Download Laura Stevenson & The Can's New LP for FREE (Right Now...Quickly)

Way back in November of last year, I shared a song called "Nervous Rex" by Brooklyn-based band Laura Stevenson & The Cans. At that time, the band had recently signed with Don Giovanni Records and were scheduled to release a new record in April of this year. Well, said record was released on April 26th and, in case you weren't aware, it's been available for free download throughout this wonderful month of May. Have you downloaded it yet? Yes? High five. No? It's free and good. C'mon. Do it now, because it will no longer be available for free download starting this coming Wednesday (aka June 1st).

Throwing around the words "indie," "pop," and "rock" to define the sound of Laura Stevenson & The Cans might be appropriate, but it provides a, well, vague description of what they're doing. There are elements of folk and soul, as well, that prove Stevenson and the band have rustic roots. In fact, cuts like "Red Clay Roots" and "Montauk Monster" prove that some of the album's most compelling moments are centered around sparse instrumentation. This is a band that knows how to tastefully engage a listener, moving from quiet to loud and back with beautiful grace.

Hear/download the record below.

LISTEN: Laura Stevenson & The Cans - "Nervous Rex"

MP3: Laura Stevenson & The Cans - "Nervous Rex"

Shy, frail beauty that's filled with heartache, but also an understated confidence. It deals with pain, isolation, and the external v. internal battle of our collective emotions. In certain ways, Stevenson's determined fingerpicking on her acoustic guitar details much of what she feels, even as she softly and sweetly sings her intriguing words and metaphors. She weaves a web of notes and melancholic hooks, catching your attention and holding you tightly until she gently casts you off, back into the uncertainty of the world. Delicate, emotive, distinct, and quietly breathtaking -- "Nervous Rex" is quite a bedroom folk pop gem.

BUY: "Nervous Rex" is from a record Stevenson put out under her name, simply titled A Record. The album is out on Quote Unquote Records for a "pay what you want" price. You can download it right now here. The album was also re-released on Asia Man Records under Laura Stevenson & The Cans with three additional tracks. You can pick up a physical copy of the album here.

LISTEN: Byrds of Paradise - "Barefoot Generation"

MP3: Byrds of Paradise - "Barefoot Generation"

Rupture. Chaos. Fury. Unbridled enthusiasm. Energy. Unstoppable. Freedom.

“Barefoot Generation” is a total loss of control – the kind that carves smiles out of indifference. It’s a blast of garage rock that’s about letting loose and killing off inhibitions. With buzzing electric guitars, wild drumming, and sonic aggression, it packs quite a kick. On the surface it’s a mess; after repeated listens it’s like being a passenger in the middle of a tornado. It’s a fun ride that’s not easily reigned in or grasped, because the point of the matter is just to live in the moment, with no apprehension. Listening to this song is the sonic equivalent of standing on a mountaintop, screaming until all the air has exited your lungs.

BUY: "Barefoot Generation" is from Byrds of Paradise's forthcoming debut LP, out January 2011 on Don Giovanni.

Byrds of Paradise
Official Site
MySpace
Don Giovanni Records