We launched our music streaming and download service last week and so far, many of our patrons have told us some music they've been enjoying! Today I thought I'd share some great and fun things we've found while listen to in this new service. Click "read more" to have a look and try out Freegal today!
One of the first things we noticed about Freegal is the breadth of genres and artists available. Freegal really has everything, from classical to deep house, punk to country western, dark metal to children's . . . it is almost inconceivable that a person would not be able to find something they could get into. Here are a few we've enjoyed.
Let's start things off with something pretty open and likable for anyone with ears:
Dan Mangan is a another fantastic gem of Canada's seemingly bottomless singer-songwriter reserve. With influences from The Beatles to Nick Drake and beyond - his artful fusion of intense and introspective lyricism and catchy, yet musically rich, melodies create a surprisingly addictive aural presence. This could be no better personified than in Nice, Nice, Very Nice. The album, which was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize (the Canadian award for the best Canadian album of the year based on artistic merit), travels from playful to heartbreaking to profoundly beautiful and back again. "Basket" is one of the most heart stopping and beautiful song I have ever heard. Mangan's cuddly yet gravelly voice tells us a story of aging, loss, and enduring love. Beginning with gentle and soft crooning and guitar, it culminates in a tear soaked raucous end with Mangan's voice choked with emotional intensity brings you to your knees. The first time I heard this song, I immediately had to replay it and try to sing along. Singing along, by the way, is great fun with Mangan. It seems everyone, no matter their voice or degree of tone deafness, sounds great when singing along with him, I heartily suggest it! Anyway, this was one of the first albums I searched for when we started playing with Freegal and it has been played many a morning while getting the library ready to open . . . needless to say, there are now more than a few Dan Mangan fans on the library staff, now!
Speaking of meticulous, sometimes virtuosic, guitar picking and soulful/adventurous lyricism . . . How about some Brad Paisley? Undeniably an incredibly talented guitarslinger, Paisley's most impressive trait has to be his penchant for dealing with subjects often taboo in the country world and still successfully managing to convince it to sit hand-in-hand with his joyful humor. From delicate criticisms of southern culture's sometimes myopic viewpoints (Southern Comfort Zone), the difficult subject of domestic abuse (Karate), simple outrageous fun (Beat This Summer), to downright controversial (Accidental Racist), Paisley's Wheelhouse exemplifies this talented and often complex artist. Whether you are a die-hard country fan or an adamant hater of the country music landscape, there is something here for anyone to love.
How about something to just make you move your feet? Well, there are few better than Kaskade. Considered one of the most hardest working artist/producers in the business, Kaskade (Ryan Raddon) his library and list of collaborations certainly stands as evidence of his dedication. His recent release, Atmosphere, is electric and certainly shows his talent. With tracks that you can't help but let the beat move you while still being great stuff to have a listen to at the end of a long day and just chill. This is the first album where Kaskade features his own vocals and they really shine through in the title track. While the lyrics might not be deep and his vocal talents are far from the best, the melody and the beat is infectious and Kaskade's voice works well as counterpoint to the piano and TS404. You may find yourself surprised as you start to sing along with the chorus after the first time it hits your ears.
What about the kids? Well, Freegal has a wide selection there, as well. From SpongeBob to The Wiggles, Freegal has enough music variety to keep your kid dancing (or at least somewhat distracted while you busy yourself with something more adult, like paying bills or something) for hours. My favorite find, by far, in the realm of kiddie music is something I stumbled upon just this morning. The band Sweet Little Band has an immense catalog available on Freegal and most of it seems to be instrumental versions of popular music from classic to current. Using 'soft' instruments like marimba, woodwinds, and acoustic guitar SLB creates music reminiscent of classic kids shows like "Pinwheel," "Sesame Street," and "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood." These renditions include selections from David Bowie, The Doors, Red Hot Chili Peppers, P!nk, Elvis, Pink Floyd, and more. However, I have a clear and away favorite. What mother/father/uncle/aunt with an ounce of metalhead in them can't wait to introduce them to the glories of such Metallica songs as "Battery" or the seminal "One?" Well, thanks to SLB, you can introduce them while they lay in the crib! Babies Go Metallica is a fun and playful, yet surprisingly accurate, rendition of a collection of some of Metallica's most popular songs. I heartily suggest giving a few tracks a listen for no other reason than they will put a smile on your face. I would be interested to see how the little ones in your life would respond to this band and this album in particular.
Let's talk hip-hop. Freegal has an incredibly diverse array of options here that are more than worthy of mention; but, I have to go with Gift of Gab. Freegal has two studio albums by this amazing artist, "Fourth Dimensional Rocketships Going Up" and "The Next Logical Progression." I'm going to focus on the latter. Released in 2012, after 30 years performing and shortly after dealing with kidney failure, Gift of Gab shows he can still craft an impeccable album. With beats spanning the genres of funk, jazz, and soul all supporting Gift of Gab's sublimely understated vocals as they deliver his often deep and self-aware lyrics. This is a very mature album, dealing with some heavy social and personal conflicts but Gift of Gab never lets that draw away from his infectious charm. The result is a brilliantly constructed album featuring an MC that has shown again and again his aptitude for making great music. An uplifting and complex work that is never pretentious and always a joy to listen to, TNLP is a gem. I promise, after you listen to a few of tracks off of "The Next Logical Progression" you'll want to give a listen to his 2002 release ('Rocketships') before searching out more of his work. And that search yields nothing but gold. My only frustration here is that Freegal doesn't have "Escape to Mars" which is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Those are some of my suggestions. Freegal has a ton more, though . . . to the tune of over 7 million songs! So, what are you listening to? What new things have you discovered though our new service? Let us know in comments!
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