Happy President’s Day everybody! This week I’ve decided to round up a few excellent tracks that can be found free on the web. America is, after all, the Land of the Free.

Swan Lake

Swan Lake is yet another side project of Spencer Krug, lead singer of Wolf Parade. The band also features Dan Bejar of Destroyer and Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes. On paper, this sounds like an excellent combination, and for the most part it is, but I find the tracks featuring Carey Mercer’s vocals almost unlistenable. The same cannot be said for the song “All Fires,” which came dangerously close to making my Top 10 Songs of 2006 podcast (and in all reality probably should’ve). With lyrical gems like “… five hundred pieces means five hundred float, one thousand people means five hundred don’t …” it’s easy to see why this is such an incredible song.

mp3: Swan Lake - All Fires

Josh Ritter

Towards the end of 2006, I began focusing less on the rating cokemachine or pitchfork gave an album and more on the actual music. While those sites provide excellent guidance, I will undoubtedly enjoy music they hate and despise music they like. Before coming to this realization, I thought there was something wrong with me for not liking a critically-acclaimed album/group (like Deerhoof for instance). With age comes wisdom, and after moving one step closer to “old man” status this weekend, I’ve learned to just listen to the music. In spite of what the critics write, I like Josh Ritter and think you may too.

mp3: Josh Ritter - Girl In the War
mp3: Josh Ritter - Thin Blue Flame

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Apparently when it rains it pours, and recently I’ve been inundated by tons of quality music. After a year or so of wondering, I finally started listening to (and falling in love with) The Walkmen. Then I’m hit hard by Menomena. And as if all that wasn’t enough, I stumble upon Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, a sunny little pop band from Portland, Oregon Springfield, Missouri (thanks for the correction Josh, I was way off!). Their debut album Broom is the kind of record that can be played when or wherever. I find myself listening to them whenever I want a break from all things complicated, whatever that means.

mp3: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - House Fire
mp3: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Gwyneth