Each week, Playlist’s Glenn Peoples looks at special tracks offered by the iTunes Music Store and other select online music merchants. Here are the selections for the week of August 15th.
To say that Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine is an anticipated album would be an understatement. It’s a controversial record that some have hailed as a pop masterpiece. Long after an unfinished version appeared on file-sharing networks it will finally get a proper on October 4th. In the meantime the single “O’ Sailor” is for sale at iTunes along with “Parting Gift” (which was not on the leaked album). “O’ Sailor” is also available for streaming at “>Fiona’s MySpace.com page .
One of the joys of being iTunes is being able to get so many bands to record exclusive sessions for you. It really must be nice. Styx is one of the latest to offer a live EP via the world’s favorite digital music store. Styx Live Sessions has a cover of “I Am The Walrus,” the band’s own “Come Sail Away” and three others.
Thus far iTunes has a digital exclusive on the The Killer’s Hot Fuss Deluxe Edition. Other than the slightly different cover, this new version has three new songs in addition to the original 11: “Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll” (which appeared on the import version of Hot Fuss ), “The Ballad of Michael Valentine” (from the “Somebody Told Me” single) and “Under The Gun” (and from the “Somebody Told Me” single).
DM Records, based in South Florida, just released Reggaeton Remix by Lil’ Jon & The East Side Boyz. The songs are remixes of tracks found on Lil’ Jon’s Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album that was released in 2001 by DM.
The Delays, who charmed Brit pop lovers with their debut album Faded Seaside Glamour, have a live album that was just added to iTunes. The 11-track album KCRW Presents: Morning Becomes Eclectic Live includes a seven-minute interview with the band. The mix is a bit heavy on the vocals but the sound quality is more than adequate if you’re a fan of the band. Newcomers should go with Faded Seaside Glamour.
iTunes latest hip hop mixtape, the Street Official Mixtape Vol. 9, is ready and free for the taking. It’s a shade over 25 minutes long and has cuts by John Legend, Cali Agents, Declaime, Afu-Ra, and many other big names in underground hip hop. Even though iTunes does very well selling the superstars, this is proof that it also has its finger on the pulse of the underground.
There are a few very notable singles in iTunes pre-release section. One is “Saelglopur” by Iceland’s Sigur Ros. It’s also at Rhapsody, MSN Music and the usual suspects as well. Liz Phair’s “Everything to Me” is also in the pre-release section, and it’s available at Rhapsody, too. There’s Young Jeezy’s “Go Crazy” single. Finally, Rob Dickinson, the singer for the Catherine Wheel, is previewing his single “My Name Is Love.” His solo album, Fresh Wine for the Horses, will be out on September 13th on Sanctuary Records.
The free iTunes download of the week is “Face Down” by the Katie Todd Band. The Chicago-based band’s latest album, Make Some Time For Wasting, was called “the best independent release of the year” by WXRT in Chicago. It’s a polished and mature song that belies the band’s independent status. Katie’s voice is superb. The song is free, check it out.
Tommy Lee, drummer for Motley Crue and now the star of a reality television series, has an exclusive interview on Rhapsody. Listeners get to hear Tommy talk about his favorite drummer (Jon Bonham), what band he hates (The Darkness), if he’s smoked crack (yes he has) and what he spends his money on (gadgets for his recording studio).
More exclusives at Rhapsody: the debut album by The Godfathers, Birth, School, Work, Death: The Best of the Godfathers (released in 1996); the new “Paralyzed” (Loudbomb Club Mix) by Bob Mould and The Loving Sounds of Static by The Mobius Band.
Canada-based indie rock label Arts & Crafts has its own online download site, Gallery AC. Currently it has a “>live acoustic show from Broken Social Scene available for download for $1.50 per song. Or you can save two pennies and buy all six songs for $8.98. It was recorded in Paris in June of 2004, and according to the website it has “an Apostle of Hustle jam to an Amy Millan ditty, a new Jason Collett tune to dare-we-say revered BSS classics.
It also has a free download of a new Broken Social Scene song, “7/4 (Shoreline),” from the band’s upcoming, self-titled album.