Ireland mightn't, sob, be in it but, whimper, we're still looking forward to the Mother of All Rugby World Cup Finals with our tenner on New Zealand to not, for once, choke and see off the Aussies by at least 15 points. If we win, well, it's been great knowing you! To get you in the mood for the southern hemisphere smackdown, here's another rucking excellent collection of free downloads, streams, vids, trailers and other musical exotica.
Legendary American independent label, Rounder Records, celebrates its 45th birthday with a seriously choice 15-track sampler featuring the likes of  Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, George Thorogood & The Delaware, Blackberry Smoke, Pokey LaFarge, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, Nanci Griffith and Norman Blake. Americana, folk, blues, R&B, soul, rock, country... it's all on the Nashville/Boston imprint's musical menu. The collection's free but don't be shy about tipping!


Among this week's other quality Noise Trade offerings are an introduction to Californian songstress Boh Doran who sounds like a more bluesy Ingrid Michaelson and The Oh Hellos, fine Texas purveyors of alt. Americana. There's also a tune that's a pure banjo-duelling ringer for Mumford & Sons, but we won't hold that against them.




To the streams now and American NPR has a great Conor J. O'Brien interview that's well worth checking out.

As per usual, they're no slouches when it comes to giving us first listens of new albums in their entirety. This week, it's Bill Ryder-Jones, Old Dominion and Floating Points arriving with fresh LPs.



Also impressing is '7 Billion', a powerful statement of atmospheric pop intent from the Ethiopian-born Mizan who oozes star quality.


[link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] adds Little Comet, The Chills, Young Galaxy, Joanna Newsom and Dusty Stray to the mix while you've [link]www.theguardian.com/music/series/album-streams[/link] to thank for a Roots Manuva exclusive.
Young Dane has dropped 'They Stole God', a stoner jazz hop anthem par excellence.

Altogether more frenetic is 'All Over The World', an insanely fast and euphoric EDM anthem, which could result in hernia-related injuries. 

Careful not to be caught by the ghoulies, but Species Unknown has come up with spooky 808-heavy trick or treat, ‘Halloween Invaders’.

The Mercury Music Prize-nominated Roisin Murphy is Dublin-bound on February 11 for a show in the Olympia. Tickets for what is her first Irish headliner in seven years go on sale on Friday October 30 priced €28.40. There's also a racy new video for album standout 'Unputdownable' to quicken the pulse!

U2 fans got extra bang for their buck on Sunday in the London O2 when old pal Noel Gallagher joined them for a cracking version of ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’. Noel not only played guitar, but also got one of the verses to himself before duetting with a beaming Bono. U2 classic delivered, they moved on to a cover of The Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’. We have to say they look and sound great together!

FMF is delighted to make the acquaintance of Reese Lansangan whose debut 'Grammar Nazi' single is available for free [link]amplify.ph/song/grammar-nazi[/link] download. Pitched somewhere between Joni and Alanis, it's a whipsmart pop song of which we can't get enough.
The Strypes have premiered a mulletastic new video for ‘Scumbag City Blues’, which ends is some ultra mannequin violence and a disturbing amount of projectile vomiting. The man with the seriously bad hair - we're not being rude, it's a wig! – is the Republic Of Telly's Kevin McGahern. Anyway, it's a total hoot. Having presented Hot Press with the Japanese ball and stick game, kendama, at Electric Picnic for (shucks) being "the best music magazine in the world", Pete from The Strypes has very kindly dropped us in a hi-tech looking yo-yo. "I heard a rumour that you lot were actually getting some work done," he writes on the accompanying gift tag. "We can't be having that! Have a go at this and let me know how you get on!"
We will, sir, we will!

Grimes finally gets to play a Dublin headliner on March 15 in support of her Art Angels album, which 4AD release on November 6. It contains collaborations with Janelle Monae and Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes, and will doubtless feature prominently in her Olympia show. The Canadian has self-directed the fabulous video that accompanies lead single 'Flesh Without Blood/Life In The Vivid Dream'.

The title may have a hint of the megalomaniac about it, but Brand: A Second Coming looks like a must-watch. Brought to you by the same people as Dig! and We Live In Public, it’ll probably make unpleasant viewing for his ex- Katy Perry whose celebrity lifestyle comes in for some serious slagging.  As ever, Noel Gallagher provides words of sanity in an otherwise pretty crazy movie, which is being screened in The Gate on November 7 as part of the Cork Film Festival.

Which signals the slinging of Free Music Friday's hook for another week. Enjoy the game and keep those links coming to @stuartclark66