Archive for June, 2008
Meet Sam Sparro – the new master of digital funk and atmospheric soul. The former child star and native Australian works a fair amount of magic on his self-titled debut. The track we’ve chosen this week, “Black and Gold”, is a Daft Punk-meets-Jamie Lidell bit of hiccuping electro madness. If you’ve ever worn a pair of plastic-framed Ray-bans indoors (at night, especially), this is your new favorite song.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
The sister trio of Becky, Emily, and Joanna Robertson are daughters of Barny and Carter Robertson, who were a part of Waylon Jennings’ band, the Waylors. Playing more the role of harmonizers rather than outlaws, the group (recently signed to Toby Keith’s label) apply their stylish ease and country grit to this rocking blues tune. “Different Breed” is the soulful second single from their upcoming debut.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Colombian singer/songwriter Jorge Villamizar is best known as the lead singer for GRAMMY-winning act Bacilos. His solo album was a project produced by Richard Blair (a.k.a. Sidestepper) in Miami and Bogotá. “Como Vivir Asi” is a breezy, light bit of jazzy funk with some great, liquid guitar work and a slick, tropical feel.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Working in front one of the all-time great crate-digger beats, Karina makes it easy to fall for her thoughtful, boom-bastic pop. Karina is a pianist/songwriter/teenager whose debut, First Love was produced by Tricky Stewart and The-Dream and has already gained a little bit of love thanks to the single “Sixteen @ War.”
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Picture Sublime jamming with Jack Johnson on Don Carlos’ back porch — that’s Rebelution. The three-year old band from Santa Barbara, California, uses reggae as its base element then adds colorful rock and hip-hop embellishment. “Safe and Sound” epitomizes Rebelution’s sunny “California Reggae” vibe that propelled its debut album, Courage to Grow to prominence on iTunes.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This Colombian quartet come out of the gates running – hitting hard with their pure punk energy and lyrical insights that look more to the brighter side of life than downtrodden tales from the barrio. The thundering, mile-a-minute drums showcase the group’s love of modern punk-pop, but you can also hear a love of the big “chunka-chunka” metal guitars of heroes like Metallica. “No Estaba Acostumbrado” is taken from the band’s debut, Lo Que No Sabías.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Exclusive clip from the movie Get Smart available for free download from the iTunes Music Store.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
The Tennessee-born Whitney Duncan grew up listening to both the early rock ‘n’ roll of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis as well as modern country icons such as Tanya Tucker and Shania Twain. Now that she’s embarked on her own career at the age of 22, she’s able to fuse these elements of classic, rhythm-based guitar music and contemporary country pop. She’s got a strength in her voice which makes a song like “When I Said I Would” sound like a defiant classic.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Ludovico Einaudi’s music is so enjoyably approachable that it may come as something of a surprise to learn that he studied under the famous experimental composer Luciano Berio. His simple, lyrical piano music is often described as “minimalist”, although many of his compositions are structured more like popular songs than the extreme minimalist works of Philip Glass and Michael Nyman.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Locos Por Juana is a Latin rock/cumbia/reggae/hip-hop/salsa/you-name-it ensemble out of Miami. The smoking brass section and thick cumbia vibe of “Armando” comes from the group’s third album, La Verdad. The track oozes soul out of these tropical grooves, throwing on more and more elements as the song progresses (children’s voices, a brief hip-hop spotlight, a few DJ scratches) into an unclassifiable roof-raiser.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
