Sunday, January 6, 2013

Top 10 Free/Internet Releases of 2012

Here we have my 10 favorite things you can (or could) download for full free & legit, from off the internet. Some of them were kind of special or limited offers, but they all fit together in freedom.


#10 Liminal States OST - conelrad


"The Oscuras" from Liminal States OST (2012)
"Return String Determination" from Liminal States OST (2012)

Genre - The Elusive Book Soundtrack
Official - Munch House

Download - Liminal States, Munch House

Maybe only the 2nd book soundtrack I've yet encountered - after Space Jazz: The soundtrack of the book Battlefield Earth, by L. Ron Hubbard. No, seriously! Anyway, this one's for Liminal States, by Zack "Geist Editor" Parsons from Something Awful. And it's much better than the bizarre L. Ron atrocity. Ambient, droning, modern moods.

You can view conelrad's full discography (available for free) at the Munch House/official link.


#9 "Thunder Up: Racing for the Prize!!!" - Flaming Lips


"Thunder Up: Racing for the Prize!!!" from Soundcloud (2012)

Genre - Pro Sports Themesong
Official - OKC Thunder
Location - Oklahoma City, OK

Review - SPIN
Download - Soundcloud

Hometown sports pride, as the Thunder made a run all the way to last year's NBA finals. The Flaming Lips (#13 Non-Metal, 2009) retooled their science fight song for the sport.


#8 NYCtaper Bootlegs - Woods, etc...


"I Was Gone" at Music Hall of Williamsburg (11/3/2012)
"Blood Dries Darker" at New Windsor, NY (5/6/2012)

Genre - Legit Free Live Bootlegs
Official - nyctaper.com/
Location - NYC, NY

Download - Woods: 5/5/2012, 11/3/2012
Purchase - Yes, please support the artists!

I'm a NYCtaper fan - they do such great work. There's a special local relationship with Woods (#7, 2011), but 'only' 2 tapes this year. They also got another couple of shows from Wilco (#12 Non-Metal, 2009) in late-July: at Brewery Ommegang and at Terminal 5.

I'd suggest just exploring around the site... But for 2012, I think I would highlight: White Hills (4/9 show then the 6/14 one), Wooden Shjips (6/24), Six Organs of Admittance (9/6), Mike Watt on The Stooges (5/2), Dandy Warhols (6/5), Night Beats (8/6), The Soft Moon (9/20), Acid Mothers Temple (4/30), Oneida doing Preteen Weaponry (and/or the 5/12 show), Ty Segall & Thee Oh Sees (9/24), The Feelies (12/10), and one day I'll get around to the Yo La Tengo Hanukkah concert series (looks fantastic).

Maybe Oren Ambarchi (#10, 2004) if you like the drone... or Soulive's Bowlive III, if you like the jazz/funk.


#7 "Hall of the Masters" - Absu


"Hall of the Masters" video, from Adult Swim (2012)

Genre - Mythological Occult Metal
Official - absu.us/
Myspace - myspace.com/absu
Location - Plano, TX

Review - Encyclopædia Metallum
Download - Adult Swim Singles Program 2012

Hey, it's free music from Absu (#6, 2011)!

This is purely for "Hall of the Masters" - but also available from the 2012 Singles Program: The Field, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Flying Lotus, Gauntlet Hair, Liars, & a few others... (bonus Death Grips?)


#5 Bang Bang Boogaloo: Beyond Beyond Is Beyond - V/A


"Careful With That Hat" by Citay, from Bang Bang Boogaloo (2012)
"Worried Mind" by Hopewell, from Bang Bang Boogaloo (2012)
"The Lesson" by Conspiracy of Owls, from Bang Bang Boogaloo (2012)

Genre - Various Underground Sounds
Official - East Village Radio
Location - NYC, NY

Review - Revolt of the Apes
Download - Bang Bang Boogaloo, Soundcloud

I think the great "View from the Vision Hand" by Woodsman (#2, 2011) first caught my eye on this one. Also featuring such wide-ranging contributions as: The Paperhead (who we apparently missed at Austin Pysch Fest this year), sweet & sunny Buffalo Killers, the heavier Velcro Lewis and Iron Giants, groovy Blue Pills, blues-breakin' from The Main Street Gospel, and the acoutic-raga of Mondo Drag & the Brooklyn Raga Association.

Still available!!


#5 AdHoc.fm free Launch Mix - V/A
The AdHoc Comp (Kickstarter reward) - V/A
AdHoc Favorite Tunes of 2012 free comp - V/A


"I Am Not A Game" by Ty Segall & White Fence, from the AdHoc Launch Mix (2012)
"Song for Ric" by Majical Cloudz & Grimes, from The AdHoc Comp (2012)
"Numb" by Andy Stott, from AdHoc.fm Favorites d/l (2012)

Genre - Internet Compilation
Official - adhoc.fm/
Location - Brooklyn, NYC

Download - Launch Mix, Favorite Songs

The free Launch Mix was a pretty broad 12-song collection, that I don't think lead me anywhere special. And I haven't had a chance to check out the favorite 2012 songs collection yet.

The Kickstarter reward comp, however, was quite rewarding. Here's the whole 48-song tracklist (not much streaming at this point). Since they were mostly exclusives there's not a lot to share. Yeah, you can stream The Caretaker's "end detections," and here's the non-White Rainbow-remixed "Gone" from Young Prisms. Looked again, and all I found was a couple of kinda-similar sounding songs: Twerps' "Jam Song [demo]" and Amen Dunes "Ethio Song." O well, it's a good compilation.


#4 "Assault on The Vault of The Ancient Bonglords" - Linus Pauling Quartet


"Assault on The Vault of The Ancient Bonglords" video (2012)

Genre - Heavy Stoner Psych-Metal Rock-core
Official - worshipguitars.org/LP4/
Myspace - myspace.com/linuspaulingquartet
Location - Houston, TX

Interview - Space City Rock
Download - LP4 Soundcloud

Hat trick!! Just this year, ye olde LP4 had the #2 Studio release AND the #3 Archival release AND the #4 freebie! If they make the #1 Live Show, would that be a hat trick AND hitting for the cycle?

Real solid year, Linus.


#3 FTK Fall Mix - V/A
Live at Safe//Sound - Woodsman
Live at Zebulon - Woodsman
Live at Daytrotter - Cloudland Canyon + Woodsman


"Desert Song" by Tjutjuna, from FTK Fall Mix (2012)
"Kaleidoscopic" by Paw Paw, from FTK Fall Mix (2012)
"Private Booths for Sallow Suits" by Human Resources, from FTK Fall Mix (2012)

Genre - Psychedelia
Official/Tumblr - firetalk.tumblr.com/
Location - Brooklyn, NYC

Review - Impose Magazine
Download - @ Safe//Sound, @ Zebulon, @ Daytrotter

Real nice Woodsman-related label comp, including their studio "All Tangled Up." I always get confused by all the bands named like Night Mangager, Human Resources, etc... Orchard Thief and Jovontaes are more distinctive, and thus less likely to confuse me. I think I got FTK Fall Mix e-mailed for earlier support, so you should shop their Bandcamp for the next one.

Woodsman live at Safe//Sound is a good, short set - including a live version of most recent single, "All Tangled Up" + 3 others. I don't think I've heard the one song from Zebulon anywhere else. And Woodsman joined Cloudland Canyon for their Daytrotter on the classic tune "Krautwerk."


#2 Austin Psych Fest 2012 Mixtape - Al Lover
Austin Psych Fest 2012 Day/Stage mixes - Al Lover
Austin Psych Fest 2013 Mixtape - Al Lover


"In the Sun" by Moon Duo, from APF 2012 Mixtape (2012)
"Jesus" by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, from APF2012 - Day Three, Emo'S Stage (2012)
"Alive" by The Soft Moon, from APF 2013 Mix (2012)

Genre - Austin-Fest Psych
Official - austinpsychfest.com/
Location - Austin, TX (Al Lover: SF, CA)

Download - APF 2013 Mix, APF 2012 Mixtape, APF 2012 Daily Mixes

Last year's fest was my #4 Live Show, 2011 (in a very strong year), and this year's was fantastic (stay tuned). The overall mixtape for 2012 is still up, and has some excellent tunes that you should have in your library. The separate day/stage mixes were a pretty good idea, but not as useful as you'd think.

The mixtape for next year's fest, much like the actual line-up, is excellent. My original post. It's one long track like a mixed DJ set, and features: Acid Mothers Temple, Spectrum, The Soft Moon, Lumerians, White Fence, Black Bananas, Dead Skeletons, DIIV, King Khan & The BBQ Show, The Growlers, Black Mountain (#10, 2008), Boris (#6, 2007), Goat (#1, 2012), Clinic, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Black Angels (#3, 2006), Warpaint, Tinariwen, Deerhunter, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, The Warlocks, Man or Astro-Man?, and the DJ himself, Al Lover.


#1 Live at the 40 Watt Club - Maserati/Majeure


"The Eliminator" by Maserati, at the 40 Watt Club (10/27/2012)

Genre - Astral faves Opening & Headliner sets
Official - Southern Shelter
Location - Athens, GA

Interview - Atlanta Music Guide
Download - Maserati, Majeure
Purchase - product at TRL

Maserati & Majeure were primarily or in part, respectively, the #7 and #5 Records of 2012... #3 Live Show and #5 Albums(s) of 2011... #1 Record and co-#23 of 2010... and both contributed to #2 set of 2009, etc... Unfortunately, I didn't catch this tour with Maserati's new drummer & new material, and with Majeure opening - but good quality recordings of both sets sure goes a long way. (By the way, the Maserati recording was linked by the band on their Facebook, so I'm counting it as legit.)

Hadn't seen this Maserati 11/19 boot up yet!

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