Oh, hello, taxidermied bobcat! What shall we name you? Big thanks to loyal MetalSucks reader Ross Gnarly for bestowing your presence upon the Vince Division of the MS Mansion in exchange for a shitload of CDs, vinyls and other metal swag in my annual name-your-own-price trade-a-thon. Mr. Bobcat is making the acquaintance of Bocephus, and [...]
(click to enlarge) Two years ago I gave away a SHITLOAD of CDs (several hundred) from my personal CD collection, promos I'd collected over the years, and other assorted metal swag. I traded all of that to a MetalSucks reader for a taxidermied duck, and I could not be more happy; Bocephus sits proudly on [...]
Capitol and Reprise Records have teamed up to release the new collection Sinatra: Best of the Best, a new CD featuring 23 of his greatest hits from both labels, and a deluxe edition which includes a DVD of never-before-seen concert footage. Both the single-disc and deluxe edition packages are available in stores and for download from all digital retailers, just in time for the holidays ( iTunes / Amazon ). The chronological collection, which includes special commentary from Frank...
Muruch and Rounder Records are giving away one copy of The Jayhawks' new CD, Mockingbird Time. You can read my review of the album by clicking here and the contest details are below... The Prize: One winner will receive: 1 The Jayhawks: Mockingbird Time CD The Rules: Comment to this entry with "Mockingbird" and your [...]
Muruch and Archer Records are giving away one copy of Amy LaVere's new CD, Stranger Me. You can read my review of the album by clicking here and the contest details are below... The Prize: One winner will receive: 1 Amy LaVere: Stranger Me CD The Rules: Comment to this entry with "Stranger" and your [...]
Muruch and ROMO*PR are giving away one copy of the new A Tribute To Billie Holiday CD, which features Esperanza Spalding, Shelby Lynne, Babyface and other modern artists covering several Billie Holiday classics. You can read my review of the album by clicking here and the contest details are below... The Prize: One winner will [...]

We have a special give-away scheduled on The Ripple Effect Radio Show on Wednesday, January 12 th at 8:00pm (PST). As the first show of the 2011, we wanted to try something new, so we've invited Yohan Hennequin, the drummer from French avant-garde art rockers My Own Private Alaska to join us and give us the latest and greatest on the band. We aim to find out what these guys have been up to since the release of Amen , find out if they're gonna' make it back to the U.S. anytime soon, and find out [...]

West Virginian singer-songwriter Jeff Ellis has returned home from his second US Army tour of duty in Iraq. I'm happy to have the opportunity to give away 1 copy of his magnificent CD The Forgetting Place (click the album title to read my rave review). Jeff will also be performing live at several local venues. Tour dates and giveaway details are below... The Prize: 1 copy of Jeff Ellis' new CD The Forgetting Place [...]

It's been a little longer than a month, but it's time for the Ripple to give away another brand spanking new CD to one of our waverider followers. Each month we'll do this (more of less) and for you to get in on all the fun, all you have to do is become a follower of the Ripple Effect. Just click on that link in the upper left corner and you'll be able to take part in the fun. Each month we'll give a way a copy of an album that we've reviewed on the Ripple, [...]

I have 2 copies of Allison Crowe's wonderful new CD Spiral (click on album title for review) to give away. See contest details and download 3 mp3s below. The Prize: 2 winners will receive: 1 copy of Allison Crowe's new CD Spiral The Rules: Comment to this entry with "Spiral" and your email address . All new comments are moderated to avoid spam (which is why [...]

CD Review: Elvyn - The Decline I've been enthusiastically pumping the sounds of Elvyn pretty extensively on this here blog, but it's no secret that I feel that they are one of the most underrated bands on the scene right now. For proof of this fact, all you need to do is give a listen to their latest CD The Decline . Full of hooks and classic sounding melodies, this does not sound like a band that should be struggling for [...]

Muruch and Filter Magazine are giving away a copy of The Bird & The Bee's new CD Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates . You can read my review by clicking here and the contest details below. The Prize: One U.S. winner will receive: 1 copy of The Bird & The Bee's new CD Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates [...]

I also received another copy of Corinne Bailey Rae's new album The Sea from her label. So time for another CD giveaway! Granted, I gave the album an unfavorable review , but I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't like it and I'm curious if you readers agree or disagree with my opinion. See contest details below. The Prize: One U.S. winner will receive: 1 copy of Corinne Bailey Rae's new CD [...]

For some inexplicable reason, I received yet another copy of Madison Violet's No Fool For Trying album from their label. So time for another CD giveaway! See contest details below. The Prize: One U.S. winner will receive: 1 copy of Madison Violet's new CD No Fool For Trying . The Rules: Comment to this entry with "Madison Violet" and your email address . All new comments are moderated [...]

I'm thrilled to be able to give away Anaïs Mitchell's magnificent new CD Hadestown (click the album title for my rave review), featuring Ani Difranco, Greg Brown, and Bon Iver. See contest details and download two mp3s from the album below. The Prize : 1 copy of Anaïs Mitchell's new CD Hadestown The Rules: Comment to this entry with the name of your [...]

If you liked The Happy Hollows mp3s I posted last week , you'll want to enter this contest for a prize pack containing the band's CD, 73, sticker, and t-shirt. See contest details and download 2 mp3s below. The Prize: 1 U.S. Winner will receive : A copy of Spells on CD A Happy Hollows 73 Sticker and band t-shirt The Rules: Comment to [...]

I'm excited to learn that The Watson Twins are scheduled to play at Mountain Stage next month. To celebrate, Muruch and Vanguard Records are giving away 3 copies of the band's new CD Talking to You, Talking to Me . I first posted their "U N Me" mp3 last year , and the rest of the album is just as good. See contest details and download two mp3s from the album below. The Prize : 3 U.S. winners [...]

I hope that you're enjoying my deliberately dragged out and unabashedly self indulgent list of the top 50 albums of the decade , as selected by me; but I currently interrupt the countdown to bring to you this very special announcement and contest. There have been many exhilarating unions made in the past: Superman and Muhammad Ali ; Run DMC and Aerosmith , and Vodka and Red Bull come to mind, but none have had the universal impact that is sure to result from the joining of forces that is to take place [...]

Muruch is giving away Madison Violet's new CD No Fool For Trying . See contest details below. The Prize: One U.S. winner will receive: 1 copy of Madison Violet's new CD No Fool For Trying . The Rules: Comment to this entry with "Madison Violet" and your email address . All new comments are moderated to avoid spam (which is why you must include the name of the [...]

CD Review: The Schomberg Fair - Gospel For many, the phrases "gospel" and "punk rock" should never be lumped together unless one is having a discussion about opposites. But one listen to the latest release by The Schomberg Fair , and you come to realize that there really isn't any other more fitting description than to classify these roots rockers as an unusual amalgam of dirty punk and speed gospel. Although this seems to be a new concept, if you do a little digging you'll see [...]