Christmas @ Amazon - Bah. Humbug!

I find it extremely frustrating to see a Tweet or the result of a Google search that promises free Christmas music, only to be taken to the Amazon USA site where, since I do not live in the USA, I cannot download. It seems that there are bucket loads of free mp3s available at the US site compared the the dozen or so available at Amazon UK.

Jethro Tull 070373_0018

Originally uploaded by Heinrich Klaffs

Specifically, I am miffed because I was looking for online Advent calendars (see Advent Calendars: Take 2) when I came across Amazon's 25 Days of Free. It looks brilliant... but is for USA only. Bah!

Is it simply down to scale? Can Amazon USA offer more free stuff because they are so much bigger? Is it down to the record companies who have bizarre ideas about protecting markets in different regions?

To be fair to Amazon, they are not the only music service that suffers from this problem. The USA just seems to have a bigger choice of legal music downloads in the first place. If anyone can shed some light, I'd be genuinely interested to know why customers outside the USA get such a poor deal.

Also, to be fair to Amazon, there are other music sites that gave away free downloads last year but do not seem to be doing so this year. For example, iTunes UK gave away music and TV shows last year on the run up to Christmas and also had the Holiday Sampler (see Free Download Friday #39: iTunes Holiday Sampler). This year though, no sign of any freebies.

I follow @AmazonMP3UK on Twitter and occasionally there is an announcement of a free download but usually, they are announcing new product or discounts. For example, their most recent message said: "Yep, it's December, so instead of getting the same three versions of the same three Christmas songs, check this out... http://amzn.to/e4Z2XC" The link takes you to a couple of pages with some alternatives to the usual suspects you hear every Christmas. One of the offerings is Elvis' Christmas Album, which at £2.57 is not as good as a free download but is still a real bargain.

There are a few other albums in there that look interesting but I have some already thanks to eMusic. {I've talked about eMusic before. Please note that if you sign up after following the links on this blog, I get a few extra downloads for sending you in their direction. You can get free credit for downloads just for signing up and, as long as you remember to cancel your subscription before a month is up, those downloads are yours to keep. I suspect though that there will be plenty there to convince you to keep your subscription going.}

Some Christmas albums that you could spend your free credit on include:

• Elvis' Christmas Album
• Christmas Album by Jethro Tull
• Christmas by Low

Free Download Friday #48: Ha Ha Tonka - Take 2

I wrote about Ha Ha Tonka back in July last year (Free Download Friday #17: Ha Ha Tonka). I discovered their session on the HearYa Music music blog and liked them so much, I got their album off of eMusic. In fact I liked them so much, I got their second album too when it too became available on eMusic.

For some reason, I've not been back to the HearYa Music blog for a while. When I finally did stop by, I was pleased to discover there was another session from Ha Ha Tonka - this time playing tracks from their second album (Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South). There are four tracks for download from their session:

• Walking On The Devil’s Backbone - Probably my favourite of the four on offer. Driven along by a strong beat and some interesting noisy guitars.
  
• Close Every Valve To Your Bleeding Heart - Starts off fairly quietly, name checks Dostoevsky, then bursts into angry guitar part when lamenting the loss of love. Excellent stuff.
• Hold My Feet To The Fire - Not sure what this is about (an abusive relationship?) but interesting changes of pace and interesting harmonies.
• The Outpouring - Some church-style organ to go with the noisy guitars.

They also link to their YouTube channel where you can watch the recording of the tracks:



So are you a Ha Ha Tonka convert yet?

Free Download Friday #41: Voodoo Six

Voodoo Six are a five piece rock band who have a great noisy guitar sound, a strong drummer and a new vocalist that sounds appropriately rough and rocking. Their début album was described as "The best début album I've heard in years" by no less that Steve Harris from Iron Maiden.

I first heard them on Planet Rock radio station who have been giving them a lot of airplay. I was impressed and very pleased when Planet Rock website gave a link to a free download of one of their tracks: Take The Blame. In exchange for giving them your email address, they'll send you a link to download a belter of a rock track.

A bit more searching about took me to their YouTube channel where you can see and hear more of their stuff, for instance Feed My Soul:

Even better, their Feed My Soul album is available on eMusic. Excellent! It's almost certainly going to be one of my downloads this month.

{Apology: I took a bit of a longer blogging holiday than I intended. Hopefully, I'll be more into the swing of it next week.}

Paint it Black

I think it was the chaps on the Classic Rock Progcast that first brought Crippled Black Pheonix to my attention. I was pleased to discover that some of the work was available for download from eMusic and so I acquired 200 Tons of Bad Luck. This is a great album. I would describe it as progressive rock but other descriptions I've seen include ambient and post-rock. Probably my favourite track is 444 which includes samples of Donald Sutherland as Oddball from the film Kelly's Heroes. "Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves maybe we can't lose! You're on!" Brilliant.

Black Rainbow
Originally uploaded by The Kozy Shack

Then, I discovered The Black Keys. I'm not sure where I first heard about these chaps but, again, I was pleased to discover them on eMusic. I downloaded Rubber Factory and really like it. Stripped back, lo-fi Blues that sound a bit like The White Stripes in approach and feel but much more blusey.

It struck me as I listened to these two albums that both bands had the word black in their name, not a particularly profound observation I realise but I started thinking of other artists with the word black in their name.

• Black Sabbath: Seminal band, practically invented Metal... I like them. (Unfortunately, Black Sabbath are not on eMusic, but Heaven And Hell are.)
  
• Black Crowes: Excellent Southern Rock band who have featured here before and have just released a new album.
• Black Stone Cherry: Another band that have featured here before and currently one of my favourite new bands.
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo: A cappella four part harmony with a Zulu twist. Great stuff! eMusic have good live recording of Ladysmith in action.
  

I realised that I couldn't think of a single group with the word black in their name that I didn't like. I thought I'd discovered the secret to musical success... just use the word Black in your bands name!

And then with crashing horror, I remembered Black Lace and my theory was blown completely out the water!

Over to you
Is that the exception that proves the rule? Can you think of any other examples either for or against the proposition that bands with the word black in their name are worth listening too?

(Small Print: I've talked about eMusic before. Please note that if you sign up after following the links on this blog, I get a few extra downloads for sending you in their direction. You can get fifty free downloads just for checking them out and, as long as you remember to cancel your subscription, those fifty downloads are yours to keep for free. However, I think you will find plenty of music to download if you choose to pay your money and sign up fully.)

Free Download Friday #27: More from Suburban Home Records

It seems a bit of a cheat to feature Suburban Home Records twice in the one week (see Suburban Home Records) but they have so much stuff available for free download, I couldn't resist highlighting a couple in a Free Download Friday post.

Austin Lucas 8.6.09 - 02
Originally uploaded by elawgrrl

Of the tracks on the media page that I've had a chance to listen to so far, the band I've liked the best is On High. They don't seem to have an album on Surburban Home Records but they do have a demo EP with three tracks that can be downloaded for free.

I especially like the track Pain You. A real classic rock/metal sound but a track that goes beyond the standard fare and it has definite leanings toward prog rock. Aparently they hoped to release an album in the spring of 2008 but for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to have come together.

I gave a link to the media page on my previous post but Jeff also found a free sample album they made available earlier this year which has a number of tracks not available for download elsewhere.

There are hours of material available! Brilliant! I hope the chance to access all this material for free broadens and expands Suburban Home Records fan base and that they find giving away samples like this pays off in the long run.

Certainly, I'll be keeping an eye on the Suburban Home Records and checking out some of their roster more thoroughly - especially since much of it seems to be available through eMusic.

(Small Print: I've talked about eMusic before and provide the link here for you if you want to check it out yourself. Please note that if you sign up after following the links on this blog, I get a few extra downloads for sending you in their direction.)

Help Logan... again

I wrote about Logan in Free Download Friday #16: Logan and then did another post later about how they wanted support to do well in a competition (Logan need your vote). Well they are looking for help again...

Logan are listed on the Sign Me To Roadrunner Records site. The basic idea of this site is bands put themselves up, and music fan rate the band and their music. If you want to help, go to the Sign Me To Roadrunner Records site, sign up as a scout and start rating bands. And if you like Logan half as much as I do, go to their page, rate their music and give them some feedback. At the moment, most of the comments are positive but for some reason, their ratings are fairly low.



I think Logan would be a great addition to the Roadrunner roster and would benefit from the exposure that would come from signing to a label like that. The only problem I can foresee is that currently, Roadrunner artists don't seem to be on eMusic. Their excellent album Cruel Little World is there and it would be a pity if signing to a major label means that I can't download their new stuff from eMusic. However, I'm willing to make that sacrifice if it means they get the fame they deserve. :-)

Music Shuffle Game

I was looking for some online gig reviews and I noticed that two different music magazine websites had been playing the music shuffle game.

160/365: Soft shoe shuffle
Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

It is a very simple idea, and this is how you play: put your player on shuffle and note the first five tracks it plays. Key rule is no editing! You are not allowed to skip a track or substitute something "better" to try and make yourself look more cool. If you have the Spice Girls on your iPod then be prepared to suffer the consequences!

Burning Down by The Outskirts of Infinity
Not a band I really know. It's from a free cover disk given away with Classic Rock magazine. It's prog style noisy guitar music, so not too embarrassing as a number 1 out the shuffle.

Charley Patton Songs by Gomez
I like Gomez, especially their first two albums. This one's from How We Operate and it's OK - three stars on my iPod.

Parchman Farm by John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers
I hadn't heard this in ages. This is what makes the shuffle function great - rediscovering forgotten gems. Classic British Blues from a classic British bluesman. I saw him supporting B. B. King at a concert in Glasgow about ten years ago - now that was a great night!

Spanish Bombs by The Clash
The Clash. Nuff said. Although, if I was choosing myself, I would probably have gone for something else - Train In Vain perhaps.

Gone by Logan
A noisy rock band from Glasgow. If you haven't heard them I would recommend you spend some time checking them out. The track name above links to the Amazon download page but three of their albums are available on eMusic. (Warning: A couple of the albums listed by eMusic are clearly a different Logan!) I would recommend Cruel Little World as a good place to start. If you aren't already signed up for eMusic, check out my earlier post and perhaps you could use some of your 50 free songs to download some Logan.

So, there's my five. Perhaps not entirely indicative of my music tastes but not too embarrassing Anyone else want to have a go? Remember, no cheating, editing or skipping. It has to be the first five.

Where do I get my music?

I occasionally buy new albums online or in music shops. (I try to avoid supermarkets. I'd rather support shops like Fopp - even though they are no longer independent. I like physically browsing through stacks of CDs - something you don't really get to do online or in supermarkets.) I also pick up a fair few CDs in charity shops. (Latest finds being A Crow Left Of The Murderand Victorat £1.99 each.) However, for the last year and a bit, the place I've bought most of my new music is eMusic.



With eMusic, the focus on independent music rather than the big mainstream labels but there is still a huge range of stuff to choose from and they do have are some big names. (Although, it pays to do a bit of checking first as some of the downloads are obscure live recordings or dodgy "before they were famous" stuff.) A year on and I still have no problem downloading 75 tracks per month and have a backlog of albums that I want to download next.

Here are a few of my favourite finds so far to give you a flavour of what's there:

Rainbow Live in Munich: Pretty much the definitive Rainbow line up as far as I'm concerned and with some extraordinarily long tracks, you get a lot of musical bang for your download buck!

Joe Bonamassa - Sloe Gin: Sorry to keep going on about this... but Joe Bonamassa is currently my most listened to artist.

Chris Whitley - Dirt Floor: Painfully stark, stripped down acoustic Blues. Beautiful!

Motörhead-Motörizer: Loads of Motörhead stuff is available on eMusic including this, their most recent.

If you find yourself stuck for ideas, get back to me and I'll give you some more suggestions such as Thin Lizzy, EndeverafteR and Lethargy. As well as bucket loads of old Blues.

The best thing about eMusic though is that you can sign up, download fifty tracks for free. Then, if you don't like the look of what you see, you can cancel your subscription and keep the fifty tracks you've already downloaded.

With fifty tracks to gain, what have you got to lose?