Free Legal Downloads: SXSW Edition

So last week was the massive SXSW festival and for those of us who have issues with crossing the Texas border, (I'm talking to you, Okie McFencejumper), and didn't get to go there are plenty of ways to take a piece for yourself. So gather up enough knowledge and pretend you were there. You saved yourself hundreds of dollars and the frustration of trying to hear your favorite band over a room full of talking industry types and Texan frat boys.

I've got two ways you can experience a small portion of the swollen beast that was SXSW

OPTION 1

sxsw.com lists 6 pages of bands that played, most of which have a free song to download. Just look for the green cassette (oh, cassettes, how I've missed your plasticy smell and hissing sound. The way I use to rewind you by twirling you around a pencil when my tape deck broke) next to the artist to indicate downloads. There's an assload, by the way.

OPTION 2

Visit npr.org/music. The crew from All Songs Considered hosted several shows there and streamed several of them live. They have since offered some of these as podcasts. You can get 30-40 minutes of some kick ass performances at the podcast directory on npr.org or just snag them from iTunes. Again they are all free.

Here is a list of the SXSW shows featured:

• Lightspeed Champion
• Yeasayer
• Bon Iver
• Jens Lekman
• Shout Out Louds

On iTunes, just search for "Live Concerts from All Songs Considered." Not only do they have great SXSW stuff, but you can find lots complete shows from months past available for download. Once again, totally free and totally legal.

Don't break the law, kids. On top of hurting your ma & pa, you'll have to pay some already rich bastards a shit ton of your hard earned money.

One more thing. There was also a film festival going on at the same time. This featured a cool film shot and made in OKC called Rainbow around the Sun. So keep an eye out for that to come your way soon (It's playing in OKC this summer, I'm told). I hear it's pretty rad.

There was also a cool video made by a guy named Mike Hedge. It follows a goup of filmmakers doing some awesome stuff as well. So keep an eye out for them too. The song they used for this video kicks ass and the video itself is a series of photos used for only 3 frames each.

Just check it out for yourself (After hitting play, pause and give it a few seconds to load. You don't want it to freeze or you'll miss the full effect):


SXSW 2008 from mikehedge on Vimeo.

Free Legal Downloads: Sub Pop Records

First off, if you don't know about Sub Pop Records, where the hell have you been. The record label has been around for over 22 years. It started as a fanzine that offered mixtapes and then developed into a small label based in Seattle. It has since become one of the best and most consistent indie labels of our time.

Take a look at some of the artists Sub Pop helped launch into awesomeness. These are all bands currently or previously on the label:

• The Shins
• Nirvana
• Low
• Soundgarden
• The Postal Service
• Sunny Day Real Estate
• Mudhoney
• Sebadoh
• Patton Oswalt
• Hot Hot Heat
• Iron & Wine
• David Cross
• The Rapture
• The Thermals
• Rogue Wave
• Wolf Parade
• Band of Horses
• CSS
• Flight of the Conchords
• Go! Team
• Red House Painters
• The Reverend Horton Heat
• Sleater-Kinney

. . . Just to name a few. Seriously, there are way more.

But what's even cooler than their artist roster is their website where they offer free legal downloads of several of the aforementioned artists. It's not crap downloads either, but often it's the band's big single that they are giving away. You can also find interviews, music videos, blogs, and just a wealth of knowledge about the label and it's many great artists.

The best way to find the downloads is to just explore the artists section. Click on an artist you are interested in and it'll take you to a separate page where they will offer all sorts of tidbits, often free songs.


If you aren't familiar with some of these artists and you want to try them out blindly just go to the media section where they group available downloads together. You can just "right click/save as..." away. (Or the Mac equivalent to that).

So go explore and then come back and here and leave your comments. Let me know what you downloaded and who you like. There are so many great artists on Sub Pop, you are bound to find a new band to dig.

Free Legal Downloads: The Thermals

First off, if you haven't heard of Daytrotter, you have to check it out. They offer free downloads of exclusive performances by many great bands. They post about 3-4 bands a week with each band usually doing four songs. Over time they have built up quite a collection-- all free.

Along with the songs, they also include a great essay/interview with the band. To top it off, there is no photography, but original illustrations that adorn the site. Kick-Ass, right?

Well they recently featured the best punk rock band of the last ten years-- The Thermals. Political, smart, and just plain rocking, the Thermals are one of the best new bands I have heard in the last couple years. If you haven't heard them, you must check them out. And what better way than free legal downloads.

If you like what you hear, you gotta get The Body, The Blood, The Machine-- their best album yet, but everything I've heard has been great.

ODDS & ENDS

• The Thermals homepage is here.
• Their YouTube channel is here.
• An archive of all the great bands who have been on Daytrotter can be found here.
• If you need actual thermals, you should totally check out Captain Dave's.