No Money - No Problem

January is a tough time. It’s that troublesome combination of being back at work and having no money left after the financial drain that is Christmas. Hence why we decided to save releasing our compilation till March when people have emotionally and financially recovered (it definitely has nothing to do with the fact we’re at all disorganised in any way).   One of the worst parts about the January lull is that while you’re starting to get bored of any CDs/Vinyls you got for Christmas, it's still a fair while till the next influx of cash and the chance to invest in more music. To keep you going till then, here are a few excellent records by local bands you can get hold of (if you haven’t already) FOR FREE:   Solutions – Before the Roars When I first listened to ‘Before the Roars’ (after battling with my laptop’s inability to handle the internet), I actually felt a little guilty for not having paid for this. The fact they aren’t charging for the release is no reflection on its quality, with a lot of time and effort clearly having gone into producing well written songs which are polished, without sounding over-produced or losing that raw quality which makes them stand out. Their sound is reminiscent of punk greats Hot Water Music and Planes Mistaken for Stars, but to be honest there's no need for us to tell you what we think it sounds like seeing as you can get hold of it for free and make your own mind up.   Download it here, listen to it, then go see them at Barfly on January 23rd.   Elephant & Soldier – First Shots While somewhere near the opposite end of the aggression spectrum to Solutions, "First Shots" is  equally worth a listen. The 4 star review of it on 'God is in the TV' describes it much more eloquently than I could ever hope to, but needless to say it was another find well worth the battle with my internet connection to get hold of. Aside from the music itself being of note, it's an interesting release: free digital download, limited handmade physical copies of which each run was slightly different, and possibly releasing the garageband files for fans to remix in the future.   You can download first shots from E&S' myspace.   If that’s still not enough to sate your musical appetite, here are a few other good ways to get hold of free music by bands local and otherwise: Miniature Music Press Download Society – Excellent local magazine MMP are offering you 3 tracks a month to download from bands they’ve featured, including Barely Regal favourites Hail! The Planes this month. Kruger Singles Club - One of the most acclaimed singles clubs around, Kruger are offering a free download on the first Monday of every month by their favourite new bands. Big Scary Monsters - By just signing up as a 'friend of the family' you get access immediately to 50+ exclusive mp3s, videos, free gifts, discounts etc. Takes all of 5 seconds and all you need to give them is your email address, which lets be honest they'll probably only use to send you even more free stuff. BSM don't half treat you well...