Free mp3: Alabama Shakes

If you’re in the market for some gospel-infused southern-rock-influenced music with a dash of smoky soul, well, Alabama Shakes may fit the bill.

The band’s single “Hold On” from their 2012 debut Boys and Girls is available for free on Amazon. Get it.

The band looks straight from the high school garage (I especially like the bassist), but vocalist Brittany Howard’s voice is like a siren.

The video is from the band’s performance on Letterman. If you make it to the end, answer me this: is Letterman’s reaction genuine, or just a good acting job?

I’m curious of your answer.

Free mp3: The Barr Brothers

I’ll be honest: I don’t know much about The Barr Brothers (except what Wikipedia tells me … so it must be true), but any band that includes a harpist is worth a listen, right?

I was struck from the first note of the sample. It has that calm, cool, singer/songwriter, close-your-eyes-and-relax-because-everything-will-be-alright vibe. Plus any band that uses hand claps and knee slaps is OK in my book. But maybe that’s just me.

Download your own copy and see if you agree. Let me know either way.

Free mp3: The Orange Peels

OK, sure this song is two years old, but considering this band releases albums about every four years, I’m right there at the halfway mark … that’s not too bad, is it?

That’s the thing about music. There’s always more you don’t know about music than you do. It’s like thinking you know all about the ocean just because you’ve been to a beach or four. There’s always more ocean. There’s always more music

Selah.

Anyway, check out “We’re Gonna Make It,” from northern California’s Orange Peels. It’s a little rock, a little indie, a little pop … but it’s all good. I found this song while trolling through Amazon. It was on a Minty Fresh sampler, but the song is also free from the band’s 2020 album.

Download it and maybe, just maybe, you can dip your toe into some salty new music water.

Free mp3: Archers of Loaf

Sometimes I look back at my life and just shake my head. For example, I know I was really into music in 1990, but for the life of me I can’t recall how I missed Archers of Loaf.

Last weekend, Amazon had their first CD, Icky Mettle, for $3.99 and, on a lark mixed with a tinge of homesickness for Chapel Hill, I got it. It was raw energy and that distinguishable — though a bit timeless — 90s sound. Know what I mean? The AV Club does.

Anyway, taste a sample and get the track “Wrong” for free.

Acid-washed, ripped jeans sold separately.

Let me know what you think.

Free mp3: Glen Campbell

If you’ve been around as long as Glen Campbell, you deserve some respect, which is why he’s today’s free mp3.

You can get the title track from his latest (and final due to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis) album for free today.

Following the Johnny Cash American Recordings model (which has also been followed by Loretta Lynn and Neil Diamond), Campbell has released an album that includes songs written by Jakob Dylan, Billy Corgan, and Paul-Freaking-Westerberg (!) which may be enough for me to get the whole album (the $3.99 download price on release day doesn’t hurt either). Westerberg wrote the title track.

So, open up your musical palette, make others think you know some musical history. If you already KNOW musical history, download it to prove it.

Besides, it’s free.

Is you need a listen: