Free Download Friday #136; Roadrunner Records at Download

After a very long gap, and after my first post in ages on Thursday, I decided it was long past time for a new Free Download Friday.

So, here is another download from the ever reliable Roadrunner Records. As they have done for the last couple of years, they have released a free sampler album with a track from each of their acts that are playing Download this year.

It's brilliant idea, as I've remarked before, and I don't understand why more labels don't do this. Festivals have oodles of bands and it can't be easy to decide who you want to see. So, putting out a sampler to let people who are unfamiliar with your roster hear what your acts are like is a no-brainer. If they like what they hear, they are more likely to go and hear!

The tracks and artists on offer are as follows:

1. Absolute Zero - Stone Sour
2. Black Tongue - Mastodon
3. Bruane Brenn - Kvelertak
4. Witchtripper - Down
5. Live It Up - Airbourne
6. Anastasia - Slash
7. White Trash Millionaire - Black Stone Cherry
8. In Due Time - Killswitch Engage
9. Ghost Walking - Lamb Of God
10. Chaos Lives In Everything (feat. Skrillex) - Korn

Ten tracks for free. Welcome back to Free Download Friday!

Roadrunner Records and Rush

Long time no post. The main problem is the usual problem: too much to do and too little time to do it! Just a quick post then to keep things ticking over.

First, it is extraordinary bad news that Roadrunner Records are closing their UK office. In fact, it seems they are closing just about every office around the world. It is not clear yet how big an impact this will have on their ability to promote the artists on their roster but it can't be good for anyone: for the fans; for their bands; and not least for the people that used to work in those offices. I sincerely hope that this is not just an exercise in asset stripping for short term gain by Warner Music, the parent company.

As far as promoting bands goes, I suspect one casualty will be the Secret Sessions hosted by Real Radio XS. Many (most?) of the bands at Secret Sessions have been by Roadrunner artists and the radio station clearly had a good relationship with the label. Will those sessions continue after the closing of the UK office? I suspect not.

But rather than end with such bad news, I want to finish by turning to a new signing to Roadrunner - none other than the greatest band in the world: Rush. Their twentieth studio album, and their first for Roadrunner Records is out in June but to keep us going, they have released another single from the album: Headlong Flight. If you haven't heard it yet, you can listen on Soundcloud:

Or you can watch the official lyric video:

I love it... but then I would wouldn't I. Let me know what you think.

Free Download Friday #125: Roadrunner Records goes to Download

I've been too busy of late to update this blog but I'm back this week with a link that will net you not one, but thirteen tracks! But first a slight diversion.

For the last couple of Christmases, I've posted links and downloads for Christmas songs from a variety of Pop, Blues and Rock artists. I thought that, since this is Good Friday, I should look for an Easter related song to offer as a download. The problem is, there are next to no Easter Pop, Blues and Rock songs at all... let alone free downloadable ones. At least, I couldn't find any. I guess that Easter is just not seen in the same light as Christmas by the music industry. If any of you can think of Easter songs, I'd be interested to hear your suggestions. The best I could come up with is this YouTube video of Larry Norman singing Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music? which contains the lines: "Jesus is the Rock and he rolled my Blues away." :-)

So, what about the promised thirteen track download? Well, it comes courtesy of Roadrunner Records - probably my favourite record label. Not only are they currently the home of the greatest band in the world but they also give away a ton of free tracks!


And once again, as they did last year, they are giving away a Download Festival sampler. I think this is a brilliant idea and I don't know why more bands/record labels don't do it. There are so many bands at a festival, how do you choose who to go and see? In general, I suspect most people will go to bands they've heard of, bands where they already have at least a couple of tracks in their music collection. So Roadrunner Records gives you a sample track from each of their artists that will be appearing at the festival. As I said, brilliant!

This year, the tracks on offer are:

1. Black Stone Cherry - White Trash Millionaire
2. Soulfly - World Scum
3. Lamb of God - Ghost Walking
4. Revoker - Stay Down
5. Royal Republic - Tommy Gun
6. Kids in Glass Houses - Gold Blood
7. Trivium - In Waves
8. DevilDriver - You Make Me Sick
9. Periphery - Icarus Lives
10. Theory of a Deadman - Lowlife
11. Machine Head - Locust
12. Megadeth - Public Enemy No 1
13. Opeth - The Devil's Orchard  

A really good mix of tracks. My favourite is Black Stone Cherry but there's a really good mix of styles there - pretty much something for everyone. Just go to the Roadrunner Records facebook page, enter your details, sign up for a mailing list and you'll be sent a link to the download page.

So, what's your favourite track?

Free Music Friday #101: Roadrunner Records

Roadrunner Records continue to give away some great music. This week, not just one track but ten different tracks for download.

First up, a track from Kids In Glass Houses. Go to their new website, enter a username and email and they will give you a track from their soon to be released album for free. And here's the official teaser:

And if a free track wasn't enough, they are also giving away free Downlad Fesival Sampler album featuring the nine artists from the label that are appearing at the Download Festival this year. For this one, you have to go to the Roadrunner Records facebook page and "like" them. Simples!

Is there a record company that gives away more free stuff than Roadrunner? If there is, I haven't found it. As I've said before, it is mostly down to their generosity that I have discovered many of their artists and bought their albums as a result.

Free Music Friday #97: Roadrunner Records Sampler

I've posted about Roadrunner Records before but I don't think I've ever posted a link to a facebook page as a means to acquiring free music before.

Black Stone Cherry a photo by
LuLu Witch on Flickr.

If you go to a Roadrunner Records facebook page and "Like" them, you are taken to a page where, in exchange for your email address, you get to download an eight track sampler.

In the download you get tracks from DevilDriver, Revoker, Within Temptation, Cavalera Conspiracy, Times of Grace, Royal Republic, Underoath and the magnificent Black Stone Cherry. I am really impressed with the stuff the Roadrunner gives away. I assume they hope that once you have developed a taste for it by listening to the free stuff, you'll go and buy more from the artists you like. If that's what they hope... it works on me!

Free Music Friday #85: New Year Resolutions

Despite my best intentions, I completely failed to honour at least one of my New Year resolutions; namely, make at least two Feedback posts a week. Here we are, over a fortnight into 2011 and I'm making my first post of the year - a free download Friday, and it's late! Will try to do better next week.

However, to make up for it, I'm not just linking to a free track this week. I'm not even just linking to a free album but four free albums and some video! (Well technically, one is a triple album but it's still four CDs worth of music!)

Thank you and goodnight!

Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

I have linked to Dream Theater related stuff before and they are a band that has grown on me since I saw them in concert a few years ago. I read with some concern therefore when I read that Mike Portnoy, drummer/lyricist/founding member/backing vocalist..., was leaving in what appears to be {understatement alert} not entirely happy circumstances! Mike is an outstandingly good drummer but with his umpteen side-projects and other commitments, perhaps he was spreading himself too thin. I think, however, that Dream Theater should be able to keep going and growing and I am sure we will continue to see and hear Mike's work here, there and everywhere. What I really hope though is that a few years down the line, Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy will sort things out and get back together again.

Anyway, to acknowledge the genius that is Mr Portnoy, here is a link to a multimedia extravaganza that is described as follows:

"Independent musicians, graphic artists, and a computer graphics demogroup have collaborated on a grand scale multimedia tribute to Mike Portnoy,in celebration of over a quarter of a century of highly influential musicianship."

The project is called Honor Thy Drummer and what you get (among other things) is three albums worth of music from artists that have collaborated with, or have benefitted in some way from association with Mike. As is to be expected, it is mostly in the Metal genre, but with a definite tendency to the Progressive end of the spectrum - just the way I like it!

And if that isn't enough for you, I also have a link to a sampler disk that includes a free track from Dream Theater featuring Mr Portnoy. The Roadrunner Records Amazon Sampler has twelve tracks for free download. (Oddly, individual tracks are listed with a cost but if you click to download the whole album, it is added to your basket at a cost of £0.00.) Many of the tracks are a bit too Wooorrrarrgh for my taste but some of the tracks, including the one from Dream Theater are great. (And sorry Jeff, not sure if this is UK Amazon only.)

So there you are. Plenty to keep you going even if it is a fortnight before my next post. Let me know what you think of the tracks. Which is your favourite?

Free Download Friday #64: Return to Roadrunner Records

After seeing Cohheed And Cambria at Rock Radio's Secret Session, I decided to see if I could track down any free music for download. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything from them. However, since they are with Roadrunner Records in the UK, I found my way to Roadrunner Records in the USA where, as usual, there was some good stuff available.

Claudio

Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

It is a while since I visited Roadrunner Records (see Free Download Friday #44) and I thought it was interesting that I now own CDs that contain many of the tracks they are offering as free downloads. As I've often said, giving a track away free is a great way to generate interest and (probably) sales. It has certainly worked on me. I suspect I wouldn't have half the Roadrunner product I have if they hadn't given me a taste of their bands on the USA site.

So, in alphabetical order, here are the downloads currently on offer that caught my eye. Some I have already and some are new to me but I think all are interesting:

• Airbourne - No Way But The Hard Way: I thoroughly enjoyed the Airbourne gig in Glasgow recently and if you haven't heard them already, this track gives a pretty good indication of what they are about.
• Blackstone Cherry - Soulcreek: Southern Rock done in a classic style by a band of young whippersnappers. Excellent stuff.
• Dommin - My Heart, Your Hands: When I reviewed the Dommin Secret Session, I used the video of this track and now you can download it for free.
• Dream Theater - A Rite Of Passage: Another band I saw in concert thanks to Rock Radio!
• Parlor Mob - Everything You're Breathing For: There's a bit of a retro feel to this lot and I really like this track. Moments of restraint interspersed with noise and mayhem!

So, that's my picks. Have I missed any? What would you recommend.

Free Download Friday #44: Dommin

I thoroughly enjoyed the Dommin acoustic set on Tuesday (see Rock Radio Win for details) and I really meant to have a review posted before now... maybe next week. :-)

Dark Holiday
Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

It seemed appropriate therefore to link to the Roadrunner Records' site where they are currently offering Tonight as a free download. It's a love song... of sorts... I think... but with a dark and brooding under-current.

That's the only Dommin track I can find for free download but they are currently streaming other tracks from the forthcoming album. (Well, it's forthcoming in the UK; it's already out in the USA.) So you can stream:

• Love Is Gone: The title track from the album which is apparently about lost love... but does he protest too much?
• Dark Holiday: Dommin said at the acoustic gig that it was a Doors inspired number which I can't say I'd noticed before but I can see it now. I think this one is interesting because the tune is almost jolly but the lyrics are really dark. Probably my favourite.
• Honestly: Pain, angst, lost love... they are not described as a Goth band for nothing. :-)

Kristofer's vocal style really reminded me of someone else but I couldn't work out who... is he a bit like David Sylvian from Japan? Have a listen to Ghosts and tell me what you think.

While you are looking at Roadrunner Records' artists, you might just have time to download Get Busy Living from Airbourne... but it's only available for 24 hours, so you'll have to be quick.

Summary:
Tonight by Dommin
Get Busy Living by Airbourne (if you're quick)

Free Download Friday #29: Mellow Metal

I remarked to a student recently that I couldn't see the attraction of Slipknot. My preference is for classic, progressive and blues oriented rock, though I'm not adverse to a bit of metal now and then. What little I've heard of Slipknot hasn't impressed. However, the student suggested I should give Stone Sour a try, a band founded by the lead vocalist from Slipknot.

Stone Sour Download

Originally uploaded by Andy_Pattison

To my surprise, I discovered that I had a Stone Sour track on my iPod already. It came from a Classic Rock magazine cover mounted CD. I'd given it five stars. To be honest, it had never occurred to me that there was any connection with Slipknot as the Stone Sour track has a very different feel to it. The track is called Through Glass and is beautifully melodic with a an acoustic beginning and a great noisy rock climax.

I decided to look far something else of theirs to listen to and found my way to their label's site - Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner Records featured in my very first Free Download Friday post and so it is about time I checked back there to see what was new. I was pleased to see a Stone Sour track available for download. The track is off their Come What(ever) May album and is called Zzyzx Rd. The best description I can come up with for it is: power ballad. Piano features heavily at the start of the track and Corey Taylor sounds lost and vulnerable as his vocals join the piano. I must look for the lyrics to see what this track is about because even as the other instruments kick in and Corey's voice becomes stronger, the sense of vulnerability remains. The guitar solo that features towards the end is well worth hearing. It is loose but controlled in a way the fits perfectly with the mood of the song - beautiful. As I said, I'm not sure what the song is about but it reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb - in tone at least. It has the feel of a song by someone who has reached the bottom.

Re-reading the last couple of sentences, it doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement but I like this track (four stars on my iPod) and I strongly recommend you check it out.

Black Stone Cherry Download
While you are at the Roadrunner site, you should also look for Black Stone Cherry. Currently they are offering Things My Father Said for download, another ballad. A bit different from the Southern Rock sound that has made them famous but a track that's had a fair bit of airplay on Rock Radio and one that's definitely grown on me.

And Finally...
I don't know whether to be pleased or worried that Jeff (from Totally Free Music) also headed over to Roadrunner Records to recommend a free download this week. Is it that great minds think alike or a case of fools that seldom differ? First Suburban Home recordings and now Roadrunner. Hopefully next week we'll end up in different places. :-)

Sorry that things have been so quiet in this blog but I was too busy over the last week with education stuff. I'll try to do better next week.

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. :-)

Free Download Friday #1

It's a Friday and I hope this is the first of a semi-regular series of links to free downloads... so Free Download Friday seems like a good name. (Better the Zero Cost Zursday anyway!) So, lets start with a biggie...

Thank you and goodnight!
Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

I mentioned in my post about last.fm that I am a relatively recent convert to Dream Theater but making a debut on this blog is Airbourne. On the face of it, these groups do not have a lot in common. Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band whereas Airborne is an straight out hard rock band from Australia. What links them is Roadrunner Records. This is a record label that has a number of big names on its roster (including Nickelback and Sammy Hagar) but also has a load of other groups that I didn't know much (or anything) about before I found my way to the Roadrunner site. New discoveries that I'm impressed with include Black Stone Cherry (excellent southern rock), The Parlor Mob and Theory of a Deadman.

The UK Roadrunner site is a great source of information about upcoming tours and releases, and it offers the occasional free download, for example, currently you can download Carnival Of Crows by the Parlor Mob (and I would recommend you do!). However, for the mother lode of free downloads, you have to head to the American site.

When you first arrive you are offered the chance to subscribe and download a free album. In fact you get a choice of two: Annual Assault (thirteen tracks which feature some of their more metal acts) or Between Rock and a Hard Place (eleven tracks which feature some of their more rock oriented acts). I subscribed and went for the rock album and Daughter Number Two joined for the metal one... but both of us liked both. :-)

Even better, many of the artists' pages on the American site offer a free download track. Here are some of my favourites (in alphabetical order):

• Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
• BiffyClyro - Mountains {A fine Scottish band.}
• Black Stone Cherry - Please Come In {A very mellow track compared to other stuff of theirs I've heard.}
• Dream Theater - Forsaken
• Opeth - Burden {I don't usualy like band with a "Wooorrraaargh!" approach to vocals but these chaps are growing on me.}
• The Parlor Mob - Hard Times
• Sammy Hagar - LOUD
• Theory Of A Deadman - Hate My Life

These are just a few of the downloads on offer. Go explore and then let me know what your favourites are.