Somewhere in the British Isles, there must be a secret spring gushing out an enchanted potion that endows people with supernatural musical abilities. That’s the only explanation I can think of for the constant flow of great music coming from that part of the world. Every generation seems to bring another batch of great bands with catchy melodies and well-crafted lyrics. These folks do a great service in keeping the heart of rock & roll alive. Today’s Free Music Friday highlights two men – one from England, the other from Ireland – doing just that.
Elvis Costello: “The Spell That You Cast”
For his 33rd (wow!) studio album, entitled National Ransom, Elvis Costello partners up with producer T Bone Burnett and engineer Michael Pierante, as well as a laundry-list of musical legends. Recorded in eleven days between Los Angeles and Nashville, the studio band includes all the members of the Imposters and Sugarcanes along with Vince Gill, Marc Ribot, Buddy Miller and Leon Russell. The album comes out November 2nd, but you can download a free track right now to get a taste:
Bill Coleman: You Can’t Buy Back Your Life (full album)
This singer-songwriter from Dublin, Ireland came on the scene in the early 2000s and released his first full-length album in 2007. His newest work, You Can’t Buy Back Your Life, features tuneful, literate rock music with driving energy and heaps of hooks. It’s available on his website in a number of cool configurations. The most basic physical version includes hand-made artwork and handwritten lyrics, while the Deluxe Set contains 6 CDs (2 full albums + 4 EPs), a t-shirt, handcrafted artwork, and a personal message from Bill. But the true gem, limited to only 50 units, is the Bonanza Package which includes everything in the Deluxe set, plus a souvenir from the making of the album AND a personalized voicemail greeting recorded by Bill himself just for you. Bill is truly maximizing Topspin’s bundling capabilities to offer extra-special items for his fans. And if you’re not a fan yet, you soon will be. He’s giving away the entire album for free right now; do yourself a favor and snag it while you can!
