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14.12.06
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Ormondroyd |
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A lovely cover version that gives a different slant to the classic Christmas song. Click on the link and then go to ‘Music’. There are a few more tracks there to download and they’re all excellent. |
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14.12.06
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REM |
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One of the better REM remixes we’ve heard – and trust us when we say that we’ve heard some bad ones. This track is part of a whole album of remixes that you can download from the official REM site. |
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14.12.06
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Harvey Danger |
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If you remember Flagpole Sitta, you’ll know just what this band is capable of. Smartly crafted tunes and intelligent lyrics fit the bill on Cream and Bastards Rise, which you can download from the link above. |
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14.12.06
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Banco De Gaia |
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A great track from one of the UK’s more interesting dance outfits. Nose around their website and you’ll find another seven free songs to download of varying quality. |
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14.12.06
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Chumbawamba |
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You probably remember Chumbawamba from the terminally catchy Tubthumping, but there’s plenty more anarchic-fuelled music where that came from – including this cover of The Beatles original that’s been done as a ‘tribute’ to The Queen. |
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14.12.06
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The White Stripes |
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With the official approval of Jack and Meg, this White Stripes fansite is hosting a whole audio concert taken from The Forum in London in 2001. There’s plenty of gems to pick from, but this live version of Dolly Parton’s tragic song is fantastic. |
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14.12.06
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Travis |
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When Travis recorded this for a Radio One session, little did they realise that they’d opened the floodgates for every band out there to do cheesy covers of pop songs. As cheesy covers of pop songs go though, it’s a pretty good way to start. |
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14.12.06
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The Dresden Dolls |
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Sounding like they’ve stumbled out of a 1930s music hall, The Dresden Dolls class themselves as Brechtian Punk Cabaret, and who are we to argue. Their official site has plenty of downloads (including this one), but watch out for the odd rude word or two. |
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14.12.06
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Trap2 |
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Another band from Sheffield (Arctic Monkeys currently being the main one), a tour alongside Kasabian and a strong library of music helps to make Trap2 a band that are surely destined for greater things. |
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14.12.06
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The Uptones |
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Keeping the good ship Ska sailing through the choppy waters of modern music far better than the likes of The Ordinary Boys, The Uptones are essential listening, especially for anyone who ever bought anything on the Two Tone record label. |
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14.12.06
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We Are Scientists |
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Taken from their self-released EP, The Wolf’s Hour, this early track from one of the hottest bands of the moment gives a whale-sized hint of the talent lurking in this excellent and exciting group. |
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14.12.06
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Sigur Ros |
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We love Sigur Ros, we really do, and our love for them grew dramatically when we checked out their website. Not only is this gem from their 1998 album, Von Brigoi, on there, but there’s also a staggering amount of other stuff to download. |
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14.12.06
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Scissor Sisters |
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A perfect example of how a cover version should be done, as the Scissor Sisters take the Franz Ferdinand original and make it their own. This temperamental link doesn’t always work, so just reload the page if it doesn’t connect first time. |
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14.12.06
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Voo |
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Currently doing great things on the Liverpool music scene, Voo are definitely a band to watch out for. This track should give you an idea of what they’re capable of, but you can also preview their album, Dates, Facts & Figures, on the iTunes Store. |
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14.12.06
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Arab Strap |
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No one could ever accuse Arab Strap of being easy listening, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that they made wonderful music. Their site is packed with free and unreleased tracks but we think you should start your downloading with this one. |
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14.12.06
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50 Foot Wave |
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Formed by Kristin Hersh of the Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave are a band that almost certainly deserve bigger success than they currently have. Their five track EP, cleverly titled Free Music is available here and Vena Cava is a stand-out track. |
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