Foo Fighters, Drake & Declan O'Rourke star in Free Music Friday

It may be Valentine's Day tomorrow, but there will be no love lost when Ireland do Six Nations battle in The Aviva with Les Bleus. We can't sadly give them a dig-out on the pitch - the Gallic front-row would be quaking in their boots if we could - but we can inspire the boys with another adrenaline-pumping collection of free tunes, vids and promos.
With February 14 firmly in mind, Declan O'Rourke treats us to the suitably swoonsome 'Powered By Love'. Vocal assistance is provided by Sarah Siskind, a Nashville resident with Appalachian roots who's been championed by the likes of Alison Krauss. Bag yourself a copy at [link]declanorourke.com/newsletter[/link]
We're not sure if the move is romantically-inspired but Drake has taken everyone by surprise with the release through iTunes of If You're Reading This It's Too Late, a 17-track mixtape featuring contributions from the likes of PARTYNEXTDOOR, G.O.O.D Music’s Travi$ Scott, and Lil Wayne. There is, yay, a free stream and an accompanying short film, Jungle, which starts with the star moodily intoning: "Shit's just crazy man, the whole energy out here is just changing, you know. It's just getting dark, man, quick."


To the streams now and Atari Teenage Riot, Chandos, Father John Misty, The Districts and Prima Donna are the pick of the [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/albums.html bunch[/link]; [link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] is host to Six Organs Of Admittance, A Place To Bury Strangers, Pops Staples, José Gonzales, The Mavericks and recent Hot Press Hot For 2015 stars Ibeyi; the usual geophysical niceties apply, but if you're in the right place [link]albumstreams.com[/link] has The Duke Of Burgundy, The Delta Routine, Slutfest, North Highlands, The Amazing, Drug Church, Speedy Oritz, jiNilsson and, best of all, the new Alabama Shakes single, 'Sound & Color', awaiting your aural attention, and [link]www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?_r=3&[/link] has an upfront listen to Love Stuff by Elle King, a much-fancied Californian who sounds like a mash-up between Imelda May and Janis Joplin.
Big Gigantic, who are just that in the States but barely known over here, give away funky EDM delight 'Get On Up' at [link]www.jambase.com/Articles/123954/Free-Download-Big-Gigantic-Unleashes-New-Single[/link]
Also in generous mood this week are Magic Giant, a bunch of clearly Mumford-inspired Californians who would like you have to have an EP's worth of free tunes.

Siyo, Jee4ce, Phats, Shaool, Mugsy, Collie, Jurassic 5 man Aki and our old pal Bitter Rocc join forces under the Boss Level banner for 'Part Three', an all-rapping spectacular that had us knackered by the end - but in a good way!

Having been mightily impressed with the young Meath songstress when we caught her a while back in Whelan's, FMF is delighted to bring you the piano-driven new single from Niamh Crowther, 'Origins'.

This week's Noise Trade highlights include a three-track introduction to Portland's Lady Lamb who sounds like a happier, more upbeat SOAK; Christa Wells, a husky maven who re-imagines classic Smashing Pumpkins, U2, The Smiths, Depeche Mode and Nirvana tunes on her logically-titled EP, The Covers; Lera Lynn who comes on like a countryfied Anna Calvi, and an introductory sampler from new Nashville-based Americana specialists, Digitally Sound Records.

Kilkenny band The Freakles loot the local fancy dress store on the promo for playful - that's putting it mildly! - new single, 'Jill'.

Having supplied the stunning vocal, The Kills' Alison Mosshart stars in the video for 'England's In My Bones', the lead tune from the Gang Of Four's ninth studio album, What Happens Next, which drops here on Friday February 27. Hot Press will be at the legendary post-punk outfit's show the following day in the London Oslo, and keeping fingers crossed for some Irish dates.

Tokyo indie darlings Yokan System are giving away 'Klee', an early Human League-meets-Cocteau Twins confection, which graces their new EP for Cornershop's Ample Play Records. To save you having to get your Japanese dictionary out, Yokan means 'premonition' in English.

FMF has been loving this Foo Fighters Austin City Limits set, which aired as part of the show's 40th birthday celebrations. While we're at it, here are The Black Keys, Sam Smith and Future Islands also tearing up the Texas gaff!



FMF is dead impressed with 'World Set Alight', the new single from former Cyclefly men Declan O'Shea and Christian Montagne who are now trading as MAKO. The first taster from their upcoming album, The Runner, it's accompanied by a nifty graffiti and street art video shot while the chaps were touring in Brazil. For the young people among you, Cyclefly were a Cork outfit who signed in the late '90s to Radioactive in the States, and had Linkin Park's Chester Bennington guest on their second album, Crave.

A lot of our fave punk-era bands should have called it a day by now. Not Wire; their new single sounds awesome!

Neil Hannon – complete with hipster beard – live-streamed his Philharmonie de Paris gig this week.
If you missed it, fear not, the whole fabulous affair has been archived.

It's with the sound of The Divine Comedy still ringing in our ears that we bid you a fond Free Music Friday farewell for another week. Keep those links coming to @stuartclark66 and here's to more Six Nations glory!