This atmospheric pop-rock title track from Second Dan’s sophomore album Angeline has some pretty sprawling piano work in the second half…
Second Dan – Angeline (mp3)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band
Words like catchy, infectious, and upbeat are admittedly far too often applied to pop music, but there’s really no other way to describe this little summery gem by singer-songwriter and ukulele player Lindsey Ray. “Brand New Day” is a duet with One Republic’s Tim Myers and is on Lindsey’s debut full-length album Goodbye From California.
Lindsey Ray – Brand New Day (mp3)*
Lindsey Ray Official Site
Lindsey Ray MySpace
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep
Our Husband – Villages (mp3)*
Haunting, low-fi single from Australian pop band Our Husband’s forthcoming album. Our Husband are Nathaniel Morse of Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! and Freya of Bing Goes to Monaco.
Buy @ Amazon
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band
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Juliette Commagere – Impact (mp3)*
Pretty, upbeat tune from former Hello Stranger singer Juliette Commagere’s new solo album The Procession, to be released September 20th.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep
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Liam Singer – Winter Weeds (mp3)*
Delicate, lovely ballad by “chamber-pop experimentalist” Liam Singer’s new album Dislocatia, to be released October 5th.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of label
Cold Seeds – The Perfume of Mexican Birds (mp3)*
Quiet, pretty folk ballad reminiscent of Kath Bloom‘s work with Loren Mazzacane Connors. Cold Seeds is a one-off collaboration between Meursault‘s Neil Pennycook and Pete Harvey, Kenny Anderson (a.k.a. King Creosote), and Frances Donnelly from Animal Magic Tricks. The album will be released on Song, By Toad Records on September 20th.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of label
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The Vaccines – If You Wanna (mp3)
Retro rock-influenced demo by UK band The Vaccines. That’s all the info I was given for now, stay tuned.
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
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You can download the quirky pop song “Cold Love” by former Cursive and The Good Life lead Tim Kasher by entering your email address in the widget above. His debut solo album The Game of Monogamy will be released by Saddle Creek Records on October 5th.
Jenny & Johnny – Scissor Runner (mp3 download page)
Have I been living in a cave? Don’t answer that. I didn’t even know that Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice had teamed up for an album until they were recently booked for an upcoming Mountain Stage show. Judging from this summery pop song, Jenny & Johnny are trying to be the new She & Him. You can download this mp3 from their new album I’m Having Fun Now, which will be released August 31st, by submitting your email address at the above link.
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Yair Yona – Brave Walls (mp3)*
Exotic and lovely instrumental from Israeli guitarist Yair Yona’s debut album Remember. If you like this song, you’ll love the album.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
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Libbie Schrader – Turn to Gold (mp3 download page)
You can download a pretty new song by Libbie Schrader by entering your email address at the above link. “Turn to Gold” is a demo that may or may not be included on Libbie’s upcoming fan-funded EP.
Muruch‘s occasional Chicago reviewer Chelle caught the attention of Mutts with her recent Empires/The Whigs review and Mutts lead Mike Maimone submitted the band’s We Float EP for her consideration. Following is her take on the EP….
Chicago-based trio Mutts are just over a year old, and much like the hodgepodge suggested by their moniker, members Mike Maimone (keys, vocals), Chris Faller (drums), and Bob Buckstaff (bass) punch in off the clock from more pedigreed projects (Company of Thieves, The Hush Sound). And like a zealous, unruly year-old puppy, their EP We Float runs the rambunctious gamut of influences, spanning jazz, blues, grunge, metal, industrial and rock, never quite deciding which one to take by the throat and throttle.
Considering the juxtaposed jumble of components, however, Mutts’ combined output is a cohesive sound; it’s evident they’ve done the work of deciding what they want to do, and forging ahead with it confidently. If you possess any manufactured pop sensibilities, delicate or otherwise, you may not immediately find too much to latch on to amidst the stripped down production and frenetic, raw vocal stylings. But there’s a brutal honesty buried in the roughness, and the moments where the melodies begin to surface and take hold add just enough suggestion of shine to keep you listening.
Mutts have a forthcoming release, The Tells of Parallels EP, available on October 1st. They will also be playing at legendary Chicago venue Schuba’s on Monday, August 30 at 8:00PM as part of the Betta Promotions Showcase. The show is $6, 18+ and tickets are available here. Also appearing are DJ Caural, The Sacred Robe of the Ancient Psychedelic Monks, Scott Lucas & The Married Men, and Volcanoes Make Islands.
Mutts – Beggar (mp3)*
Mutts – We Float (mp3)*
All Mutts music, including We Float and their previous Pretty Pictures EP, is available as free downloads on their website. You can also purchase them on CD at the band’s shows or Amazon…
*mp3s provided by & posted w/ permission of band
As I said last week when I posted an mp3 of “The Great Defector” (which you can still download for a limited time), Irish band Bell X1 is offering a series of tracks from a new digital Acoustic EP (streaming at Reverb Nation) in anticipation of their upcoming acoustic tour of the U.S. Below is the second in this series of free mp3s – a live rendition of “Rocky Took a Lover” from their 2005 album Flock. The live shows will include songs from the band’s entire catalogue and some new tunes from their forthcoming 2011 full-length album.
Bell X1 – Rocky Took a Lover (live) (mp3)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of Yep Roc Records
Bell X1 2010 Acoustic Tour Dates:
10/6 Philadelphia, PA@ Tin Angel
10/7 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/8 Cambridge, MA @ Brattle Theater
10/9 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
10/11 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
10/12 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel
10/14 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
10/15 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
10/16 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
10/17 Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java
10/20 Los Angeles, CA @Hotel Café
10/21 San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall
A Classic Education – Gone to Sea (mp3)*
Languid, retro-pop influenced indie-rock somewhere between The Lucksmiths and The Shins. From Italian-Canadian band A Classic Education’s upcoming Hey There Stranger EP, to be released September 21st.
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The Fumes – Automobile (mp3)*
Gritty pop-rock with a hint of blues from The Fumes’ new album Guns Of Gold, to be released August 24th.
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American Graveyard – Common Ones (mp3)*
Substantial, soulful roots rock from American Graveyard’s new Hallelujahland album.
*all mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of bands’ PR reps
In anticipation of their upcoming acoustic tour of the U.S., Irish band Bell X1 is offering a series of tracks from a new digital Acoustic EP (which you can hear at Reverb Nation). The first mp3 is a live, acoustic rendition of “The Great Defector” from their Blue Lights on the Runway album. You can download the mp3 and check out their tour dates below. The live shows will include songs from the band’s entire catalogue and some new tunes from their forthcoming 2011 full-length album.
Bell X1 – The Great Defector (live)(mp3)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of Yep Roc Records
Bell X1 2010 Acoustic Tour Dates:
10/6 Philadelphia, PA@ Tin Angel
10/7 New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/8 Cambridge, MA @ Brattle Theater
10/9 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
10/11 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
10/12 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel
10/14 Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
10/15 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
10/16 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
10/17 Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java
10/20 Los Angeles, CA @Hotel Café
10/21 San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall
You can hear my voice in the new edition of Contrast Podcast, which has the theme “Best of 2010 (So Far).” My pick was Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown album (click title for my review) and I submitted the 100% legal, label-authorized mp3 “Flowers (Eurydice Song).” Hadestown will almost certainly still be my #1 album of 2010 at the end of the year.
Contrast Podcast – Best of 2010 (So Far)
Anaïs Mitchell – Flowers (Eurydice Song) (mp3) *
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep on behalf of label
Lisa Germano – Reptile (mp3 removed)*
Singer-songwriter Lisa Germano contributed this song to the two-disc OxFam charity album The Sun Came Out, a project led by Neil Finn that also featured members of Radiohead, The Smiths, and Wilco.
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Kathryn Calder – Arrow (mp3)*
Another lovely song from Kathryn Calder‘s debut solo album Are You My Mother?, to be released August 10th. Calder was formerly in The New Pornographers and her album will feature guests Neko Case and members of Ladyhawk and Frog Eyes.
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If the name Azure Ray isn’t familiar to you, that’s the marvelous band that spawned singer-songwriters Orenda Fink (most recently of O+S & Art in Manila) and Maria Taylor. The duo has reunited for their fifth album Drawing Down the Moon, which will be released September 14th. You can download a free, legal mp3 from the new album by entering your email address in the above widget.
Singer-songwriter Stacy Clark’s new album Connect The Dots will be released by Vanguard Records on August 10th. The label is kindly sharing a free, legal mp3 from the album. “Don’t Take What’s Mine” is a catchy, perfect for summer pop song.
Stacy Clark – Don’t Take What’s Mine (mp3 removed)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of label
The Mountains & The Trees is the astonishingly talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Janes. His debut full-length album I Made This For You will be released on August 10th. Janes has a quiet but captivating voice, and he and his bandmates play just about every instrument imaginable – guitar, drums, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, bells, tuba, trumpet, organ, lapsteel, melodica, mellotron, violin, cello, flute, bodhrán, and even some handclaps. Janes skillfully incorporates all of these elements into beautifully, brilliantly arranged folk, country, and Americana melodies. I Made This For You is a multi-layered masterpiece that everyone needs to hear.
The opening track “Fear of Ghosts” slides from a gentle beginning into a jaunty, joyously multi-instrumental arrangement in which the tuba steals the show. Séan McCann of Great Big Sea plays bodhrán on the song.
“More & More & More” is a panoramic Americana travelogue, “Travellin’ Song” is a foot tappin’ country ditty, and “Makes Amends” is another wonderfully unusual standout.
Most of the rest of the album is delicate and lovely with subtle folk melodies and light bluegrass instrumentation.
The Mountains & The Trees – More & More & More (mp3)*
The Mountains & The Trees – Minimum Wage Lovers (mp3)*
(not yet available)
*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
Katie Davis – Fisherman (mp3)*
Pretty, atmospheric song by independent singer-songwriter Katie Davis, from her second self-released EP Three Songs.
Buy @ Amazon
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist
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Kitka – Zabljalo mi e agunce (mp3)*
Another beautiful free download by vocal group Kitka, from their 2008 album Sanctuary.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band
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The Drums – Down By The Water (mp3)*
Languidly romantic, retro-influenced track from The Drums’ self-titled album, to be released September 14th.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
Burnt Ones – Burnt To Lose (mp3)*
Fantastic, trippy retro-psychedelic number from Burnt Ones’ upcoming debut Black Teeth & Golden Tongues, to be released August 10th. The band is signed to Roaring Colonel Records, the new label by My Old Kentuckey Blog.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
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Vincent Minor – Late Night Show (mp3)*
Pleasant, quirky boy pop from singer-songwriter Vincent Minor’s self-titled album, to be released September 21st.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep
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Joey + Rory – This Song’s For You (click for download page) **
You can download a new song by Joey + Rory (featuring Zac Brown Band) by entering your email address at the above link on their official site. You may recall that another mp3 by the duo was the catalyst for my battle with Blogger two years ago (summarized on my About page), but neither the band or even their label were responsible for that. And they sure make some great, old-fashioned country music. Their sophmore album Album Number Two will be released September 14th.
Buy @ Amazon
**link to band’s site provided by & posted w/ permission of label
Pete Yorn is giving away a free mp3 download of the track “Precious Stone” from his upcoming self-titled album. Produced by Frank Black of The Pixies, the album will be released on September 28th. This catchy Americana-influenced rock song may be familiar territory for Yorn, but that doesn’t make it any less great.
Pete Yorn – Precious Stone (mp3 removed)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep
The album is not yet available for purchase, but should be at the links below closer to the release date…
The following cover of Bo Diddley’s “I’m A Man” is a brilliant churn of noisy garage rock and blistering harmonica blues by L.A. band The Morlocks. The Morlock’s new album The Morlocks Play Chess features covers of twelve songs originally released by classic blues label Chess Records – home to such legends as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters. The album will be released on August 24th.
The Morlocks – I’m A Man (mp3 removed)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
You can also stream the entire album at the label’s site. I especially like their funky rendition of Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell.”
The album is not yet available for purchase, but should be at the links below closer to the release date…
In case you missed it the first time around, Muruch is celebrating its 10th year of existence this month. Head over to the anniversary post to download free, 100% legal mp3s by Gaba Kulka, Hannah Fury, and Allison Crowe, and please leave a comment there with any memories you have of this site. The mp3s will be taken down next week, so grab ‘em while you can.
Ukranian singer Lana Mir will release her self-titled debut on August 24th. I would’ve liked the album anyway, but it was truly a breath of fresh air after hearing another atrocious promo (which shall remain nameless, but was described in its press release as “psychedelic folk and speed rapping”)! But I digress. Lana Mir has a smooth, warm voice and the music on her album is mostly airy, mellow acoustic pop with occasional hints of jazz and bossa nova. The centerpiece is a trippy cover of Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored.”
Lana Mir – I Wanna Be Adored (mp3 removed)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep on behalf of label
My 2008 review of Lucy Schwartz’s debut Winter in June began with the line “I’m always puzzled when certain female singer-songwriters receive mainstream popularity and media attention while others like seventeen year old Lucy Schwartz remain in the shadows.” Now 20 years old, Lucy has since been heard in several tv shows and movies and her recent EP Help Me! Help Me! made the blogrounds. Her sophomore full-length album Life in Letters will be released on August 31st, and you can download a free mp3 of the non-album single “When We Were Young” by entering your email address in the widget below…
Life in Letters Track List:
My Darling
Graveyard
Rain City
I Want The Sky
Life in Letters
Those Days
Shadow Man
Gone Away
Somebody To Save
Take a Picture
Morning
The album is not yet available for pre-order, but should be at the links below closer to the release date…
Red Wanting Blue’s album These Magnificent Miles will be released on July 27th. Lead singer Scott Terry – who plays guitar and ukulele – has a gritty voice slightly reminiscent of Eddie Vedder, though the comparisons stop there. The songs on the album are rock with a little bit of Americana and a whole lot of substance. These Magnificent Miles also proves how valuable good cover art can be, as it was the bright orange and black carousel image that made the CD stand out in my mountains of promos.
Red Wanting Blue – Where You Wanna Go (mp3)*
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
Sometimes what I love the most seems to be the most difficult to put into words. I watched the BBC mini-series Cranford – based on Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel
Wonderful Cranford
Funny, heart-wrenching brilliance
Awesome Judi Dench
!!! – AM/FM (click for download page)
!!! – a.k.a. chk chk chk – are back!!! (those exclamation points are addictive) Their new album Strange Weather, Isn’t It? will be released on August 24th. You can download an mp3 of the first single “AM/FM” at their official site in exchange for your email address.
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Little Cowboys, Bad Hombres (mp3) *
Funky pop-rock by Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire! (I hate all CAPS in band names, but obviously like exclamation points) – a.k.a. FSRF. From FSRF’s new album Sea Priest.
*mp3 hosted by label & posted w/ permission of PR rep
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Guster – Big Bad World (click for download page)
I used to think Guster’s music was boring, but this song is extremely catchy. They are also offering a free download on their official site, with several options to access the mp3 – including by submitting your email address or Twitter. Easy Wonderful, Guster’s first studio album in four years, will be released on October 5th.
Pre-order @ Amazon
You can download an mp3 of “Circles” by The Giving Tree Band by clicking on “Free Download” in the above widget and entering your email address. It’s worth the exchange. The band was recommended to me because I like Old Crow Medicine Show. Though The Giving Tree Band isn’t quite that good, they are very close. They have a similar oldfashioned bluegrass sound mixed with a bit of Americana and Paul Simon-like pop-folk melodies. Their third full-length album The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious will be released on September 21st.
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Minor Stars – The Death of the Sun (mp3)*
Minor Stars – Dead Weight (mp3)*
Minor Stars – Numbers Don’t Lie (mp3)*
Minor Stars – Mirror (mp3)*
I’d never heard of Minor Stars before their PR rep sent me these songs, but you have to like a band who shares so many free, legal mp3s. Especially one with such a refreshingly pure rock sound as this. These four tracks are from Minor Stars’ new album The Death of the Sun in the Silver Sea, which you can download as a “name your own price” purchase (including for free) at Bandcamp.
*mp3s hosted by band & posted w/ permission of PR rep
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Noun – Brother (mp3)*
Noun is Screaming Females‘ fierce and formidable frontwoman Marissa Paternoster, and she just released her solo project’s debut album Holy Hell. You can still download the album’s title track in my March post.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
The Gypsy Nomads – Make Out (mp3)*
The Gypsy Nomads seem patterned after bands like Luminescent Orchestrii, 17 Hippies, and Vagabond Opera. Though their blend of Eastern European folk and rock isn’t quite as strong or eclectic as those other bands, it’s an enjoyable and interesting ride nonetheless.
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AWOLNATION – Burn It Down (mp3)*
This song might annoy me in a different mood, but I like it a lot today. AWOLNATION (dear bands: all CAPS names are annoying in any mood!) describe themselves as “Blitz Pop Rockers”. Basically they scream and grind their guitars over a catchy pop-rock melody. It’s the kind of music you head-bang to. From their new EP Back From Earth.
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Fops – Solid Copper Huntress (mp3)*
Wow, there are some really crap band names out there now. But this pretty, retro folk-rock song proves you can’t always judge a book (or a band) by its cover. Fops is led by Thee More Shallows singer Dee Kesler. Their debut album Yeth, Yeth, Yeth will be released sometime later this year.
Pre-order @ Amazon
*all mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR reps
It’s been a while since I had time to read other music blogs, let alone post about them. But it’s a lazy Friday and I’ve been browsing elsewhere, and found some great posts to share with you…
First up is Muruch‘s occasional Chicago gig reviewer Chelle‘s heartfelt, eloquent essay on her Northern Downpour Tumblr regarding her history with and deep love for Hole’s Live Through This album (still one of my all-time faves) and all things Courtney Love.
Next Rawk Blog shares a fantastic mp3 of “Song for Goodbyes” by Irish rock band Elspeth, which Dave accurately compares to The Bends
My girl Tart at Love Shack, Baby has the great, retro-influenced blues-rock mp3 “I Killed Robert Johnson” by The Stone Foxes.
And finally, my favorite blog post series continues to be Abby’s Road. Her most recent ramble is about nostalgia and music.
If you’re a new reader, you should know that I really have to love a song to post it as a single mp3 (as opposed to in my “Mp3 Menagerie” posts of multiple tracks or a full album review). That’s certainly the case here. Screaming Females remind me a little of the great chick-fronted rock bands of the early and mid 1990s, which remains my favorite era of music. Their new album Castle Talk will be released on September 14th.
Screaming Females – I Don’t Mind It (mp3)*
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR co.
The album is not yet available for purchase, but should be at the links below closer to the release date…
Agent Ribbons bears a strong resemblance to Rasputina and their has been described as “Baroque Pop” and “Victorian Punk,” but their influences and innovations are far too varied for such simple labels. Their impressively eclectic sophomore album Chateau Crone will be released on October 12th. Agent Ribbons are the trio of guitarist-vocalist Natalie Gordon, drummer-percussionist and accordion player Lauren Hess, and violinist-cellist Naomi Cherie (all of whom have taken the stage name “Ribbons”), though they occasionally perform as the original duo of Natalie and Lauren. Lyrically, their new album took much of its inspiration from Grey Gardens
The catchy opener “I’m Alright” churns atmospheric retro pop-rock with modern rock riffs, handclap percussion, and girl group harmony. The result is somewhere between The Zombies and The Shangri-Las.
“Grey Gardens” falls into an eerie, lo-fi folk-rock style that recalls the Medieval folk themes of Mary Timony’s Mountains album (one of my Best of the Decade, while songs like “I’ll Let You Be My Baby” have anachronistic hints of post-war German cabaret.
Other tracks seem to borrow elements from The Velvet Underground, Sleater Kinney, Neko Case, Luminescent Orchestrii, and everyone in between, yet Agent Ribbons stand in a class (and genre) of their own.
Agent Ribbons – I’m Alright (mp3 expired)*
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep on behalf of label
Pre-order links to purchase the album were not yet available when this review was posted, but will be at the links below closer to the October release date…
Under The Sea – Walking Slowly Up An Escalator Moving Forward (mp3 expired)*
I’m not a fan of “jam bands” and thus rarely like guitar-driven instrumentals, but this is a very good exception. The verbosely titled “Walking Slowly Up An Escalator Moving Forward” is the kind of atmospheric pop-rock song that indie teen romance movie scores are based on. There doesn’t seem to be an album to go with the song…yet.
*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep
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Superchunk – Skip Steps 1 & 3 (mp3) *
Superchunk’s No Pocky for Kitty and On the Mouth albums have been remastered and will be reissued by Merge Records on CD, LP and digital download on August 17th. This awesomely hyper, punked up rock track is from No Pocky for Kitty.
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of label
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Kitka – The Awakening (live) (mp3)*
Vocal ensemble Kitka are kindly sharing this live recording of the opening track from their beautiful album The Rusalka Cycle (click title for my album review).
*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band
Singer-songwriter Kristin Hersh will release her new studio album Crooked on July 19th. The album will be on Kristin’s own Throwing Music record label, which is named in honor of her old band Throwing Muses. Crooked
Kristin Hersh – Coals (mp3)*
Kristin Hersh – Rubidoux (mp3)*
*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep
This month marks a decade of Muruch! Well, I created the original site in 1999, but didn’t post music on it until July, 2000. If you’re interested in the site’s convoluted history, you can read the saga on the About page. To celebrate Muruch‘s 10th anniversary, I asked my very favorite artists if I could share some of their mp3s with you (see below). And I also have a favor to ask you readers at the end of this post…
Anyone who’s read Muruch over the years knows that I like and write about music in just about every genre imaginable. The five artists that this site has helped promote more than any other (because they are my favorites) are: Allison Crowe, Gaba Kulka, Hannah Fury, Xavier Rudd, and The Dresden Dolls (part of Muruch’s “demented circus genre“). If you click on their names, you can read most of my reviews (sadly, the early archives were lost during a domain shuffle).
Unfortunately, The Dresden Dolls and Xavier Rudd albums were released on labels that aren’t mp3-friendly, so I couldn’t obtain permission to share their music. But my favorite independent gals Allison Crowe, Gaba Kulka, and Hannah Fury were all very enthusiastic and generous in granting me permission to include their mp3s in this celebratory post. I’ve chosen to share two songs from their early recordings with a more recent track to show the progression of each artist over the years…
Hannah Fury – The Necklace of Marie Antoinette (mp3)*
Hannah Fury – It Was Her House That Killed Nessarose (mp3)*
Hannah Fury – Beware The Touch (mp3)*
Does anyone remember the music site Epitonic.com? That’s where I first heard Hannah Fury’s music 10 years ago. Hannah is the prime example of how a random mp3 on a music site can create a devoted fan (that would be me) and she is one of the more unique artists I’ve written about over the years. The eerie “The Necklace of Marie Antoinette” first reeled me in and her Wicked-inspired songs (like “It Was Her House That Killed Nessarose”) on The Thing That Feels sealed the deal. “Beware The Touch” is from Hannah’s haunting last album Through The Gash.
Buy Hannah’s Music @ Amazon
Hannah Fury Official Site
Hannah Fury Reviews
Gaba Kulka – Detuned Radio (mp3)*
Gaba Kulka – Coup d’etat (mp3)*
Gaba Kulka – Hat Meet Rabbit (mp3)*
I can’t remember if it was 2000 or 2001, but sometime around then a mutual friend introduced me to Gabriela Kulka (now known as Gaba Kulka) on an old journaling site we used to frequent. Back then I thought of Gabriela much more as an online friend than as an artist, though she did share her pretty cover of Sting’s “Russians” with me. In the years that followed, I had the privilege of learning through her of the joys and difficulties that go into the writing and recording process of an album. I saw how Gabriela struggled to balance her then “real job” with her artistic pursuits, and I’ve been so happy to see that music has since become her very successful “real job.” In the decade I’ve known her, Gaba has gone from releasing her own CDs through DIY sites like mp3.com to performing with Amanda Palmer and becoming quite the rising star in Poland. And her impressive catalogue of music over the past decade has been prolific and genre-defying. “Detuned Radio” is one of the first songs of hers that I heard, from her now out of print Mp3.com demo King of Rats. “Coup d’etat” is from her second album Miss Scylla and a Hard Place. The last song is the frenetic title track from Gaba’s latest release Hat, Rabbit (one of my Best of the Decade) and better represents the music she makes now. I’m happy to say you can now purchase her last two albums (which are also her best) on Amazon.
Buy Gaba’s Music @ Amazon
Gaba Kulka Official Site
Gaba Kulka Reviews
Allison Crowe – By Your Side (mp3)*
Allison Crowe – Independence Day (mp3)*
Allison Crowe – I Don’t Know (mp3)*
As I’ve said before, I consider Allison Crowe to be Muruch‘s true musical mascot. A friend sent me Allison’s cover of a Tori Amos song about five or six years ago and it was love at first listen. Back then, no one seemed to be writing about this Canadian wonder and over the years I’ve seen other bloggers credit this site as where they first heard her music. Allison has also consistently been supportive of mp3 blogs and file sharing in general, recognizing the value of this new form of “word of mouth” as the best way to spread music that doesn’t get played on mainstream radio. She is still relatively unknown in the U.S., but her astounding cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has brought her international attention in recent years. Her extraordinarily emotive way of singing and the subtle beauty of her songs stand out from just about any other artist ever. I think Allison has inspired more writing on this site than anyone else, though she may be tied with Gaba Kulka on that. “By Your Side” and “Independence Day” are from her spectacular Live at Wood Hall album (another of my Best of the Decade), and “I Don’t Know” is from her most recent release Spiral.
Buy Allison’s Music @ Amazon
Allison Crowe Official Site
Allison Crowe Reviews
I want to thank Hannah Fury, Gaba Kulka, and Allison Crowe (also Allison’s manager Adrian) for being so generous with their music. And a huge thanks to my host Song, By Toad, without whom this site would no longer exist. Also, thanks to all of the artists, labels, agents, PR companies, and everyone else who has supported this site over the years – especially all of you readers. Oh, and a special thanks to my oldest friend “Grasshopper” since most of the time I think she’s the only one who actually reads my reviews.
Now, since I’ve spent the past 10 years rambling to you about music and sharing mp3s, I would love if everyone reading this would comment! Share how long you’ve been reading Muruch, how you first found it, any music you’ve liked, loved, and/or bought because of this site, and any other memories you have about it. But even if you just say hi, please comment just this once. And link to this post anywhere and everywhere. I’d like a big crowd to help me celebrate the decade I’ve devoted to this site and to the music I love.
*all mp3s hosted for 2 weeks w/ permission of each artist
