Archives for October 2011

Today's MPFree is the first new material in 3 years from Nada Surf. They did release an album last year called If I Had A Hi Fi, but that was an album of covers. The last new material from the band was the 2008 album Lucky.

Their new record 'The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy' will be released in January, with a couple of dates in the UK to follow in February. This is an early taste of that album.

Nada Surf - When I Was Young

There's a couple of comeback records on the EP this week from two big bands; namely Guided By Voices and Orbital. Your final track this week is a song Huey played at on Monday from The Roots.

The band release their 13th studio album on 6th December - this track will feature on it and it's a beauty. You'll find the link below with the other tracks.

As for the art work, on Thursday Huey was joined by The Black Keys who were talking about their new upcoming album. With that in mind, we asked for arty pics of your keys or key rings. This effort was submitted by Andrew O'Dell; many thanks...

Your tracks this week are:

José James - Trouble (Oh No Remix)

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Act On Impulse

Orbital - Never

Guided By Voices - The Unsinkable Fats Domino

The Roots - Make My (feat. Big K.R.I.T.)

Some tracks may no longer be available for download.

It's a straight forward Memory Tapes this week as Tom Willis, who made the tape, explains: "Mine is simply inspired by skateboard and snowboard movies. Seminal parts, or songs that take you back to those videos or just that you think of when skating/riding."

Simple. Here's the tracklisting:

Das Efx - They Want EFX

Dj Shadow - Organ Donor

Animal Collective - My Girls

Battle - Atlas

Guru - Ain't No Time To Play

Modest mouse - Float On

The Knife - Heartbeats

Fu Schnickens - Tru Fu Schnick

Radiohead - Paranoid Android

Chuck Treece - Weakness

Gorillaz - Dare

Felix Da Housecat - Ready To Wear

The Doors - Riders On The Storm

Cut Copy - Future

Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills

Want to email Lauren your Memory Tape? Do it.

Today's MPFree sees the return of Guided By Voices.

The story of this return begins last October, with the band getting back together to play the Matador label's 21st birthday gala in Vegas. A few gigs later, and we arrive at the announcement of the new album 'Let's Go Eat The Factory'.

This LP is the classic lineup's first record since Under The Bushes, Under The Star in 1996. This new offering is set for release on New Year's Day, but here's the first single:

Guided By Voices - The Unsinkable Fats Domino

We're getting ahead of ourselves with this morning's MPFree. Orbital have announced details of a new album and a tour, which is exciting, but unfortunately it isn't until April.

It'll be their 8th studio album and their 6 date tour starts in Manchester on 5th April. Here's a taster of what's to come:

Orbital - Never

Your MPFree on this fine Tuesday comes from We Were Promised Jetpacks. The Edinburgh four piece have just release their second album which is titled In the Pit of the Stomach, and are currently playing some shows in the US.

This free download is lifted from the new album so you can get a flavour.

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Act On Impulse

Techie Stuart Dredge joins Huey to run through some new apps out this week.

iMaschine (iPhone)

iMaschine is billed as 'the groove sketch pad... an intuitive beat sketch pad for developing song ideas anytime, anywhere'. It lets people tap out drums on 16 pads, record melodies on a virtual keyboard, use the mic to record their vocals, and sample anything they like in the real world. Extra sample packs are sold using in-app payments - 'Swagg City', 'Transistor Punch' etc - and you can export the finished work as an audio file or through SoundCloud.

Top Eleven (Android)

People have been playing Football Manager and other football management games on their own for years, but Top Eleven puts a more social spin on the genre. It's a big hit on Facebook with more than three million players picking teams and playing matches, and now it's on Android.

Whale Trail (iPhone/iPad)

This is the game with a soundtrack provided by Gruff Rhys. He's released the title tune as a single, and it appears throughout the game. Better still, it's a great game; you steer Willow the Whale through clouds collecting bubbles, with visuals reminiscent of past Super Furry Animals videos (unsurprising, since the game's designer worked on those too).

Your MPFree today comes from acclaimed jazz/hip-hop artist José James.

He has a new album on the way next year which will be titled No Beginning, No End. This will be the lead track from that album, and should also work as a nice introduction to his work should this be your first experience of him.

José James - Trouble (Oh No Remix)

Want some free music? Well you've come to the right place. In case you're new to all of this, each day Lauren gives away a free legal download sourced for you from one of the many music blogs.

Every Friday, we group them all together for you to download as an EP. Completing this week's downloads is Spank Rock. The band are giving away their track #1 Hit as remixed by The Death Set in celebration of the begining of an annual US tour called Check Yo Ponytail.

Your tracks this week are:

Nikki Lane - Sleep For You

Eugene McGuinness - Lion

The Rubens - Lay It Down

808 State - Cubik (21st Anniversary remix)

Spank Rock - #1 Hit (The Death Set Remix)

Some tracks may no longer be available for download.

After last week's triumphant Memory Tapes where, basically, a compilation saved a relationship, we're back to musical educations. Alice Westlake writes...

"Here is the tracklist for a CD I made my son for his 1st birthday. Obviously at the time he didn't appreciate it too much but as the years have gone by (he's now 5 and a half) he really loves this playlist, and both he and his brother are huge Flaming Lips fans and refuse to go to bed without either Pet Sounds or The Soft Bulletin on the iPod.

"I tried to think of songs that were in some way connected to childhood, but I ran out so some of them are just fun tunes that I thought he would enjoy listening to - and I was right!" Mother knows best, obviously...

And here are the tracks:

Divine Comedy - Charmed Life

Bowie - Kooks

G Love and Special Sauce - Baby Got Sauce

Moondog - Lament No.1 (Bird's Lament)

Flaming Lips - Be My Head

Kenicke - Punka

Soup Dragons - Soft As Your Face

Beatles - Helter Skelter

Bearsuit - Cherryade

Ash - Cantina Band

Elvis - (Just Wanna Be Your) Teddy Bear

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

Belle and Sebastian - The Monkeys Are Breaking Out The Zoo

Arctic Circle Orchestra - Laurie's Lullaby

Pink Floyd - Bike

Fancy taking part? Email Lauren your Memory Tapes...

The timing for today's MPFree is perfect. The People's Playlist was all about Manchester following the reunion of The Stone Roses, so it seems fitting that we have a slice of the city's musical heritage to give away as a free download.

To mark the 21st Anniversary of the release of Cubik, 808 State are giving away an exclusive remix of the track. If you like what you hear, then the Best Of 808 State: Blueprint 'Greatest Bits' is out now which features a few more of these 'reworkings'.

808 State - Cubik (21st Anniversary remix)

Your MPFree today comes courtesy of 6 Music's antipodean radio cousins Triple J.

The Rubens are a 4 piece from a town near Sydney. They are 3 brothers and a childhood friend who formed in february this year.

Triple J tweeted about them, and now you get to hear them and download the track for free.

The Rubens - Lay It Down

Your MPFree today comes from the new album from Eugene McGuiness. In the last year Eugene has been touring with Miles Kane as his guitarist, but now he's back concentrating on his own stuff.

The new album is out early next year, and details are few and far between, but here's a taster of what to expect:

Eugene McGuinness - Lion

Stuart Dredge esq returns for another week to flag up what's new for your smart phone.

Kurt Cobain: The Graphic Novel (iPad)

Nirvana frontman gets his life story turned into a graphic novel iPad app - itself based on a book from 2003 which did the same thing. He's not the only musician to get this treatment either: there's a Johnny Cash graphic novel for iPad. The main thing missing here, though, is the music - you'll have to set that playing in the background manually, which is an opportunity missed (e.g. the chance to sync certain songs with bits in the story).

Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination (iPhone / iPad)

The British Library has a new app out based on its Royal Manuscripts exhibition: 58 Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts with hi-res photos, videos of experts talking about them etc. Shows how museums are getting into apps as a way of widening their audience - but also getting more people to actually come along to their exhbitions too.

rad.io for Android (Android)

Not everyone wants to listen to streaming music on demand, choosing specific playlists and songs on their phones. Rad.io is one of a breed of apps (TuneIn is another popular one) that helps you listen to good old radio - either normal stations, internet streaming ones or podcasts. Brand new out for Android, joining the existing iPhone version.

It's a nice mellow start to this week of MPFrees. Kicking things off is Nikki Lane whose track is part-indie/part-country, covered in jangly slide guitar and short, sweet and to the point. Nice.

Her debut album called Walk Of Shame is out now through IAMSOUND Records, and you'll find this track on it.

Nikki Lane - Sleep For You

It's F-F-F-Friday; which means it's F-F-F-Free day! See what I did there? Please find attached below this week's MPFrees, including today's which is from Kele Okereke. The former Bloc Party man's new EP The Hunter is out November 7, and this track comes from it. Find it with the other downloads below.

As for the artwork, Lauren asked for photos of you during your teenage years. This was inspired by Ash's session on Thursday during which Tim Wheeler talked about being a teenage popstar.

We opted for the below submission from Martyn taken in 1982. He's the one at the back:

Your tracks this week are:

Boris - Spoon

Phantogram - Don't Move

Dutch Uncles - Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Elephant - Assembly

Kele - Goodbye Horses

Some tracks may no longer be available for download.

After a few weeks of sad endings to the stories behind Memory Tapes, how will this week's end up? I'm not gonna tell you, because it's a great story and I don't want to spoil it. Telling the story is Becki Viner...

"About seven years ago I decided I had had enough of London and I moved back to the lovely countryside of Devon. One weekend I went back up to London to see System of a Down play Brixton Academy and visit one of my friends, Kate.

"While visiting Kate I met Dave, one of her housemates and best friend, we hit it off instantly and had a whirlwind weekend. He took me to see the Hitchhikers Guide exhibition at the science museum and then we hit an art gallery off the Southbank and went for pizza, hung out in Old Street and hid me in his house the day after I was supposed to have left so our friend didn't find out...

"We went on calling each other and almost every weekend I would make the trip by coach up to see him. But one day I realised one of was going to have to move, but it wasn't going to be him, so I broke it off.

"But it's OK, we have a happy ending!

"The next morning a mix tape arrived in the post he had already sent, I listened to it, and after a day of tears and phonecalls we decided to make it work, it must have been in the stars because the next day I had a call from an old agency in London with a job offer so I moved back to the big smoke!

"Six years later, although he's never taken me back to a museum because, apparently, he has me now so no longer needs to try, we are still going strong and had our daughter Kara Mei 9 months ago!

"I hope you like this mix as much as I do, It still puts a smile on my face when I listen to it."

Pretty awesome story, no? Here's the tracks that saved a relationship...

1. Yoda Plays Computer Games - Dj Yoda

2. Sign Your Name - Dj Yoda

3. You're A Star - Josie and the Pussycats

4. Extraordinary Girl - Green Day

5. Falling Away With You - Muse

6. **** Her Gently - Tenacious D

7. Fell In Love With a Girl - White Stripes

8. International You Day - No Use For a Name

9. Everybody Knows You're Insane - Queens of the Stoneage

10. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin

11. I Only Want to be with You - Me First & the Gimme Gimme Gimmes

12. Tiny Dancer - Elton John

13. Oxygen - Willie Mason

14. Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley

15. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Dan Band

16. I Miss You - Blink 182

17. Where Is My Mind - Pixies

18. Meltdown - Lisa Gerrard

Send Lauren your stories (happy or sad) and a tracklisting and you could feature on Memory Tapes.

Your MPFree today comes from new band Elephant. They are Amelia Rivas and co-songwriter and producer Christian Pinchbeck.

Their debut EP arrives on 14th November which will be followed by some UK dates and then the album in 2012. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; let's start with the EP's opening track...

Elephant - Assembly

Your MPFree today is a cover. It comes courtesy of Dutch Uncles who've taken on Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears.

The band have been using this track as a set closer for their gigs across the summer and, to celebrate the end of the season, have recorded it and are giving it away.

Dutch Uncles - Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Your MPFree today comes from Phantogram who are New Yorkers Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel.

Their full-length debut album Eyelid Movies was released in February last year and the new EP, Nightlife, is released on 1st November. Help yourselves...

Phantogram - Don't Move

After a week away, App guru Stuart Dredge returns with news, and these reviews...

Cars 2 AppMates (iPad)

Disney has released a new app designed to work with toy cars in the real world. You literally drive them around your iPad screen to interact with the virtual Radiator Springs, chatting to characters, having races and even tipping over tractors.

It's out for the iPad 2 (with an iPad 1 version to come), and the app is free but the cars cost £12.99. Disney is planning to do more of these 'Appmates' apps for its other movies too.

London Unfurled (iPad)

This iPad app is based on the book of the same name. Artist Matteo Pericoli travelled along the north and south banks of the Thames, sketching pen'n'ink drawings as he went of all the riverside buildings.

This app lets you follow that journey, zooming in and tapping on famous places to read all about them - with audio courtesy of Will Self and Iain Sinclair.

Tap! The Magazine (iPad)

Tap is, literally, a magazine about the iPad, which you read on the iPad, and which is even made with... an iPad. Released by UK company Future, it has reviews, features and tips on apps, but the interesting thing is that it's actually created on an iPad rather than traditional desktop publishing software.

Your MPFree today is a slice of Japanese shoegaze! Obviously. The band in question are called Boris and this track comes from their 15th record 'New Album' which they describe as 'extreme pop' and is out on November 25th.

Boris - Spoon

Every day as part of workers playtime we give away a free download.

You can find each download on Laurens blog.

Every Friday we put all five tracks on the same page for you to make an EP to download to your MPFree player.

Your tracks this week are:

MON: Fairewell - Born Under A Bad Sign

TUE: Chairlift - Peculiar Paradise

WED: Still Corners - Into The Trees

THURS: Oh Land - Bloodbuzz Ohio

Your final track is Friends Of Friends by New York quartet Hospitality.

Hospitality are Brian Betancourt, Nathan Michel, Kyle Olson and Amebr Papini.

They formed in 2007 and have just announced signing with Merge Records for their self titled debut LP, due March 2012.

It's produced by Shane Stoneback (Vampie Weekend, Sleigh Bells) and band member Nathan Michel.

Currently on tour in the US but here is the track below to wet your appetite.

Hospitality - Friends Of Friends

This week's Memory Tapes is another tale which ends with a break up! I'm worried about you lot. This week it's the turn of Charlotte Holworthy who writes...

"Two and a half years ago my housemate had organised a fund-raising gig. I went along and being the supportive friend I am spent the entire evening right in front of the stage dancing. At the after party Matt came up to me and said he'd seen me dancing, and hoped I'd enjoyed his band Melosa.

"We ended up staying up all night talking, and of course one of the first things he asked was what type of music I was into. I got onto my high horse somewhat, and began to wax lyrical about how I hated people who defined themselves by their musical tastes, and that there is far more to a person that what they listen to... blah blah blah. When I'd finally stopped talking he looked at me and said "I'm in a band and I DJ... Music is my life".

"I felt like a bit of a wally but despite this we started going out, and thus ensued 18 months of musical education. He played records for me at home, took me to loads of gigs like Amadou & Mariam, Jamie Lidell and Ugly Duckling. I went to festivals with him as his +1 and saw countless bands I would never have heard of, but now love.

"My job as a European tour guide meant I was away from home a lot so Matt made me lots of mixtapes, and this one, 'Let's Go Everywhere', was the first. Every evening I'd pop the CD into my CD walkman and listen to it in my hotel room. When we went to Lovebox in 2009 and Noah and the Whale started playing 5 Years Time, I was so excited to be able to sing along.

"Sadly we came to an end a year ago, but I still have the battered CD wallet full of his CDs, and a real appreciation for music. In fact I'm off to see Ugly Duckling again next week, and one of the first songs I learnt to play on the ukulele earlier this year was Noah and the Whale's 5 Years Time."

Here's a snap of the CD:

And the tracklisting is:

Take It Easy My Brother Charles - Jorge Ben

5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale

Baby's Got Sauce - G Love & Special Sauce

You and Me - Yes Sir Boss!!!

Gold - Ben Harper

It's Great When We're Together - Finley Quaye

Could You Be Love - Bob Marley

I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow - Soggy Bottom Boys

I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder

I Feel Good - James Brown

Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon

Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

Feeling Good - Nina Simone

If Not For You - Bob Dylan

Inspired? Email Lauren the story of your Memory Tape.

Your MPFree today is a cover; not had one of those for a while.

The band doing the covering are Oh Land which is the stage name of Danish singer-songwriter and record producer Nanna Øland Fabricius. The band being covered is The National with a track from their most recent album High Violet.

Oh Land - Bloodbuzz Ohio

Your free download today is a track that's been played on the show many times. It's the debut single from London-based Still Corners, which is released as a single next Monday through Sub Pop.

The album Creature Of An Hour was released at the end of September.

Still Corners - Into The Trees

With National Poetry approaching, Lauren asked you to send in your poems. We had a huge response and a lot more haikus than we expected; a huge thank-you to all involved. Here's a few of our favourites...

Imitation Stone Patio Pot by Darren St Range in Bradford on Avon

Not a

Terracotta

+++

From Lynne in Nantwich...

Sitting in the eternity ward

Doing nothing, getting bored

When something happened quite perverse

I gave birth to the universe

I wish I never had that big bang

+++

From Samosa Jon in Birmingham's fashionable Moseley

Fat cat

You are so fat

All you do is sleep and nap

No longer fit through the flap

++++

A Haiku....titled Do Bears? from Leighroy

"Well that answers that."

And carefully the ranger.

Wiped his dirty boot.

+++

"I wrote this haiku when my dad was in hospital," wrote Ukulele Dave in Tunbridge Wells "having his fourth replacement knee joint fitted some time ago (having worn out previous ones)."

Fourth knee replacement

How many legs has he got?

He's not a centaur.

++++

Andy From Derby writes... "I've written stupid poems (mainly to my wife) for years, but I did one for mother's day a few years and I've struggled to top it:"

My Mum

Bacardi Rum

Garden Queen

Fag Machine

+++

Jen in London Fields emailed Lauren to say "I'm currently off work sick, but sitting at home work and constructed this haiku whilst making a coffee:"

Itchy and quite sore

Keep putting drops in my eyes

CONJUNCTIVITIS!

++++

A Contentious Biscuit by Stuart

Pronunciation police?

I need some advice:

Is it Nice as in crease

Or Nice as in rice?

+++

This beauty came from Garry Bettle

Error 404:

Your haiku could not be found.

Try again later.

++++

Tea & Cigarettes

I remember my first sip.

Hot. Sweet. The steam stinging my eyes.

I spluttered and choked, not understanding

How Mum could do this

First thing in the morning.

+++

Bella Clarke emailed us this poem "in memory of my cat Dennis, who was sadly put down last Christmas"

Dennis Cat

No mistaking that

Dennis do, Dennis like

Dennis don't, Dennis fight!

+++

Ode to Supernoodles by Graeme in Bishopbriggs

Twas the night before payday

And all through the house

Not a morsel to eat

Not even a mouse

But, lo what's that

Up on the shelf

Mild Curry Supernoodles

I said to myself

I licked my lips

And reached up above

For the tasty treat

Purchased by my love

Into the pot

And on with the gas

Add some water

And then the last

Adding the sachet

Full of flavour

This really will be

Something to savour

No I really don't know how

To finish this off

And on that note I'm

Off to scoff

++++

And finally, Alex Parker got this haiku published when he was 10

My fish spends all day,

Lying on his back I think,

There is something wrong

Your MPFree today comes from Chairfift. It's been three years since they've released anything new and this 7-inch features the tracks Amanaemonesia and Peculiar Paradise.

The track you're getting for free is Peculiar Paradise, and you can expect more where that came from next year.

Chairlift - Peculiar Paradise

Your first MPFree of the week comes from a new act on the Sonic Cathedral label.

Fairewell is London based Johnny White and this track is a first taste of the forthcoming debut album Poor, Poor Grendel.

Fairewell - Born Under A Bad Sign