Andrew Osenga has a knack of writing simple but seductive songs with the kind of lyrics we can all identify with. His voice and songs remind me strongly of Paul Simon in his ability to deliver serious emotion in an way that makes it go down easy. His free EP Letters to The Editor vol. 1 is seven tracks of music derived from suggestions from his fans. It’s all acoustic and mostly mid-tempo and easy listening in a good way. They are nicely produced with some impressive over-dubbing of vocals on tracks like “Wanted” and “The Blessing Curse”. For those into folk/rock or soft indie pop, this is a nice choice.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3. It’s free and legal but Andrew asks that you show your appreciation by sending a donation. So, if you enjoy the music, do it! You can purchase his other CDs here. The artist is presently working on a volume 2 which should be something to look forward to.

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Thomas Mery’s 15 minute, four track Demo EP titled Hallonsaft barely meets the duration requirements of Free Albums Galore but it is too good to pass up. Mery’s very different folk songs are slightly reminiscent of medieval music yet are peppered with electronic glitches and drones that deliver the songs into another era. The singer/songwriter’s own voice and guitar convey an dreamy bittersweet quality. All four songs are quite good but “Shaping Places” is a melodic gem and “realShift” is simply stunning. Some reviewers labeled this ‘Folktronics”, whatever that is, but labels do not do it justice. This is just beautiful and innovative songwriting.

Hallonsaft is available in 192kbps MP3.

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Josh Woodward is a gifted singer and songwriter who seems very comfortable with the idea of creative commons licensing. His first two EPs have already been favorably reviewed on my blog and they seem to get a lot of attention from my readers. Now he’s outdone himself with the equivalent of a two CD online album which is also freely available titled The Simple Life. The first part concentrates on what could be described as indie pop while part two is more folk oriented and primarily acoustic. There’s the same evident skill at crafting high quality songs and communicating with a highly individual but professional style; not a small feat considering there are a total of 22 tracks to listen to. I especially like “Heritage Square” which has an irresistible Badfinger feel to it. Other favorite tracks is the bittersweet “Saturday”, a folkish and somewhat Celtic sounding “Me and Billy Barnum”, and the closing “Afterglow”. This is an exceptional collection of songs.

The album is available in separate tracks or album zip as 160kbps MP3. If you enjoy the music, support the artist by buying the CD.

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The Simple Life, Part 1
The Simple Life, Part 2

Michal Lotan is an Israeli singer/songwriter whose voice reminds me of a cross between the melodic mumbling of Rickie Lee Jones and the jazz/blues inflections of Phoebe Snow. With just her voice and guitar, she bears an course exhibiting both impressive virtuosity and high spirited exuberance.

The 30 minute demo EP Evil Side is available from The Internet Archive’s Open Source Audio. It has 9 tracks, all being very enjoyable and worth a listen. I find her voice is be quite remarkable. I don’t know if she would agree with the classification of jazz but it is no doubt to me that she is clearly influenced by other jazz singers and jazz-influenced pop vocalists. She tends to be most comfortable on upbeat tunes like “Wine” and the opening showcase “Sounds” but I really like the sexy swagger she shows on “I Feel That You need Me” and “Baby Bruised”. This is an impressive debut which I hope is followed by a full album.

Evil Side is available in 192kbps MP3.

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When I first heard Ruth Theodore I had the same reaction of hearing something innovative and new that I heard with Tom Waits and Jolie Holland. It’s not that she sounds like Waits or Holland. In fact, she doesn’t really sound like anyone else which is sort of the point. Her music has elements of cabaret and folk and there is even a bit of a Brecht and Weill sense of wit on the opening “Overexpanding” and other tunes. However she easily shifts to a jazz/rock influenced “Rash” in which her voice and guitar zooms jaggedly around each other in a way that threatens to fall apart at the seams but never does. Actually her guitar playing can be pretty amazing as is her voice. She is equally impressive on slower tunes like the wistful “Nothing On” and the gorgeous “Kathy’s Song”. No matter what the tempo or mood, Ms. Theodore puts her own unique perspective on these 13 original tracks. Now that 2008 has hit the halfway mark, I can easily say Worm Food is the best free album, and one of the best overall albums, in the first part of the year. Grab this before a major label sweeps her up.

Worm Food is available from Jamendo in VBR MP3 at about 197kbps. If you enjoy the music, support the artist by buying the CD at River Rat Records.

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Canadian singer/songwriter Allison Crowe’s latest release is titled Little Light and is in the same folk-pop mode as her other albums. Her voice can be as light as Norah Jones yet her original songs bring out a stronger and more personal character similar to Sarah McLaughlin or Joni Mitchell. Most of the album consists of original material but there are three good covers of tunes by Cyndi Lauper, Phil Ochs, and The Matthew Goode Band. However it is the originals that make this effort stand out. The first two tracks, “Northern Lights” and “Angel” are strong tunes in the folk/rock vein. “Disease” features Crowe’s tumultuous keyboard over an emotional vocal. I also greatly enjoyed the title tune, “Choose To Be”, and the excellent cover of Phil Ochs’ “When I’m Gone”. This is a good collection of songs by a talented songwriter and vocalist.

The album is available in 128kbps MP3. If enjoy the music, support the artist by buying her CDs.

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Austrian musician Simon Usaty, AKA Protestant Work Ethic, may take some listeners a little while to get used to. His almost whispering vocals sometimes interferes with his intelligent lyrics. But those who admire similarly styled artists like Elliott Smith and Ron Sexsmith will feel right at home. Protestant Work Ethics is a one man band sporting sparse but sensitive instrumentation. Sounding like a cross between Alt.country and Emo, the rather introverted singing and musicianship elicits a calm if delicate environment. “Set Out to Take on” and “Clap Clean Hands” are my favorite songs while “Duba Ktana” and “As They Are Blown Here and There” are nice instrumentals hovering between primitve acoustic and new age. This is soothing music that bears attentive listening.

The EP is available as separate tracks or full album zip in 256kbps MP3.

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Kansas City resident Erik Karlsson is a singer/songwriter whose music harks back to the golden era of 70s folk-rock. He is especially schooled in the storytelling tradition of modern balladeers such as Harry Chapin. Even with such a giant name looking over his shoulder, Karlsson still manages to place his individual mark of these well-crafted original songs. His album Forty-Something is freely available from his web site and is released on a creative commons license for all to enjoy.

Forty-Something has a light melodic sense throughout. Good lyrics and a joyous mid tempo beat dominate most of his songs. The title song is a nice sample of musical storytelling. The opening track “Angel” is a very likable indie rock song that sounds a little like a upbeat Counting Crows. I also like the wistful and folkish “Long Ways From Home” and a country road song titled “Reno”.

The album is available in 128kbps MP3. If you like the music, support the artist and buy the CD with better sound quality. Erik is donating all proceeds from album sales and tips to The Harvester’s Community Food Network.

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Singer/songwriter Chris Bartlett recently released his debut self-titled album on the Explo-Sound label and has placed it on the internet as a free download.

I find this a fascinating debut. Basically, there are two Chris Bartletts. The first one is evident from the first few tracks of the album. “Crazy about You” , my favorite cut, has a soulful coffee house funk feel to it. The vocal styling reminds me very much of Gil Scott-Heron. “Stood Up” and Burden” and “The Counter” also have this soul/jazz slant. But later in the album the atmosphere leans to indie folk rock. I prefer the soulful Bartlett. However both styles share strong lyrics and passionate singing that puts this above the typical singer/songwriter debut. Of the other tracks, I especially like “Undeserved Curse” and “Take You Home”. Good songwriting, well crafted arrangements and a vibrant vocal style. What else can you ask for?

The album is available in 128kbps MP3. If you like the music, support the artist by buying the CD in higher quality sound.

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Stay by Wil Deynes is close to 20 minutes of very listenable power pop and indie folk/pop. Strong songwriting and a solid voice is the main reason this brief album is recommended. Of the five tracks, I especially like the title song “Stay”. It is a singer/songwriter showcase with a melody that…Dare I say it?… “stays” with you. The light and poppist “Super Wonderful” and the rocking “Tired” are also quite good. It’s a nice debut by a talented musician.

The EP is downloadable as an album zip in either 192kbps MP3 or M4a files. If you enjoy the artist, support the artist by leaving a donation in the “tip jar”.

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British singer/songwriter John Zealey called his online album Notes From Number 14 a collection of demos “never meant for human consumption”. If these are his throw aways, I definitely need to check out his CD. The eleven tracks are all well structured rock songs with mature lyrics and feeling. Zealey sings in a manner that hints that his emotions are seething just below the surface. I like him best on slightly tensed up songs like “One Hell of a Time” and “Common Ground” but there are some nice ballads such as “Slide With Me” and “Wake Up”. Give this album a try. My guess is you’ll want to hear more.

The album is freely available in album zips of 128 or 160kbps MP3. You can download the zips from the link below or by separate tracks (128kbps) from John’s Last.fm page. If you enjoy the music, support the artist by buying his CDs.

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Earlier in the year I featured the first volume of a continuing series from the BlocSonic blog called NetBloc. Its purpose is to present on a regular basis a showcase of music from netlabels and independent artists. Since then there have been 10 volumes, all of high quality with a well written booklet of liner notes. It is fitting that I would feature the latest of this series at the end of this year if only to remind you that if you haven’t been regularly checking these volumes out, you are missing a awfully large amount of great music.

netBloc Volume 10: Postmodernism is dead. Postmillennialism killed it… sorry Andy :( may be the best of the lot. As usual, it is an eclectic blend of mainly hip-hop, electronica, and indie pop served by an international cast. Ghostown starts the album with a very tasty rap offering. More hip hop is imported from Spain by El Klan Delos Dedete. Singer-Songwriter DavidBowman offers a classy hybrid of folk and electro-pop. If I had to pick a favorite I would go with the great techno-pop track “Munchen” by Garmish Partenkirchen. The best music to get totally lost in is the dreamy and jazzy “Valletta 1:27 a.m.” by The Incognito Traveller. Joijoijoi is minimalist pop while Shorthand Phonetic is Emo like you won’t believe. Most regulars of Free Album Galore will already know the joys of My First Trumpet and Surbuhar (You’re welcome, Mike!). As mentioned before, if you are missing out on this series you are missing some of the best of independent and netlabel music.

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One of the best albums of 2007 has to be Okkervil’s River’s The Stage Names. I found this group and album via my fellow subscribers over at eMusic and quickly learned what all the buzz was about. Part alternative and part folk-rock, Okkervil River has a disarming sound that perfectly mixes poetry and pathos. Lead songwriter Will Scheff’s vocal soars over the complex yet accessible arrangements with the ease of Morrissey but the emotional directness of Conor Oberst.

The artists are offering a free album titled Golden Opportunities Mixtape. It is a collection of cover songs, with the exception of one Scheff original, recorded live on their 2006-2007 tour. Any disappointment over the lack of their own unique songs is dissipated by the original takes on these eight cover tracks. Whether it’s a song by Randy Newman or John Cale, Scheff manages to put his personal stamp on it. Of the covers I especially like Joni Mitchell’s “The Blonde in The Bleacher”, John Phillip’s “April Anne” and Sandy Denny’s “Solo”. “Listening To Otis Redding at Home During Christmas” is the one original. It will give the first time listeners a good sense of how exceptional this band is with their own material.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3. If you like the music support the artists by buying their CDs.

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Two albums of folk rock are freely available from singer/songwriter Josh Woodward. These are well produced tracks that should please all lovers of good quality pop music.

Dirty Wings is basically indie-rock. It has some pretty intense tracks such as the opening “I Want to Destroy Something Beautiful”. Other songs like “Insomnia” have a bittersweet quality. I especially like “The Vagabond” and “Omaha”. Insightful song writing and imaginative melodies makes all the tracks worth a listen.

Not Quite Connected is folk oriented and mainly acoustic. The songs sound more intimate and Josh’s storytelling ability become quite present. The first track “Darien Gap” show off his narrative talents well. There are some nice rockers like “Effortless” but the real gems are acoustic tracks like “She Dreams in Blue” and “Let Me Talk, Carol”. As good as the album is, Woodward saves the best for last, a sweet but sad epic called “River Went Dry”. Overall, this is a more realized collection than Dirty Wings but my guess is you will want to download both.

Both albums are available in VBR MP3 (around 192kbps). Josh makes all his music freely available but if you enjoy the music you can support the artist by buying his CDs in higher quality sound.

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Dirty Wings
Not Quite Connected

I have no real information on the Diamond Star Halos except for the album available on Emily Jane White’s web site along with two other tracks by Ms. White. Whoever the Diamond Star Halos are, the 20 plus minute EP is a clearly a showcase for the sad but soulful voice of Emily Jane White. Sounding like a cross between Jolie Holland and Cat Power, Ms. White surrounds herself with a almost funereal background. “Wake Up Call” is drenched in pathos. “Blue Seude” picks up slightly but is still sad and slightly awashed in the blues. This is a curious but enjoyable EP of folkish alt.country melancholia.

The album is available in 160kbps MP3.

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Asthmaboy is a soft indie rock duo consisting of Glindon Marten and John Boone of Bellingham, Washington. I have an theory that the artist’s environment places itself in the artist’s work. Bellingham is known as the city of “subdued excitement” which pretty much describes the music of Asthmaboy. Unfortunately my theory breaks down in the light of Grunge and sophisticated Seattle. I still have a few kinks to work out.

Their free online album titled Later Days is full of pastoral folk rock that is soft but with just a hint of bittersweet. The title track is representative of the combination of folksy acoustic background and the slightly nasal but thoughtful vocals of Martens. The dual songwriting of Martens and Boone contributes immensely to the suburban quality of the songs. Other favorites on the album include “Disappearing Trick” and “Do The Math”. This is a quiet album for those who prefer their pop and rock on the peaceful side.

The album is available as an album zip in VBR MP3 (around 192kbps).

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Michael Burgess could easily be classified in the newer category of indie pop or emo but my aged ears are attracted to influences of 60s folk rock. I am immediately drawn to the same qualities I hear in Tim Buckley (and yes, his son Jeff too). His album Paper Flowers offers poetic music that is acoustic with a little jazz feeling. “St James Hotel” is a good example as vocal and guitar dance around tabla-like percussion and a dancing flute. Burgess’ lyrics are gentle and memorable. The singer/songwriter is best experienced on the tracks that are simply guitar and vocal such as “Apple Seeds” and “Nothing’s Going My Way” but other songs are nicely if sparsely orchestrated. This is one of the finer folk-pop albums you will find on the internet.

Paper Flowers is available, along with 4 “b-sides” tracks, in 192kbps MP3.

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Lucrecia may not send out flames but there is something warm and innocent about her simple voice. In fact it is the simplicity and intimate nature of this short EP that makes its enjoyable. The five tracks offer about 20 minutes of soft pop that is gentle and irresistable. “Counting Backwards” may be the best track. Its wistful arrangement assures it gets plenty of plays from me. However the other four tracks will have you smiling too. This is a nice choice for relaxing vocal music.

The album is available in 256kbps MP3.

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Canadian singer/songwriter Allison Crowe combines the esoteric beauty of Tori Amos with the pop accessibility of Norah Jones to create beautiful folk/pop tracks. Her web site offers a generous heaping of MP3 tracks and videos. Included are four full albums that are free, legal, and well deserving of a listen.

Her latest album is This Little Bird and it is the best of the four. Production values are high as well as the songwriting and vocal performances. All tracks are originals songs except for three covers tunes by Joni Mitchell. John Sebastian, and Ronnie Shannon. “Effortless” is an especially nice track that sports an exquisite vocal and exhibits her more than adequate piano talents. Other favorite tracks include the title song and a jaunty and folksy “Circular Reasoning”. Of the covers, Crowe emotionally nails the Loving Spoonful’s “Darling Be Home Soon”.

Secrets is her first album having been recorded in 2004. It is a true solo affair with home-grown but still very good production. Allison plays almost all instruments and uses voice overdubbing expertly. However it is still her voice that bring the recording to full dimensions. Again most of the tracks are originals but the two covers (Leonard Cohen’s “Joan of Arc” and Counting Crows “Raining in Baltimore”) are so good they deserve a special mention. The entire album is consistently good with no weak songs.

The odd but satisfying Tidings offers some seasonal and not-so-seasonal tracks. Alongside an acappella “It Came upon a Midnight Clear” and a nice piano accompanied “Silent Night” are arguably spiritually minded songs like “Let It Be” and “Angel”. The combination of modern and traditional music actually works, making a pleasant and peaceful album.

Finally the 2 disc Live at Wood Hall gives a good perspective of the artist. This concert performance covers a wide range of influences from Jerome Kern to Ani Defranco. Crowe’s own compositons are of course the focus and they stand up well. Any one of these albums would be a nice introduction to this artist who is deserving of wider recognition.

All albums are available in 128kbps MP3. If you like the music, support the artist by buying the CDs in better quality sound.

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This Little Bird
Live at Wood Hall
Tidings
Secrets

Most people probably know Nina Gordon as the co-founder and ex-vocalist of Veruca Salt. Since 1998 she has pursued her own solo career. Of her three albums, one was titled Even The Sunbeams and recorded in 2003. Gordon refused to release it feeling the songs were too slow and morose. Most of the songs were re-recorded with the new versions turning up on her 2006 album Bleeding Heart Graffitti.

Now Ms. Gordon has released some of the original tracks on her free online EP Songs From ‘Even The Sunbeams’. The five tracks are certainly slow and introspective but they are also hauntingly beautiful and have a staying power that is unusual in the current pop world. My favorite tunes include “Turn on Your Radio” and “Pure”. Aside from the five songs, there are also two bonus, and more upbeat, demos titled “A Different Song” and “Someday is Too Far Away”.

The album is available as separate tracks in 112kbps MP3. If you enjoy the music, support the artist by buying her other CDs. You can find them and some MP3 samples on her Sights and Sounds page. At the bottom of the page, you will find four full mp3s of cover songs including her interesting take on N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton”.

No longer available

Omri Levy’s music is so quiet and subtle that it may take a while to grow on you. There is little flash, just reflective lyrics and a production that is simple and intimate. However, his songs can become like old friends, trusting but not afraid to point out your flaws. His style reminds me of the simliar casual introspection of Ron Sexsmith and Howie Beck.

Swim is 11 tracks of quiet pastoralism. The songs tackles themes of loneliness, depression, and love with a lot of pessimism but also with a cautious optimism. The best track is easily “Falling (That Joni Mitchell Song)”. It’s a beautiful bit of songwriting that nicely encapsulizes the feeling of anticipation, letdown, and anger we have all felt at some time in our search for intimacy.

The album is available in 160 MP3. If you enjoy the music, support the artist and buy his CD.

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Tom Hanson’s Wake of the Moon is an impressive online album of acoustic new age folk-pop. Mellow vocals are backed up by guitar and violin. Hanson has a voice that took me a little time to adjust to and now find mesmerizing. He sounds like a cross between a younger Leonard Cohen and an older Donovan. The Donovan influence may be more obvious due to some similarity to British folk music as in the title track and the occasional use of tablas in some tunes as in one of my favorite track “Let It Go” and “In a Sleepy Mood”. I also recommend “She’s a Quasar” and “Glide”. Hansen intersperses some instumental tracks which are all quite enjoyable. This is a good CD for those quiet “chill-out” moments.

The album is available in 192kbps MP3. The artist does not appear to have any albums for purchasing, so if you enjoy his music send an E-mail and let him know!

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I originally placed a different pair of album links for this post but it appears the record label removed it from their site the day that I posted it! So here’s another great free and legal pair of albums from another exciting duo.

The Sheds are a folk pop duo consisting of Chris Haubner and Paul Bunyan . The two play some of the most laid-back acoustic music I’ve heard in a while. A Sheds song meanders like a casual conversation and pulls you in like an intimate friend.

They have two albums available for downloading. Their first abum is Dadcommunication and offers 18 finely crafted songs about everyday people and everyday life. The opening track, “All You Need” is a charming example of their music, balancing their great lyrics with their deceptively loose vocal lines. “Half As Well”, “Cotton Balls”, and “Modern Rock Sensation” are other highlights of a very good debut album. My only complaint concerns the up-tempo songs like “Knife Safety” where the “drum kit” electronics tends to underwhelm. But it’s a minor issue as most of this recordings wisely concentrates on the acoustic.

As good as the first album is, Two is really special. Starting with the gamelan sounding “Sunspot” you know this will be different. This is a conceptual album mainly involving the goings-on of characters called Black Squirrel and Filthy Joe. The idea gives The Sheds plenty of room to show their gifts in storytelling. The up-tempo songs, such as “Laundromat”, works much better on this album. “City Park” is an especially amusing bit of musical narrative, sort of a Cheech and Chong for the 21th century. The Sheds continue to do gorgeous things with ordinary behavior in songs like “Bud Found A Camera” and “Homeporch”. Again I have a complaint but it has nothing to do with the music. I wish they included cover art. This is exactly the type of on-line album I would love to burn on CD with nice cover art and loan to my friends to show them how good on-line music can be.

Both albums are available in 128kbps MP3.

This entry marks the 364th and 365th albums to be featured on Free Albums Galore making it an entire year of free albums! Thanks to all who visited and supported this site. There seems to be no end to good free and legal online music so you can continue to look forward to more as I work on another year’s worth.

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Dadcommunication
Two

Krystian Dell is one of those delights that showed up on my recommendation list at Last.fm. You know, sort of “if you like ? you’ll like ?”. Krystian Dell, along with lyricist and producer Clinton Carew, creates witty and sophisticated pop music that is catchy and enjoyable from the start but will keep your interest with repeated listens. Krystian has a likable voice that can wrap around a song with ease. His music can be favorably compared to Elvis Costello and Ben Folds. Carew’s lyrics are quite smart. For instance, my favorite track, “Cutest Kleptomanic”; “You keep stealing my damn lighter and I think it’s because you like me. So I don’t know whether I should kiss you or kick your thieving ass.”. And later; “You don’t even smoke. Are You going to a Bon Jovi concert? I don’t think so”. Of the other nine tracks, “Rolling Chair” and “Bernie Taupin” continue this clever marriage of words and music. “I Can’t Count” exhibits a more introspective mood and is a nice showcase for Krystian’s sensitive vocal skills around a ballad.

Krystian has generously allowed me to link to his album via a zip from Mediafire. The music files are in 128kbps MP3.

No longer available

Loose Records recently released a free online sampler of 10 alt.country tracks. It’s a very impressive collection that should please not only the Americana fans but also anyone who appreciate great songwriting.

There’s not a dud in the bunch. Of the artists, I am only previously acquainted with The Mendoza Line and The Willard Grant Conspiracy. Both of their contributions are typically excellent. I’ve heard of The Handsome family before, but “All The Time In Airports” was the first track of theirthat I ever listened to. It’s a dark masterpiece; the kind of song that floors me causing to me pick myself off the floor, check my pulse, then run to the record store to buy their albums. Simply put, It is the best track on this compilation.

Of the others that especially caught my attention, Inara George’s “Fool Works” is a ethereal waltz that will stay with you. Jawbone does a hilarious cowpunk version of Roger Miller’s “Chug-a-lug” but Corb Lund’s talking blues-style “The Truck Got Stuck” takes the prize for funniest track. The album wraps up with Guy Clark’s “L.A. Freeway”, a bitter-sweet ballad that may be the first song that caused me to think of Gordon Lightfoot and Tom Waits in the same thought.

The album is available by individual tracks or full album zip in 128kbps. If you like any of the artists, you can purchase their albums at the Loose Store.

Edit: Loose Cuts is no longer available but the label have replaced it with Loose Cuts 2, another fine collection that includes The Willard Grant Cpnspiracy, The Handsome Family, and Steve Earle. Use the link below to access it. Grab it fast since it is probably temporary too.

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