Free Music Friday

We have, however, assembled quality tuneage to make life even more festive!

True, FMF has declared a fatwa on people wearing Christmas jumpers – ho bloody ho – but we’re not adverse to a spot of ding-donging, merrily and often on high.
We’re certainly loving Summer Camp’s languid take on Wham’s monster holiday #1.

[link]http://3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] offers pre-release listens to Burial, Laidback Luke, Bryce Hackford, Run The Jewels, Bad Religion and Blevin Blectum, and depending on what jurisdiction you live in – the joys of digital copyright! – [link]http://albumstreams.com[/link] brings you newbies from Talib Kweli, Caroline Glasser, Friends Of Foes, Deathday, No Future, Patterns, Boy And Bear and the latest selection of Sons Of Anarchy soundtracking songs. Which is a quality tongue-teaser!

The lovely Noise Trade people have loads of festive fare with Kirsten Arian’s Feisty Have Yourselves A Merry Little Christmas and Kevin Jones’ Christmas EP the pick of the bunch.
They’re free but don’t be frightened to tip!

Santa hasn’t even delivered his pressies yet, and already we’re giving you our hot tips for 2014. Step forward shit cool Domino Recording artistes The Bohicas who’ve produced a double feature vid for their ‘XXX’ and ‘Swarm’ tunes.
Needless to say, we’ll be talking to the chaps early in 2014.

Sticking with the theme, we’re expecting massive chart conquering things next year too of George Ezra who gifts you this fine brace of tunes.

Also on many a ‘2014 One To Watch’ list is Dan Croll who’ll give you a tune in return for an email address at [link]zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/vvreg/8165-291359[/link] and Australian/Danish sister act – we’re trying to get our heads round that! – Say Lou Lou say “hello” at [link]www.sayloulou.com[/link]

Lower-case popsters fun end the year with a free EP recorded in Bangkok where they didn’t get up to any bad laddish band behaviour. At all. Honest!

No offence now to Sam Bailey, but your 99¢ would be far better spent this Christmas on ‘Footprints In The Snow’, the fab festive tune I’m Your Vinyl have recorded in aid of Dublin Simon Community.
With couplets like, “He cradled her dearly, kissed her head softly/ She would always be his little girl/She is alone, trying to find a way home/Looking for his footprints in the snow”, the piano-driven tune would melt even a snowman’s heart.

Based in New York but hailing from Ireland, singer-songwriter Paul Hourican has given us a Christmas song with a twist. 'Hard Times In Dublin Again' deals with the fallout of the Celtic Tiger years.

We’ve always been big fans of the BBC’s Live Lounge who outdo themselves with Chvrches’ electro reworking of East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ and London Grammar who give Miley’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ a glacially cool makeover.

The video for James Vincent McMorrow’s ‘Red Dust’ received its premiere this week, and a fine looking thing it is too!
Another taster from Post Tropical, the first great album of 2014, it features guns, bust-ups, trailer parks and a literal fish out of water.

And that is not only your Christmas, but also your 2013 Free Music Friday lot. Hope you’ve enjoyed all the tunes we’ve brought you over the past 12 months – and here’s to lots more of the same in 2014! Make sure to keep those links coming to @stuartclark66 and have a fabulous one!!!!