Free Music Friday: The Drunk and Markered, Geographically West, Shel Silversteinish, Youth Amnesia, Trying Not to Get Lost Edition

Guy walks into a bar. Free Music Friday.

OK, that makes no sense, fair enough, but the fact remains: it's Free Music Friday, so shut your bitching hole.

Guess who got their grubby, little paws on a copy of the new PJ Harvey CD, Let England Shake? As someone who has been following Ms. Polly Jean for some years, with all her albums and a concert or two under my belt, i can unabashedly say i dig it. It's not the powerhouse freak PJ of her earlier days, but it still maintains the odd vibe that marks some of her best work. Call it heavy folk, perhaps? The opening eponymous track and "The Words That Maketh Murder" are the standouts here for me, with Harvey's slightly fuzzed vocals and guitars creating a subdued yet powerful sound. She's doing a handful of U.S. dates to promote the new one, but no 9:30 Club date as of this writing. Did i mention that the most packed show i've ever seen at the 9:30 was PJ? i believe i just did.

mp3: Written on the Forehead (PJ Harvey from Let England Shake)

It's no secret that i'm a beat freak, and i find myself in the midst of a Jaylib bender right now. How fortunate for me, and by extension, you, that Stones Throw just dropped a 14-track digital release of bonus beats from Madlib Medicine Show #11.

mp3: L.A. California (U.S.) (Madlib from Beat Konducta Around the World)

You know how broken up i am about the White Stripes calling it quits (yawn). Whoever shall pick up the banner for scuzz bucket blues? Oh, i dunno, maybe about a dozen better bands? One of my favorite garage punk blues bands these days (and for some time now) has been Left Lane Cruiser. The timing for their third LP, Junkyard Speed Ball, couldn't have been more fortuitous, i suppose. This time around, the duo of Freddy J. Evans IV (axe/vox) and Brenn "Sausage Paw" Beck (skins/vox) are joined by none other than Alive Naturalsound label mate Rev. James Leg of the Black Diamond Heavies on keys for five tracks. i, for one, cannot wait for the March 1 drop date.

mp3: Giving Tree (Left Land Cruiser from Junkyard Speed Ball)

Speaking of fuzzy duos, the Raveonettes are getting ready to drop another one, too. Raven in the Grave will hit shelves on April 5 in North America, April 4 everywhere else. Fate does go our local way this time, though, with a scheduled appearance at the Black Cat on 4-17. Which is nice.

mp3: Forget That You're Young (The Raveonettes from Raven in the Grave)

Lykke Li teaming up with Tyler the Creator? Say what now? OFWGKTA's top dog gives LL's "I Follow Rivers" the remix treatment, adding his trademark low end synths and overall dark vibe, as well as spitting some verses towards the end. On first listen, i didn't think i wanted his chocolate in her peanut butter, but i have to say, i'm really starting to dig the taste of this one.

mp3: I Follow You (Tyler the Creator Mix) (Lykke Li from the OFWGKTA Website)

Free Music Friday: The Junkie, Rented, BRRRR, Ravey, Percussiony, Cartoony, Shoed, Toyed, Napkiny Edition

Ah yes, another Free Music Friday, which differs from every other free music day at LET in ways that are hard to explain, but they're there. Or i simply couldn't come up with a better intro paragraph today, so this is what you get. The price is right, so deal.

Tobacco's Maniac Meat is quickly becoming one of my favorites CDs of 2010. His chopped up style of electro/sampling just does something for me. Which is probably why i'm really digging Junk Culture, a new project by Deepak Mantena with his younger brother, Nitin, on skins for live performances . i'm obviously not the only one who hears the similarities, as JC will be joining Tobacco and Dreamend (whose So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite, is another fave CD this year) on their tour this September. Unfortunately, i missed their headlining spot at IOTA just the other night, but i've already got my tickets to their DC9 gig on September 9. i recommend you do the same.

mp3: West Coast (Junk Culture from West Coast)

For those familiar with the Rentals, you're obviously familiar with last year's Songs About Time Project. For the rest of us, the band decided to create three-hundred and sixty-five days of photography, fifty-two weeks of film, and four albums of music. Initially, very little was released, but the Rentals have come back with a vengeance with a new boxed set, appropriately entitled Songs About Time, that gives us gems like this dream-pop number.

mp3: Honey Life (left click to download) (The Rentals from Songs About Time Chapter Three The Future)

While white guy piano rap may or may not be the next big thing, Chilly Gonzales finds a way to make it work. Sure, his cadence is a bit stilted, but i think that's supposed to be part of the charm. Regardless, the man definitely has a way with his rhymes, which is saying more than you can for half the shit getting pushed these days. Which is nice.

mp3: Never Stop (Rap Mix) (left click to download) (Chilly Gonzales from Never Stop)

LET stalwarts The Raveonettes dip their toes into the remix pool with their spin on The Drum's "Let's Go Surfing." Remix may not be the best description, on further thought, as it really sounds more like the Ravenonettes simply playing over the record itself. The end result, i think you'll agree, speaks for itself on this fuzzed-out, surf-rock number.

mp3: Let's Go Surfing (The Raveonettes Remix) (left click to download) (The Drums from Let's Go Surfing)

Digital Underground alum Money B. has a new project, M.A.S.K. While i assume it stands for Money (B.) And Scott Knoxx, i'd like to think it's also an homage to the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand. While it appears an album still is in the works, both cats show they're still at top form on these two head nodders.

mp3: Lemme See U (Dirty Version) (M.A.S.K. from TBD CD)

mp3: Gettin' It In (Dirty Version) (M.A.S.K. from TBD CD)

For the summer of 2010, i've pretty much crowned Best Coast as your best bet, go to band for appropriate soundtracking. The folks at Converse Shoes, of all places, must have agreed. Check out this team-up between them, Kid Cudi and Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend. (Quick note to Cudi--dude, no need to be lonely. i'll smoke with you any time you want.) While it's a bit much to declare this THE song of summer 2010, it certainly should make the playlist.

mp3: All Summer (Best Coast, Kid Cudi and Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend from Converse)

At long, long last, it appears Autolux FINALLY is going to release the hotly anticipated (at least by me) follow-up to their freaking phenomenal debut, Future Perfect. Transit Transit is expected to drop this August 3rd. The band trotted out a few numbers their last time in town at the Black Cat, and i, for one, cannot wait to hear the entire thing on wax. If this single is any indication, expect more of that spacey, fuzzed out alt-rock goodness. Do the smart thing and see them when they return to the Black Cat on September 1st. If nothing else, it's another opportunity for you to not introduce yourself at yet another concert i've plainly told you i'll be attending myself.

mp3: Supertoys (Autolux from Transit Transit)

And to close out this edition of Free Music Friday, Black Lips are back with their own style of blues-infused rock. Whereas some might go the purist route, the Lips sound like they'd be more comfortable taking it out behind a shed, getting it shitfaced on corn liquor and high on mushrooms before taking advantage of it. Whether or not the Blues was asking for it is a question i shall not even attempt to answer. Check out this one and decide for yourself.

mp3: Best Napkin I Ever Had (left click to download) (Black Lips from Scion A/V Garage: Black Lips / Pierced Arrows)