1. Divide the Sea performs “In Knowing, Triumph” from their album Man on Blood & Ink Records. This is the leadoff track because a March mix must come in like a lion, and I assure you that Divide the Sea does just that.
2. Lee Abramson performs “The Rose is Gone” . Lee is an unsigned artist whose ambient music is inspired by the poetry of 13th century mystic poet, Rumi. Check out a bunch more free songs at rumimusic.com… you may even be lucky enough to have a poem written especially for you, as Lee did for me:
Watching his owner teach inmates
Strummer can do everyday tricks
He’ll do whatever he dictates
With his head out the Toyota Matrix
3. Jason Mundok performs “Good Coffee Blues” from his upcoming album due out in April. Since meeting Jason at Lancaster Art Walk last year, I’ve tried to keep up with his endeavors. A great musician who also lends his talents to the Irish folk duo Fire in the Glen. Look for a review of their latest next week.
4. Kiki Pau performs “An Old Song” from White Mountain. This track was featured as a free download two weeks ago, but I felt the need to promote it again… download it and find out why.
5. Weekend Stars performs “Obvious” , the closing track from their self-released album Tambourine Girl. This cool indie band has great pop sensibilities and reminds me of two bands I have enjoyed through the years, one big name and one you haven’t heard of: Train (yeah, the “Drops of Jupiter” guys) and Jerk Records’ staple act of yesteryear, Million Time Winner.
6. A Common Year performs “Solstice” from their debut album Between Cities. Casey, guitarist and vocalist, said to me:
I can’t claim to know who we sound like, but a few of our main influences are Jimmy Eat World, Brand New, Acceptance, blink-182 and TBS.
Find out for yourself…
7. Andrew and Kristi’s Toast performs “Alone in My Principles” . This track, off of It’s Raining, It’s Roaring is but a small taste of their original and unique sound. Check back Monday for another free track from this great indie act.
8. Sail by the Stars performs “I Wish I May, I Wish I Might” from the upcoming The Night Owl EP. Josh is a one man band and seems to have quite the Interweb following. This track is the lead track for the EP, due to drop in April.
9. Cook & UNO have become a TPM staple. Here they perform “Throwback“, a hot track from The Overflow. This track is hosted on a great site you should check out, Sphere of Hip Hop, and then go check out the new Cook & UNO music video below…
10. Dala performs “Hockey Sweater” . A cool track by these lovely Canadian women, it is featured on their 2007 release Who Do You Think You Are. Their newest album, Everyone is Someone, will be featured on TPM soon. For now, enjoy this track and check out their new video on YouTube.
Kiki Pau is a Finnish rock quartet with a new album due out in March. Listen to the track and hear for yourself, as they channel the sounds and influences of T. Rex, Velvet Underground, and rock of days gone by.
As I sit here, snowed in, for the second time in a week, I am watching Independence Day on VHS. Since today is a cold day, where I need something to warm me up, I decided to start off with a bit of the sound of the surf to open this one up. The closer: (Pictured on the right) Michael Signorelli’s winning entry for the ReverseRemixThis! Contest in which entrants were asked to prepare lyrics and vocals for a great instrumental track by the VBM band, Map. In between, new track from Cook & UNO, killer hardcore from Twin Killing and Debtor, and a whole lot more. ENJOY!
4. Cook & UNO’s “Where Ya Been All My Life?” (Featuring Pigeon John) is off of C&U Music Factory, the newest release from the duo formerly known as “The Eternals”. Throw in my favorite MC and it’s a trio to swoon over. Expect a review of the album within the next week.
5. The Glass Gentlemen’s “Ocean Stars” is another example of this indie band’s talent and ability. Brad and Brad continue to crank out viable, relevant music, even if most of the world has no idea who they are.
10. TechnoBears’s “Night of the Brainless Date” is another breath of fresh air. TechnoBears has entered several of the TPM remix contests and I’ve always enjoyed his contributions. This is no different. Enjoy.
Shael Riley, Beefy, and a bunch of other cool cats have this group called The Grammar Club. Here’s a great older track of that they put up on their site for free: Download “Underbeard” here. These are the nerds that created the kickass backing music to Zangief’s stage in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, which is also available for download on their website.
Here’s the first mixtape of the year. Expect one each month (usually the first or second week each month). Unlike 2009, 2010 mixes will feature 12 tracks rather than 10 and will be released on Wednesday because Mondays are rough! So, here it is… enjoy.
1. “Lucky Cat” by Map is a track that was featured once before as a bonus track. I am featuring it here again to wet your whistles for an upcoming contest.
2. “Getaway” by MC Dub is a track by the talented laptop musician known to the non-music world as Mark Walker. MC Dub’s remix of CookBook’s “Solid Gold” was described by Cook as a “completely original take on the song“.
3. “Winnie Cooper” by Kwalified Emcee is a track from his new EP. Listen to this track, then go download the whole EP, then be on the lookout for a review in the upcoming days. HOLLA!
4. “Gimme What You Got by Slo-Mo Featuring Mic Wrecka is a HOT track from this HOT act based in my favorite city in the world, Illadelphia. Like other Illdelphia crews before them, Slo-Mo and Mic Wrecka infuse hip hop, rock, and blues to create a truly unique sound that can only be described as a taste of Brotherly Love.
5. “The End of Loneliness by All City Affairs is a track of this Lujo Records act’s album Identity Theft. Like all acts on Lujo, it is unique and well done. Enjoy this track and then go to Lujo and buy the album.
6. “The Descent by Firs is another track from a killer Lujo act. Off of their album Man in Space, this track is featured on the Lujo front page… and now, also on TPM.
7. “VR Bikeride” by Second Reality is the first original track by Second Reality that I’ve heard. Also featured on a previous mixtape, Second Reality won RemixThis! Ditka Style and has since continued working with the85bears on new material. See! Not only does TPM give you good music, but it also connects people!
8. “Hustle Beach” by Baby Teeth is a great example of why the Chicago three-piece has been praised by many outlets including the uber-trendy Pitchfork and the mentioned-in-High Fidelity Chicago Reader.
9. “Kin Weather by Cassowaries is another in a long line of wierdness from my favorite weirdos. Featured on this site a few other times, Cassowaries has all the talent and obscurity of Sigur Ros without the pretentious fanbase.
10. “Zebra by Bone Gunn is a track that was sent to me as a thank you for covering Bone Gunn’s Flies EP. Into music that can’t be described by genres? This is for you!
11. “Bring Out Your Dead” by Bluebrain is another rad track from a Lujo band. Seems like we’re chock full of ‘em this month… if you enjoy them, you can thank Eric. He’s a good dude… but enough about him, let’s talk Bluebrain. Bluebrain is the Holladay brothers doing their thing. Before this project, these talented guys worked with artists like Spank Rock, Ra Ra Riot, and Violent Femmes.
12. “A Shortness of Breath” by Young Livers is a great punk track from a great punk band on a great punk label. No Idea Records, the Florida indie punk powerhouse, is still putting out great tunes a solid decade after I first picked up release from Less Than Jake and Atom and His Package when I was in high school. Sorry, El Destructo, but this is how you SHOULD make good punk rock. But then again, I’m just a poser.
Schlarb is a musician who has recorded with an indie music who’s who through his career. He founded the label Sounds Are Active, has played in several different musical outfits, and is signed as a solo artist to Sufjan Stevens’s Asthmatic Kitty label.
On this free sampling, Chris brings his family with him for some fun and some Christmas joy. Make sure to let him know how much you like it… because, trust me, you will.
Today, December 13th, marks the first of TPM’s 13 Days of Christmas. Why 13 rather than 12, because today is my birthday and I always believed that Christmas countdown should begin on my birthday (I also believe that it should be a national holiday, but the petition seems to keep getting shot down).
Today is also the day where I traverse up to the Meadowlands to watch my Birds take on the New York Football Midgets. Of course, I know in my heart that the Eagles will win… but if they lose, I’ll have a good excuse.
While I’m in NJ getting yelled as and called dirty words by Giants fans, you can be listening to an album of entirely free Christmas music that is both unorthodox and awesome. Fantastic independent music label Sounds Are Active, released an album of 23 interesting Christmas tracks back in 2003… today, it is available for FREE in MP3 format. You can click here to download.
So, while I’m freezing my arse off in the stands of East Rutherford, NJ tonight getting dirty looks from disappointed fans from NY and NJ, you can be cozy in your bed listening to Slo-Ro from Soul-Junk and other artists that stand out among the most original and interesting in the world.
