- Music
- 02 May 14
Manics, Kaisers and the lead Super Furry Animal are just some of the names giving away their musical wares as we head for THREE whole days off…
It’s not just a Friday but a Bank Holiday Friday, which means even more time to luxuriate in this latest instalment of free tuneage from the House of Hot Press…
The Castlepalooza-bound Gruff Rhys is streaming his American Exterior album in its entirety. Inspired by John Evans, an 18th century explorer who travelled to America in 1792 on a mission to find a Welsh-speaking Native American tribe, there’s an accompanying book and app.
To our old friends now [link]3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/albums.html[/link] who have streamable delights from Eli Paperboy Reid, Pink Mountaintops, Oscar And The Wolf, Woods, Ray Lamontagne, Wye Oak, Prins Thomas and Quantic; [link]npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen[/link] adds Dolly Parton, Nikki Lane, Lykke Li, Kishi Bashi and Brian Eno & Karl Hyde to the mix; the always bounteous [link]albumstreams.com[/link] wants you to check out Motions, Roy Orbison, Animic, Kite Party, Real Ponchos, Badbadnotgood, Ben Harper, Red Fang, Young Liars, Banks, King Dude, Mimicking Birds, Movement and Lily Allen; get on the Antwon, Papercuts, Fujiya & Miyagi, Liam Finn and King Dude cases at [link]pitchfork.com/advance[/link] and cop an earful of the fabulous new Natalie Merchant record at [link]www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?_r=3&[/link]
As part of their attempt to crack America – is it just us or are they looking very Mumford-y these days? – Kaiser Chiefs are giving away a four-track World Café catch-up EP.
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Also gifting us a four-tracker this week are Finish Ticket, a San Fran combo with a penchant for tight harmonies and even sweeter melodies. We’re just a tiny little bit in love…
Meanwhile, their fellow Californian Philip Nelson wants you to have a full album of his Damien Rice-esque acoustic musings.
Free Music Friday is also pleased to make the acquaintance of Johnnyswim, a husband and wife busking team who make a rollicking acoustic noise and Quilt, a Bostonian outfit who sound like Fleetwood Mac after a couple of valium. Which might not seem like a compliment but is.
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Deemed to be the dog’s proverbials by our Roisin Dwyer after she saw it last week in Dundrum, Super Duper Alice Cooper charts young Vincent Furnier’s transformation into the proto Marilyn Manson.
Why was this not brought to our attention before? A long-running party piece live, Imelda May and the chaps performed their stunning ukulele-driven version of Blondie’s ‘Dreaming’ a few months back on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 show. It is exquisite.
We’re very taken with this video for ‘Three’, the latest track to be culled from VerseChorusVerse’s eponymous debut album. Former ASIWFA man Tony Wright is also developing into quite the filmmaker with a real eye for the moodily dramatic. Belfast Noir, anyone?
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Being massive fans of the legendary Birmingham post punkers, we were thrilled to receive a communiqué from The Nightingales who (A) Have a tremendous new tune, ‘Dumb And Drummer’, and accompanying video out and (B) Are playing Whelan’s, Dublin on May 7.
Much loved by the late John Peel – only The Fall and Half Man Half Biscuit got to record more sessions for him – the band reconvened in 2004 following a lengthy time out and remain as thrillingly inventive as ever.
The Beau Motives had previously flown under the Hot Press radar, but are now firmly on it thanks to their slinky cover of The Beloved’s 1992 gem, ‘Sweet Harmony’.
Fronted by Shaz Condon who’s a bit – no, a lot! – of a star in the making, their own tunes are pretty nifty too.
In the same week that she was named one of FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women In The World, Nadia Forde has debuted the video for her ‘BPM’ single.
Filmed in the same 1920s Californian mansion that provided the backdrop to Britney Spears’ ‘My Prerogative’ promo, it’s a commercial dance stomper that’s already burning up a lot of club dancefloors.
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It’s always a good day when you wake up to a new Manic Street Preachers single and accompanying video.
‘Walk Me To The Bridge’ is lifted from Futurology, their new album which drops on July 7 and includes guest turns from Green Gartside, Super Furry Animal Cian Ciarán, Welsh Music Prize 2013 winner Georgia Ruth and German film star Nina Hoss.
As enamoured of Frank as we are, it shouldn’t overshadow the fact that the man behind the Sidebottom mask, Chris Sievey, made some seriously cool music in the ’70s and ’80s. This tune gets bonus points for its annoying of Richard Branson.
And that’s where Free Music Friday rides off into the Bank Holiday sunset in search of some frolicsome fun. God’s speed to Palace as they attempt to turn back the red tide and keep them links coming to @stuartclark66