Much has been said recently about how political turmoil and social instability will provide fertile conditions for great art, and whether or not you subscribe to this idea, we’re pretty sure that paying artists makes for even better soil in which to sow creative seeds. The title to this post says ‘free’ music because it’s snappier than ‘name your price’ music, but really that’s a convenient/attention-grabbing misnomer. Bandcamp provides pretty much the most direct way for us to connect directly with musicians and support their work from all over the world, so why don’t we utilise this tool and ensure that art perseveres in the face of everything else that’s going on?

Anyhow, here’s the first segment of the list, covering artists beginning with A – D. We don’t pretend to be in any way comprehensive, so let us know if we missed your favourite and maybe we’ll add it to the list.Albosel – Container
(RIYL: folk, dream pop, magic woods)

Alexandra Gordon – Rain Songs
(RIYL: bedroom pop, folk, Free Cake For Every Creature)

BB Cream – s/t
(RIYL: pop punk, bedroom pop, lo-fi, grrrl power)

Bedbug – if i got smaller grew wings and flew away for good
(RIYL: experimental, twee, sincerity)

Betty Becky – s/t / All the Boyfriends
(RIYL: bedroom pop, punk, lo-fi)

Blue Smiley – Return
(RIYL: garage rock, fuzz, dream pop)

Bois – Asleep with Songs of Longing
(RIYL: pop, soul, indie rock)

Boy Scouts – Homeroom Breakfast
(RIYL: bedroom pop, folk, self-reflection)

Cabbage/Oxblood – Split
(RIYL: bedroom pop, post-grunge, slacker rock)

Candy – Azure
(RIYL: jangle rock, dream pop, lo-fi)

猫 シ Corp. – News at 11
(RIYL: vapourwave, 90s TV, mass media)

Cayetana – Tired Eyes
(RIYL: indie rock, jangle pop, punk)

Cereal + Sounds & Z Tapes – FRY YR BRN
(RIYL: indie rock, covers, TV theme songs)

Coping Skills – Relatable Web Content
(RIYL: lo-fi, bedroom pop, Millennial angst)

Constant Companion – Curious Design
(RIYL: pop punk, lo-fi, indie rock)

Corvus B. – France, Later
(RIYL: poetry, spoken word, haunting banjo)

Crabapple – Further Out
(RIYL: indie pop, summer jams, lo-fi)

Daytime TV – DAYTIME TV 2
(RIYL: indie pop, lo-fi, rock)

Deer Scout – Customs
(RIYL: folk, singer songwriter, Gregory and the Hawk)

Dogbreth – Second Home
(RIYL: pop punk, Cloud Nothings, Joyride!, rock ‘n roll fun)

Dowsing / Ratboys – Split
(RIYL: indie rock, pop punk, emo)

Dying Adolescence – Dear you, It can’t wait.
(RIYL: bedroom pop, lo-fi, teenage feelings)

The post Favourite Free Music of 2016: A – D appeared first on Various Small Flames.

This week we welcome Lauren Rearick of The Grey Estates. If you need something by way of introduction, our review of her recent compilation, Sugar Rush, is probably a good place to start. Also, Lauren runs a podcast with her friend Noah that you should listen/subscribe to right now.

Choices Without Reason

by Lauren Rearick

Song you’d play during the apocalypse

Phantom Planet – Big Brat

If the world was going to end in a fiery explosion or whatever and I was left to watch, I’d wanna go out in style. I’m kind of obsessed with Phantom Planet, as they soundtracked my high school years and adult years. I feel like this would be appropriate to play as you got to watch all of the “Big Brat”s disappear. I also wouldn’t wanna play a sad song because I don’t know what’s beyond and maybe it’s pretty cool.

Song for the sunniest day of the year

Thee Oh Sees – AA Warm Breeze

Thee Oh Sees are basically the hardest working, best garage/punk/badass rockers out there and their entire catalog is made for sunshine. There are two versions of “AA Warm Breeze” out there and I prefer this more reckless one. It’s a little longer than the one that appears on Castlemania and gets you ready for an adventure in the sunshine.

Song that reminds you of someone awful

Yo La Tengo – Autumn Sweater

I pretended to like this song and band for the longest time because a then boyfriend was all about them but I hate it. A lot. It’s sad and mopey like him.

(Jon: Lauren asked me to add a second song here, “Because I feel like as much as we think we need to depend on someone else, there are times when it’s perfectly okay to be alone”).

Song with a city in the title

Cayetana – South Philly

Cayetana is poetry, endless relatable poetry that pours forth from the deepest parts of their heart. I was in Philly once for a millisecond and their music always feels like you’re in some dingy basement somewhere watching them make musical magic.

Song that makes you want to dance around your bedroom

The Coathangers – Squeeki Tiki

I literally do dance around in my bedroom to this song. The Coathangers are my inspiration for life and embracing being a bad ass female. They also use a dog toy for this song. A DOG TOY!

Song you’d like played in your funeral

Chastity Belt – Drone

The first time I heard “Drone” from Chastity Belt, I felt as if they had basically lifted a page from my diary. When you spend a lifetime trying to prove yourself to men or gain any sort of recognition in the field of music journalism as a female, this is the song you need to motivate you. It’s my anthem.

And here’s the mix as one handy Playmoss playlist for those of you that are too lazy to click play more than once:

Make sure you add The Grey Estates to your bookmarks (you people still use bookmarks, right?), and to pop back here next week for the next Mystery Mini Mix.

The post Mystery Mini Mix: Lauren Rearick appeared first on Various Small Flames.

Tracklisting:

1. Your Best American Girl – Mitski
2. Shine – Solids
3. Vertebrae – Sam Moss
4. Joy Lies Down – Cloud (Bern Yr Idols comp from Audio Antihero)
5. Near You – Adeline Hotel
6. I Saw You – Outer Spaces
7. Madeline – Yoni & Geti
8. Keep it Light – ARMS
9. Figure It Out – Jake Rollins
10. We Learned to Cry – Adeem The Artist
11. ant hill paradise – Bedbug
12. I’m Young – Erin Tobey
13. coca cola purgatory – Ryder Eaton
14. Muppet Babies – Nice Legs (FRY YR BRN comp from Cereal + Sounds & Z Tapes)
15. Dawn Raid – The Second Hand Marching Band & Benni Hemm Hemm
16. President – Nice Try
17. SHIP – Fake Boyfriend
18. If You Let It – Sioux Falls
19. sorry for not answering the phone, i’m too busy trying to fly away – In Love with a Ghost
20. Clueless – Holiday Home
21. Realistic Birthday Music – Hallelujah the Hills
22. Age of Consent – Cayetana
23. Seattle – Tincho
24. Lance bangs #1 single released on 4/20 – Lance Bangs
25. Cigarettes – Daytime TV
26. Everything Costs – Radical Face
27. Tired of IPAs – talons’
28. Soak – Good Good Blood
29. Heavy as a mountain – Moin Moin

The post April 2016 Roundup – A Mixtape appeared first on Various Small Flames.

The first track, ‘freedom1313’ is punk rock slowed to a speed that makes it comprehensible, at once emotionally aware and blazingly defiant. Lead Augusta Koch’s lyrics belligerently refusing to accept the life that society has in mind for her.

“So I hold my breath as I lose my hair
for a paycheck that will take me where
and i walk the line to the other side
this fear of bitterness that leaves me terrified
that doing what you love wont make you money
and doing what you hate will make you full
then let me be forever hungry
if it’s up to me I will”

The second track is a cover of New Order’s ‘Age of Consent’, which provides another blast of sweet ‘n spiky pop. Both tracks are great and makes me hope for a longer release in the near future.

You can get Tired Eyes on 7″ vinyl via Asian Man Records (and distro’d by Tiny Engines), or as a name-your-price download via the Cayetana Bandcamp page.

The post Cayetana – Tired Eyes appeared first on Various Small Flames.