Merry Christmas from Huw Costin

Sorry for the radio silence.  Sometimes being the editor of this blog is a lonely job. And when you have to focus on more literary pursuits for a few weeks, it becomes a quiet job. Well, except for my daughter singing "Dance, Magic Dance", but that is another story.

I've got plenty of things on tap, but for now, UK artist Huw Costin would like to give you a Christmas present... a holiday single called "Full Moon at Christmastime," backed with another topical track, "December.

He's officially compared to Buckley, Smith, et al, but I'll be damned if don't also hear some "Three Shadows Part 2" vibe in there as well.  We all know how I like a little darkness with my beauty.  Okay, a lot of darkness.  Costin's release is pretty cool.  You can stream at the Soundcloud above, or buy it on vinyl here.  That would make a nice late Christmas gift for the indie rocker in your life!

Look for Costin's next solo album soon!

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Free Download: The Social Network soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Here is the link to the official download site:
The Social Network Soundtrack EP

Goldie's Movie Review:
I saw saw The Social Network last night. I AM FREAKING OUT! I can not wait for you guys to see it (opens Oct. 1st). It is a fucking brilliant masterpiece. Music, writing, acting, editing... I mean come on! It's directed by the guy who did Fight Club and written by the dude who wrote The West Wing. Really? I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE A NEW FAVORITE MOVIE AND SOUNDTRACK.

HAPPY FALL EQUINOX DAY! Watch out for the Super Harvest Moon tonight!

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Valley of the Cheap Beats

These are lean times. I just found out that this year's HP Lovecraft Film Festival will be the last for a few years. I haven't been in a while, but it's a loveably weird Portland institution. Everyone should go to founder Andrew Migliore's site Lurker Films and buy some of the most awesome cosmic horror books and independent films around!

So, lean times. I'm broke, for sure, and what better to cheer me up than some free music!!! And in this case, to get the tunes you have to know people.

Forrest Armstrong, as he is known in literary circles, is also the entity known as Gasoline Monk, who I have mentioned in the blog before. He's a good lad, and while he was living in Portland I had the opportunity to jam out with him on some psychedelic hiphop. Apart from being a poet and editor, he's a more than capable minimalist beatmaker, and despite his modest protestations, a wild MC. His latest releases are the mixtapes When You Can't Smoke Weed, Smoke This and

7 Poems, 8 Beats. Both feature not only a perfect mix of everything from Led Zeppelin to Burial, but also some Gasoline Monk originals that will have your head bobbing. Check out his blog, listen to the free download of WYCSWST, and if you email and ask real nice, I bet he will give you a copy of the latest mixtape.

Another great new talent is Terrard Robinson. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to play with Terrard before he moved back to Oklahoma. In fact, I had high hopes of getting him together with Gasoline Monk for a jam, with me as the lucky supporting musician. Terrard is a soul singer- an AMAZING soul singer, backed by producer Jon Brownhill- and his long-awaited album Year of the Ox is a neo-soul psychedelic masterpiece the likes of which haven't been seen in years. Walking down on the street on a hot day, pop these songs in on your headphones and you are instantly cooler. Hook up with Terrard on myspace or facebook, tell him I sent you, and I bet you will be the proud owner of his new album too!

Last but not least is helpy-helperson Jeremy Osborn. His band is Wayside Drive, and they play excellent indie electronica. Their new album The Other Side is available as a free download, and you should definitely check it out. I found Jeremy and Wayside Drive after I got my Behringer FCB-1010 . This piece of kit is overwhelmingly versatile, and can be quite frustrating to program and integrate into your setup. Normally it'd be a cinch to hit teh web for a tutorial, but for some reason most of the tuts out there were either just as confusing as the unit, or just flat wrong. I found Jeremy's posts on the unit, and was set. He not only has a youtube video on his looping setup, but offers a download of his Ableton Live set, and some clear, concise directions on how to get it going. What a time and sanity saver. Thanks, Jeremy!

Thanks also to Forrest and Terrard. You three guys are the best, and I hope everyone out there in Blogistan will check out their tunes and support their music. Peace!

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Free Music = Punk Fucking Rock!

September 1st, Quote Unquote Records digitally released local punk band, The Taxpayers, album "A Rhythm In The Cages" for FREE/DONATION DOWNLOAD! You should totally download it and make them feel important, ahem....

Long before Radiohead and NiN "set trends" by releasing music for free/donation download, Quote Unquote Records had been doing just that for years. Quote Unquote champions itself as "The First Ever Donation Based Record Label", which is most likely entirely true. The label is headed by DIY hero, Jeff Rosenstock, who has earned the adoration (and extreme distaste, why? i dunno... haters be haters) of punk rockers all around the world. Jeff, who is a wonderful person, also fronts the synth crazy, ska-core musical collective Bomb The Music Industry! (my favorite band) and The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. Rumor says he once even turned down a a multi-thousand dollar deal with Hummer for use one of his songs, punk as fuck!

If you truly believe in DIY music, you should stop over to Quote Unquote (download the new Taxpayers album, eh eh?) and check out the incredible bands they have to offer. Bands like Cheeky, We Versus The Shark, and Laura Stevenson prove that DIY music can be amazing and can come in any variety. Great fucking stuff.

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