Free Music Friday

The tension in HP Central is palpable as Everton prepare to do battle on Sunday with the Arse at Fortress Goodison – guess where a certain Mr. Clark's allegiances lie? – in a Champions League qualifying place six-pointer.
To get us in suitably combative mood we’ve gathered together another back of the net collection of Free Music Friday tunes which, to hell with the neighbours, should be played at maximum volume.

Our favourite FMF thing this week is Drake’s ‘Draft Day’, a Lauryn Hill-sampling belter that’s yours for the taking.

As ever it’s our Dutch friends at [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums/Lucius.html[/link] who kick off this week’s streaming action with new releases from S. Carey, Yuko, Metronomy, Timber Timbre, Jamaica, Thus Owls, Malachai, Sky Pilots and the fabulous Lucius who are interviewed in our latest Paolo Nutini-adorned issue; EMA, Promartyr, Ratking, Teebs, Thievery Corporation and a Bryan Ferry-assisted Todd Terje have albums awaiting your [link]www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] perusal; depending on where you and your electronic device are [link]albumstreams.com[/link] has the latest from The Planet Smashers, Young & Sick, First Aid Kit, Monolord, Poseidon, Steel Panther, Ratking, and Manchester Orchestra; Todd Terje is also hanging out at [link]www.theguardian.com/music/series/album-streams[/link] along with Kaiser Chiefs whose Education, Education, Education & War is a real grower; [link]pitchfork.com/advance[/link] adds Tweens, Ghetto Ghouls, School Of Language, Loops Haunt and Ital Tek to the mix and a visit to http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?_r=3& will be rewarded with the new album from Circle Jerks and Black Flag man Keith Morris’ new outfit, OFF!

The Penelopes have conjured up a cracking remix of The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’, which Free Music Friday has been shaking not just one but two legs to.

The Kickstarter-funded film that examines Elliott Smith’s life and legacy, Heaven Adores You, gets its official premiere next month. The teaser clip suggests a job very well done.

The Dave Matthews Band are gifting fans two exclusive live tunes in return for a [link]www.tweematic.com/dmb[/link] share.

If you’re partial to the likes of Ryan Adams and Wilco, we think you’ll appreciate Hello, San Francisco, a mini-Best Of from the intriguingly monikered Margot & The Nuclear So And Sos.
Also free – but tip if you want – from the Noise Trade stable this week is Jeremy Mage’s Mage Trade, which one suspects was recorded under the influence of Tom Waits and Stick It In – matron! – from punky Kansas City popsters Those Darlins.

"Hello, San Francisco" (16mm) from Richard Edwards on Vimeo.

Ginormous David Bowie fan that she is, it’s no surprise that Janelle Monae makes a fabulous fist of covering ‘Heroes’ for the Pepsi Beats folks. You can stream it here or download from iTunes. Either way, you’re in for a blast!

The week’s finest mixtape comes from Zuse, a Jamaican-born motormouth operating out of Atlanta, Georgia and who’s bezzies with Young Thug.

As revealed elsewhere on hot press,com, the very fine Ginnels are among the bands taking care of ribbon cutting duties on April 12 when the Popical Island crew launch their new Pop Inn venue. A real breath of fresh summer pop air, their A Country Life is available now for your streaming pleasure.

Yet another Lana Del Rey song has leaked online – or perhaps been strategically placed there by somebody with an interest in her making musical headlines again!
‘Meet Me In The Pale Moonlight’ is apparently from the sessions for the upcoming Ultraviolence, but won’t be included on the finished album.

Team Hot Press is very much looking forward to Nowhere Is Home, the Dexys Midnight Runners film, which is being premiered on May 9 at NFTI on London’s Southbank.
Shot during the band’s recent residency at the Duke of York theatre – think the Olympia, but even more posh! – it’s interspersed with Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson talking with brutal honesty about themselves and the band.
It’s co-directed by the BAFTA award-winning Kieran Evans and Paul Kelly who last collaborated in 2003 on Saint Etienne’s Finisterre.

Jack White got us all excited this week by unveiling the video for ‘High Ball Stepper’, an instrumental taster from his Lazaretto album which hits in early June and will hopefully be accompanied by a return trip to Dublin where he was all kinds of wonderful last time round in the O2.

And that is your Free Music Friday lot for another week. Hopefully when we meet next Roberto Martinez’s men will have one boot in Europe. In the meantime, keep those links coming to @stuartclark66