am still not fully sold. You can make your own mind up though by downloading their track 'Try Colour' for free here.

Lil Daggers
Having released their King Corpse EP on Song, by Toad Records, the Miami back are now gearing up for the release of their debut album on 5th December 2011. You can download a free taster here.

Scottish Fiction EP
Up and coming blogger, Scottish Fiction has just posted up his latest free EP on Bandcamp, this month he's got free tunes from Trapped Mice, Plastic Animals, Donna Maciocia and Supermarionation.

Loch Awe
Yes, I know it says that this a by a band called Negotiations, but trust me this is a free download of a new demo track by Edinburgh folk-noise outfit Loch Awe. Grab it here.

Oh You Dancer!
I am a bit late with this freebie, but here's a free a download of a Halloween inspired track by Oh You Dancer! the electronic brainchild of Jamie 'Daisuke' Sturt of scottish alt-folk band This Silent Forest and post-rock-hardcore band Atlas.

Little Victories
The Glasgow based indie/electro/dance collaboration featuring Kev Sherry (Attic Lights) producer and multi- instrumentalist Jim Lang (Malcolm Middleton, Mona, Echo & The Bunnymen) have made their new single 'Killing Me, Killing You' free to download on Bandcamp.

Three Blind Wolves
Ahead of their US Tour, Glasgow folk-rockers, Three Blind Wolves have released a free acoustic album which you can download here.

Guided By Voices
Having reformed just last year, GBV have just announced that they've also been recording new material with a new album 'Let's Go Eat the Factory', set for release in January 2012. If you head over to Stereogum when you can download a free new tune.

Nettwerk Fall Music Sampler
Free samplers can be a good way to find out about new music, I haven't had a chance to listen back to this sampler, but seeing it features Ladytron I am sure it's bound to be half decent. Just head over to Amazon where you can download it for free.

David Lynch and Karen O
On paper it's a fucking mental proposition, on record it's a mental as you think it might sound, but somehow the combination works. The track, “Pinky’s Dream" was specially recorded for My Lynch’s Crazy Clown Time LP, you can grab it here.

Johnny Foreigner
I genuinely thought that Johnny Foreigner had chucked it on years ago, so it's good to know that they're still going. You can download their new single 'Feels Like Summer' for free here.

Drums of Death
The electronic outfit have made available a free download of their song ‘Cold Lazarus’ in return for a ‘Like’ on Facebook.

Community Service #14 - Music Like A Vitamin (Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival)

How time flies, it really doesn't feel as if it was three years ago since the first Music Like A Vitamin, and my how it's grown. The festival brings together a programme of events to highlight the often taboo subject of mental health issues in Scotland, and continues to tackle the subject head on . Bringing together what could be described as a who's who of Scottish indie music, the event initially kicked off with two gigs at the ABC in Glasgow in 2008. Since then, they have put on a series of gigs in both Glasgow and Edinburgh with great success. Now they have upped the game even more with the launch of the Fruit Tree Foundation, a new project led by musicians Rod Jones from Idlewild and Emma Pollock. The duo have roped in some of the most talented and exciting musicians in Scotland's indie and folk scene to write, record and produce a new album in collaboration with the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. I managed to grab a few words from Emma Pollock about all the exciting things that they have planned with the record and for this years festival.



Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hello. I'm Emma Pollock.


How did you first get involved in Music Like A Vitamin/The Mental Health Foundation/Fruit Tree Foundation?

I was invited to help curate a show at the ABC a couple of years ago as part of the festival by Sushil Dade who was involved at the time. I suggested a few bands and it kind of went from there. I quite enjoyed it as I'd never done anything like it before.

Favourite Son


What kind of a role do you feel that music can play in helping to dissipate the stigma attached to depression?

Music, as well as every art form, is really about recognising what is unique about our individual characters, preferences and tastes. It reminds us of who we are as people and highlights that side of our lives that is less about functionality and more about self expression and how we relate to each other. This knowledge, however subtly acquired, is I think really crucial in finding a successful balance between all the different pressures we deal with in everyday life. It also allows us to experience other attitudes, to educate us in different ways of life and vastly different experiences to our own which is always a good thing as it gives our own lives some context.


Why did you choose to release an album of original material, rather than taking the easier path of cover versions?

It wouldn't have been quite as personal a contribution for all of the songwriters to cover other writers' songs I don't think. It's also always exciting to write new material, especially with people you've never written with before and even more so when those individuals come from different musical backgrounds and experiences. There was a certain charged atmosphere in the house when we were writing as everyone tried to make sure they produced something they were proud of.


What artists have you roped in to take part in the project?

A fantastic and fairly eclectic group of writers: Karine Polwart James Yorkston James Graham (Twilight Sad) Scott Hutchison (Frightened Rabbit) Jenny Reeve (Strike The Colours) Jill O'Sullivan (Sparrow & The Workshop) Alasdair Roberts

I Forgot The Fall

How did decide which artists to approach? Were they all quite receptive?

Yes they were all pretty receptive. I'm not sure any of us really knew quite what to expect but I think we all suspected it would be great fun and most importantly really worthwhile for the festival and raising further awareness of the Mental Health Foundation with the release of the album and the gigs.


The festival runs from the 1st to the 24th of October, are you able to share any further details of what gigs you have in store? Who you have lined up for the Picturehouse (1st) and ABC (2nd) gigs?

The final line up isn't completely confirmed yet but we will have pretty much everyone from the record playing each night. We also hope to be able to announce additional guests for both nights but as of yet these remain unconfirmed... We'll be playing most of the record for sure, and most importantly the record itself, entitled 'The Fruit Tree Foundation - First Edition' will be exclusively available at both shows.


Year on year, the Music Like a Vitamin project has continued to expand, do you feel that recording a record was quite a natural progression? Can we expect to see this kind of collaborative release becoming an annual thing?

At the moment we're so busy concentrating on this year's event that I can hardly see any further than the 2nd Oct! I do however hope that the Foundation itself and its general aims, of creating new music in support of the Mental Health Foundation, will be carried on in some shape or form during the festival for years to come.



Two of the songs from the Fruit Tree Foundation album are free to download now (they're the two songs streaming above), the download also includes an introductory piece by acclaimed author Rodge Glass. The album will be officially be released on the 1st of October, there will be two special celebratory gigs in Glasgow and Edinburgh to celebrate it's release. Artists who take part in the album will perform live over 2 nights (1st & 2nd October) at the Picture House in Edinburgh and the ABC in Glasgow.

Tickets for the Music Like A Vitamin gigs are on sale now
Fri 1st Oct, HMV Picture House Edinburgh
Sat 2nd Oct, O2 ABC Glasgow
Tickets are available at www.ticketweb.co.uk and www.ticket-scotland.com
The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival runs from the 1st to the 24th of October.

Fruit Tree Foundation
The Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival
Facebook
Twitter
Myspace

Friday Freebies

Come on Gang!
Having already been featured this week in my Scots Way-Hay feature, it's pretty obvious that there is a lot of love for the Edinburgh trio this week. They have just posted up their new single for free download on their homepage, make sure you check it out as 'Fortune Favours The Brave' is an absolute belter of an indie pop tune.

Fruit Tree Foundation
The Fruit Tree Foundation is a new independent project in Scotland led by Rod Jones (Idlewild) & Emma Pollock in partnership with The Mental Health Foundation, Scottish Wave of Change and Breathing Space Scotland. They've managed to rope together a whole host of great Scottish artists to collaborate on an album exploring mental health and wellbeing. Artists that are taking part include including James Graham (Twilight Sad), Scott Hutchison (Frightened Rabbit), Rod Jones (Idlewild), Jill O’Sullivan (Sparrow and the Workshop), Emma Pollock, Karine Polwart, Jenny Reeve, Alasdair Roberts and James Yorkston. The album is out on the 1st of October, with gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow scheduled for Friday the 1st and Saturday the 2nd respectively. Two bonus tracks are available as free downloads here: 'I Forgot the Fall' by Rod Jones & Scott Hutchison and 'Favourite Son' by Emma Pollock, Jill O’Sullivan & James Graham.

Belle and Sebastian
This week saw a very warm welcome return of the Glasgow indie royalty Belle and Sebastian, they are giving away new single, 'Write About Love' the lead track from their forthcoming album. It will be initially available from for a very limited time as a free download so make sure you're quick off the mark with this one.

Butcher Boy
In 2009, Butcher Boy released their second album 'React or Die', at the time I think I heralded it as the new 'Tigermilk', I might well have been getting a bit carried away with myself, but it was an amazing record. If it passed you by, then now is the time to do some catching up as they have posted up 'Clockwork' from it for free download on their Bandcamp. The band have a new album due out in early 2011, plus they're also supporting Belle & Sebastian at their Barrowlands show on the 21st of December.

Tired Pony
Gary Lightbody's new super group have posted up a free download of a new track not on the album, if you want to get yourself a copy of 'I Finally Love This Town' you need to 'Like it' on Facebook.

Cry Parrot
Winning Sperm Party have posted up a free compilation compiled by Scottish promoters Cry Parrot. It features tracks by Adam Stafford, Gummy Stumps and Cheers, it's yours for free, just follow the link.

Vampire Weekend
The indie super stars new album might not have been everyone's cup of tea, but hey what do the kids know these days. The band are back in Scotland at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh on the 28th of November, folk on their mailing list were treated to a remix of 'White Sky' by Basement Jaxx, you can download it here.

Flip Banshee
Bathgate's pop-rockers Flip Banshee have posted up four tracks on their Bandcamp page for free download, just click the link and get downloading.

Sigur Ros
The Icelandic post-rockers have a whole host of tunes up on their site for free download, including some older material, more recent tunes, plus a whole host of live recordings. What a generous bunch they are, you can find all of these here.

Sucioperro
JP Reid the other half of Marmaduke Duke that isn't Simon Neil from Biffy's, main band,
Sucioperro have a free download of their song, 'Running From All That Doesn't Tempt You' in exchange for a tweet.

Dr Dog
The Americana outfit have posted a free download from their new album, 'Shame, Shame', you can get in exchange for a tweet or Facebook like.

Wintersleep
New track 'Trace Decay' is up for grabs, give them your email address and they''ll send you a link to download it for free.

Bronto Skylift
A few weeks I posted this 'freebie', then the band didn't actually upload the link, leaving me to look like a bit of a bell end (nothing new I might add). Well now said freebie is actually up for you to download, get yourself a copy of their track 'Wolf' for free on their Bandcamp page.

Kowalskiy's Komplimentary Korner

Some of you might have noticed that last weeks Freebies lacked a freebie from 'the Doc', our good friend took a week off from blogging, but now he's back with four downloads to make up for his absence. The first is from Mountain Man, who strangely enough are 3 girls from Vermont, the country-tinged vocal harmony group supported Jonsi during the week and they have two songs up for free download on their Bandcamp.
The second freebie comes courtesy of Icelandic outfit, For A Minor Reflection, they are giving away their track and video of 'Dansi Dans', taken from their new self-released album over here.
The third freebie comes from singer songwriter, Goodtimes Goodtimes, if you register for the his fan list then he will send you a free copy of The Fortune Teller Song.


The Runt of the Litter.....

Lastly we have a track which neither of us want to put our names to, but hey fuck it, it's free, it comes from hottly tipped (I fucking hate that phrase - as it's usually turns out to be something pish like Florence and her cunty Machine or the like) singer Florrie (that sounds familiar, can't she think of an original name?) who is giving away some free tunes on her homepage.