This project caught my eye (or ear) because it's such an interesting concept: Nick Jaina set out to compose an album full of songs to each be sung by a different female singer. The process was challenging: sometimes Nick wrote a song for a singer who didn't resonate with the song, and the piece had to be given to someone else. Sometimes keys had to be changed or lyrics altered, songs were recorded and re-recorded until everything came out just right. The result is that of a mixtape; a familiar flow through songs that sound as [...]
Every day, Daily Downloads offers 10 free and legal mp3 downloads, plus free and legal live sets from around the internet. Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Almost Free : "Don't Bother Me Now (Adultescent)" [mp3] from In/Out (out June 7th) search for more Almost Free posts at Largehearted Boy Colorfeels : two tracks [mp3] from [...]

There's a different kind of new release on the way from Portland's Nick Jaina . The prolific singer-songwriter returns soon on Bladen County with The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone , but his familiar croon will be nowhere on it. Instead, he enlisted ten distinct female voices to replace his own on the original collection, which began as a leftover or two from his previous release A Bird in the Opera House . Laura Gibson, Corrina Repp (Tu Fawning), Amanda Spring (Point Juncture, WA), and Luz Mendoza (Y La Bamba) are among [...]

Good music and good news usually comes in bunches. After almost three years without any updates about my all-time favorite female artist Jolie Holland , we get two separate emails in twelve hours talking about new music. Not only does Jolie sing on the new Nick Jaina record , but she's got her own new long player ready for the masses. Now, all we need is IDOW to get her back up here to play again . Pint of Blood is scheduled to be released June 28th [...]