Free downloads from Belle and Sebastian, the Spinto Band, and more
By BRIAN KING | January 20, 2006
From Spanish teen pop to mopey Scottish indie rock to Bleu’s Bon Joviest tune yet, there’s a little something for everyone in this week’s downloadable picks.
La Casa Azul, "Como Un Fan" (mp3, right-click to download)
Spain’s La Casa Azul are manufactured teen pop. Everyone knows it. Nobody cares. “Como un Fan” is a outstanding homage to sweet and simple ’60s AM radio pop with an unexpected techno breakdown (complete with vocoder) in the outro. The lyrics may be in Spanish but the point’s obvious.
Bleu, “Boy Meets Girl” (via MySpace)
Local rocker Bleu never met a big, memorable chorus he didn’t like. And some clever lyrics add depth to this otherwise typical song about opposites attracting. Another couple of tunes like this and we can crown him the new Bon Jovi, which isn’t such a bad thing after all.
The Spinto Band, “Brown Boxes” (mp3, right-click to download)
Quirky toy pianos and kazoos driven by a bumping Fender Rhodes groove dominate this outstanding track by the Spinto Band. Break-up lyrics contrast nicely with the poppy arrangement. Who knew something this fun could come from Delaware?
Belle and Sebastian, “Another Sunny Day” (mp3, right-click to download)
Amerindie nation’s favorite Glaswegians recorded this track in sunny CA, and it’s fairly obvious. A little rodeo sweetheart twang and an up- tempo summertime vibe create a Byrdsy backdrop for their typically wistful melodies. With a new B&S disc imminent, the buzz machine is swinging into action.
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