If It's Too Loud...

I have a little bit of a confession. As much as I say that I like They Might Be Giants, I haven't exactly kept up with their recent career. When I've heard more recent songs of theirs, I've enjoyed them, but haven't exactly listened to full albums with any regularity. I don't really have a reason, except I don't really know where to start with their newer albums. If you're like me, we're in luck. Alternative legends They Might Be Giants are currently giving away Up to Date, a collection of some of their newer songs. While NoiseTrade has been specializing in three to five song EPs lately, this is a twelve song release that is being given away completely for free. If you've ever liked anything They Might Be Giants have put out in their absurdly long career, you're sure to end up liking most, if not all, of everything here. You can get your own copy of Up to Date  for free via NoiseTrade . For more on They Might Be Giants, including a 75 date...

NoiseTrade has been on fire the past few weeks with exclusive EPs from some of our favorite artists. This week they did it again with The Sorry is Gone Tour EP  from Jessica Lea Mayfield. Mayfield is about to embark on a tour that was postponed due to a car accident she was recovering from, and to celebrate she's giving away a four song EP exclusively through NoiseTrade. It contains two songs from her recently released album, Sorry is Gone , which will be a contender for us when it comes to best album of 2017. There's also "Feeling Oppressed," which is a b-side exclusive to this release, and a live solo version of the song "Sorry is Gone." Twenty years ago we used to pay $10-$20 for b-sides like these, and now they're just given away. You can get your copy of The Sorry is Gone Tour EP  for free over at NoiseTrade . For more on Jessica Lea Mayfield, check out her website . The dates for her current tour are below. Let's just hope for a rescheduled...

Since starting this blog, there have been two things I've been unabashed in my love for: Free music and Lydia Loveless. My two loves have finally joined together with Boy Crazy and Single(s) Sneak Peak , yet another offering of free music via NoiseTrade. It's a sampler of the just released Boy Crazy and Single(s) collection, which was comprised of the five song Boy Crazy EP along with six non-album singles and B-sides. The sneak peak contains five of the eleven songs on the full compilation, and they definitely didn't skimp on what you get for free. Included in the sampler are "Boy Crazy," which have been the band's legendary closer for years and her cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison." If you haven't listened to us and picked up Boy Crazy and Single(s) , this should convince you. You can download your own copy of Boy Crazy and Single(s) Sneak Peak  for free now at NoiseTrade . You can get your own copy of Boy Crazy and Single(s) via Blood...

We haven't brought you a Friday Freebie for far too long, but, luckily, today's is a great one. As I'm sure you're all aware, Belly is back after a 20+ year break. They are currently working on new material and have started a PledgeMusic for fans to pre-order their upcoming new album, but for right now Tanya Donelly and company are giving out a four song sampler of live material and rarities. Out of the four songs, the only live one is "Dusted." The rarities are absolutely fantastic and must haves for any fan of Belly. The first two are from the 90's glory days of film soundtracks: "Thief" was originally from the Tank Girl  soundtrack and "Spaceman" came from the Twister soundtrack, which I guess was a thing? The final song on Belly Noise  is the absolute must have. It's a cover of "Trust In Me (The Python's Song)" from Disney's The Jungle Book.  You can get your own copy of Belly Noise right now over at NoiseT...

Photo via Facebook We've been pretty big on Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors for a while now. Jeff in particular has raved about Souvenir and really raved about "Here We Go."  Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors just hit that sweet spot of more mainstream roots music for us, without getting too derivative or dull. The only problem is when a band has been around for over 10 years and has over 10 albums out there (including live ones), it can be daunting to get into them. Where do you start? And who has the kind of spare cash to drop on that many releases? If that's the case, you're in luck. Thanks to NoiseTrade, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors' entire catalog is available for free! Let me repeat that. Every single album from Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors can be downloaded for FREE  on NoiseTrade! This includes Souvenir , which was just released five months ago, three live releases, and more! The only thing that appears to be missing is 2007's A Neighborly...

In what seems to be a recurring theme, for a limited time NoiseTrade is offering two singles from The Secret Sisters' upcoming album as well as a song from their PledgeMusic acoustic session. It's a collection of three songs total, but it's great to tide us over while we wait for The Secret Sisters' long awaited new album. The Secret Sisters might have the most perfect retro country/folk sound out there, to the point that even their originals sound like they might be covers of classics. It's all harmonies and gorgeous melodies. You Don't Own Me Anymore Singles Pack + PledgeMusic Sessions offers you "Tennessee River Runs Low" (which we brought to you back in March ) and "He's Fine," which is offered in both album versions and the PledgeMusic Sessions version.  You can get a copy of  You Don't Own Me Anymore Singles Pack + PledgeMusic Sessions for a limited time via NoiseTrade . You Don't Own Me Anymore will be available on June...

I just discovered Sammy Brue on Saturday when he opened up for Justin Townes Earle and The Sadies, and then shared the experience with all of you on Tuesday. Almost right on cue, Sammy Brue and NoiseTrade are offering our very favorite thing: Free music! If you Google Sammy Brue, you're going to find a ton of articles with headlines starting with "13 Year Old Guitar Prodigy..." and "14 Year Old Guitar Prodigy..." He's now 15 and about to release his debut album on New West. To get an idea of his sound, you can download I Am Nice Singles Pack + PledgeMusic Acoustic Sessions. The two singles from hsi upcoming album, "I'm Not Your Man" and "I Know" completely reflect the two sides of Sammy Brue I saw on Saturday. "I'm Not Your Man" is more Americana and roots based, while "I Know" is far more mainstream and pop, while still being a folk song. How you feel about each song will completely depend on your personal...

Today is packed with highly anticipated album releases. For us, one of the most anticipated releases of all is the latest from Sarah Shook + The Disarmers, Sidelong . This morning I woke up to an email from NoiseT r ade offering me some free music from Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. Songs From Sidelong + More  includes three songs from Sidelong  as well as three songs from Sarah Shook's 2013 solo album, Seven.  We've been raving about the songs we've heard so far from Sidelong . Her deep down country sound mixed with punk and indie rock resonates hard for us. I had never heard anything from her solo album, so being able to hear a few songs from that release is welcome. Those three are more traditional alt-country. Sidelong is the album that sets Sarah Shook & The Disarmers up as a completely unique sound. You can get your copy of Songs From Sidelong + More  over at Noisetrade . After listening to these songs, you're going to want to get your own copy of Sid...

We're pretty excited about the upcoming album from Justin Townes Earle. The man just doesn't release bad music. Hell, the man doesn't release anything mediocre. His new album, Kids In the Street , is due out on May 26. To get us excited for the new album, or even just to tide us over, he's offering the first three singles for a free download through NoiseTrade. Plus, there are three additional live recordings from his PledgeMusic sessions thrown in for fun.  The new songs reflect some changes in Earle's life. Since his last album, 2014's double shot of Single Mothers  and Absent Fathers , Earle has gotten married and is about to become a father. Kids In the Street  shows his growth as a songwriter. Instead of looking into himself, the songs look out into the world around him. Plus, he's letting his blues and soul influences out in these songs. It's not a huge change in sound. Kids In the Street  fits right in with Earle's discography of country/f...

You probably know Ron Gallo for making some headlines for playing one of his songs in the middle of traffic in downtown Nashville back in December. The good news is, he's not just a gimmick and has a shitload of talent. The better news is that you can get three songs from his just released today album, Heavy Meta, for free via Noisetrade. (This is for a limited time, so you'll want to download these ASAP.) Gallo does this insane blend of punk, proto-punk, protest folk, and just the tiniest bit of metal in his songs. It reminds me of a mix of At the Drive In, MC5, and Tom Morello's solo work. His original songs are this frantic blend of energy, noise, and hooky melodies. It all just feels vital and important. Plus, he throws in two Danzig covers (including "Am I Demon?," my own personal favorite Danzig song) at the end, so you know I'm sold.  You can get your copy of Heavy Meta Sampler  for free via Noisetrade . But, seriously, just get the sampler for the...

Photo by Sarrah Danziger With the latest song off their upcoming album, The Navigator , Hurray for the Riff Raff move even further away from their folk/Americana roots. While "Rican Beach," the previous song they brought us from The Navigator , was a slightly harder, punk influenced roots song, "Hungry Ghost" is a pure pop song. Granted, it's not quite in the realm of Britney Spears or Kylie Minogue, but "Hungry Ghost" is the most mainstream thing Hurray for the Riff Raff have released to date. We're not talking about a huge about face like Lydia Loveless' Real  was last year, but this is close. I'm going to reserve judgment until I listen to the song a few more times. I think we'll all need to move away from our expectations on what we want from a Hurray for the Riff Raff song before we can decide on "Hungry Ghost." The Navigator will be released March 10 on ATO Records. You can watch the video for "Hungry Ghost...

Two favorites around here have free music up at Noisetrade! Get on it! * Kelly McRae's great 2016 album The Wayside is free for two weeks * Boston institution Tracy Bonham has a handful of live tracks Get to downloadin'!

The same day we dust off Forgotten Fridays we bring you two fantastic releases for Friday Freebie. The first is a live EP from Boston's (well, formerly Boston) favorite neo-soul dynamo Eli Paperboy Reed. Reed's been at it since before the current soul revival, and it seems like he should get a lot more recognition on the national level than he actually does. As much as I've always enjoyed his albums, I've always heard that he is an artist that you need to see live. Somehow I've never made it to one of his shows, but after hearing this EP I'll definitely be getting out to see him next time he comes home. If you want proof of how amazing he is live, just check out the opening track "Hold Out" and remember that it's just a recording and you're not actually there live. To get your copy of of Live at Union Pool , head over to NoiseTrade . For more information on Eli Paperboy Reed, check out his website . Also from NoiseTrade this week (seriously...

Seeing as we love free music and all aspects of the Boston music scene, Boston Sessions Vol.1: Beast  is a big deal for us. The Record Co. is an incubator for the Boston music scene. Boston breeds musicians in all genres of music and has an insanely large college population. The Record Co. is looking to reestablish Boston as a leader in the music industry, by promoting bands that call the city home and getting younger people involved in the scene. We're all for that, so be sure to check out their compilation that you can download now for free via Noisetrade. It reminds me of the compilations of the 90s, Like Tonnage or DGC Rarities: Vol 1.  It has the entirety of Boston represented: hip hop (Michael Christmas, STL GLD, Dutch ReBelle), indie rock (Palehound, Pile), pop (Ruby Rose Fox), Americana (Julie Rhoades, Tigerman WOAH), and more. Plus, these are all new and exclusive songs made for this compilation. You can download Boston Sessions Vol. 1: Beast  via Noisetrade ...

As we get closer to the release of the first new Letters to Cleo music in 17 years, the band have yet another free offering of music. Last month saw them put From Boston Massachusetts up for free on NoiseTrade , and now they're giving away "Can't Say and Other Songs." First and foremost is the inclusion of their first brand new song, "Can't Say." I'll be completely honest. I wasn't a huge fan of "Can't Say" the very first time I listened. I couldn't quite figure it out, but it wasn't working for me as a Letters to Cleo song. After the third listen, I was completely on board. Considering I felt the same way about Go! when I first listened to it, that might be a great sign. The rest of the free album is a collection of rarities and compilation songs. It's not quite their 2008 collection When Did We Do That?, but it's 3/4 of that release. All that's missing are their soundtrack covers of "I Want You to Wa...

So much for Matt Pond PA being done and over with. Sounds like their label issues are worked out and things are on track for another album later this year. To celebrate, however, they're offering a bunch of demos up on Noisetrade for free download, and they're playing some east coast gigs toward the end of the year (including Great Scott in Allston). So hop on over to Noisetrade for free music and tour dates, and I'll be looking forward to the new music, given that last year's album was a highlight .

I know, I know. It's Monday, not Friday. But sometimes life gets in the way of us letting you know about great free music. The Mountain Goats are bringing Oh Pep! out on the road with them next month and they've teamed to bring us the free We Who Walk Behind the Rows: 2016 Tour Sampler. It features four songs from each band, including Oh Pep!'s fantastic "Doctor Doctor" and The Mountain Goats' odes to wrestling "The Legend of Chavo Guerrero" and "Foreign Object." Oh Pep! and The Mountain Goats are a great pairing for a sampler and a tour. Oh Pep!'s dreamy take on folk pop is just different and similar to The Mountain Goats' more standard mainstream Americana to keep things interesting. You can get your copy of We Who Walk Behind the Rows: 2016 Tour Sampler for free via Noisetrade . For more information on Oh Pep!, check out their website . The Mountain Goats also have a website you should check out. We've also included the...

Normally we wait until Friday for these (hence the name Friday Freebie and all...) but we're really excited about this one and can't wait. Back in 2008 Letters to Cleo reunited for a handful of shows, two if which were at The Paradise in Boston, MA. These two shows were recorded and released as From Boston Massachusetts in 2009. Now, to celebrate their upcoming EP of new material and fall 2016 tour, they're releasing the live album for free via Noisetrade. From Boston Massachusetts is closer to Live Nation's Instant Live series with all mistakes and off tones remaining, but for me that's what a live recording should be. And these two shows were fantastic. Plus, free album! To download your copy of From Boston Massachusetts , head over to Noisetrade . For more information on Letters to Cleo, check out their website (although I'm not sure how up to date that is) and their Facebook . Video by YouTube user TheARR :

You'll have three questions when you listen to the new-ish album by Rock Eupora: 1. Where did this guy come from? (Nashville) 2. How is he not completely gigantic? (No idea) 3. Are you sure this is free? Seriously? You're sure? (Yes!) Recorded in a basement, Soon the Sun Will Come is far lusher than your usual home basement recordings. The obvious comparison for Rock Eupora is Weezer, but the Weezer comparison is tricky. It has the hooks and pop sensibilities of current Weezer but with the spirit of The Blue Album  and Pinkerton. It's as if instead of 2016 Rivers Cuomo working with the 2016 Monkees, 1994 Rivers Cuomo worked with the 1965 Beach Boys. The album opener, "Sally Kate," is the perfect intro point. It's starts off pretty and lush, smoothing you into the band. By the end it's pure mid 90s power pop distortion. "How to Love" reminds me of the more mellow side of The Dismemberment Plan. My personal favorite, "I Wanna Be Alone,...

Just in case both me and Jeff praising new music from Julie Rhodes wasn't enough to get you interested, she's offering a new EP through Noisetrade. Bound to Meet the Devil: B-Sides is much like Frank Turner's recent Mittens EP, in that it's basically what used to be a maxi-single or import that we'd pay $10-$20 for with a couple songs from the new album and a couple b-sides that didn't make the album. For free you can get a copy of "In Your Garden" and "See the Sun," two standout tracks from Bound to Meet the Devil that show her more boisterous rock 'n' roll side and her more quiet, soulful side. Both are perfect choices for a sampler. There are also the unreleased songs "Chains" and "Crossroads," both of which would have been perfect for the album. And, yes, "Crossroads" is a Robert Johnson cover, and you all know how we feel about covers. Bound to Meet the Devil: B-Sides is available on Noisetrade...