Tired of Pitchfork.

March 13, 2011 1:51 PM

What are some music blogs that post relatively obscure *full* albums (old and new)? Indie, soul, electronica, rock, disco - any and all genres welcome. No reviews please. I just want blogs that say "Hey, this album is awesome and/or weird. Here is a little bit about it. Now here is a link where you can download it." Thanks!
posted by blackcatcuriouser to media & arts (22 answers total)

I wrote an FPP a while back about CLLCT, a website for indie bands and bedroom recorders to share music for free. The site died a while back (servers deleted), and has since been born again so I'm not sure that any of the band links in my FPP still work, but you can find plenty of good stuff there to download, and all free and legal too.

Also, check out the Free Music Archive.
posted by robotot at 2:28 PM on March 13, 2011

Also, Computer Magic.
posted by robotot at 2:30 PM on March 13, 2011

Cosmic Hearse. The author is on tour with one of his bands at the moment, but there is a wealth of great stuff in the archives. The majority of it is metal, but he's been doing some jazz lately, and there's a lot of punk, some hip hop, and some other odd stuff scattered throughout.
posted by evisceratordeath at 2:30 PM on March 13, 2011

Rock and Pop Bootlegs
posted by timsteil at 3:13 PM on March 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

We Fucking Love Music. Second only to metafilter in expanding my musical library.
posted by namewithoutwords at 3:45 PM on March 13, 2011 [2 favorites]

GhostCapital
Mutant Sounds
Used Bin Forever
no longer forgotten music
posted by activitystory at 3:59 PM on March 13, 2011

The Hype Machine is a massive collection of these blogs, and while the main focus will be on the artists and genres you're actively trying to avoid, I have to think that a few well-typed searches and some strategic link-clicking will lead you to precisely the sort of blogs you're after.
posted by tapesonthefloor at 4:42 PM on March 13, 2011

Awesome tapes from Africa
posted by unliteral at 5:10 PM on March 13, 2011

Avaxhome.ws.
posted by toxic at 5:23 PM on March 13, 2011

largeheartedboy is a music and literature blog that posts daily free and legal mp3s and though the focus isn't on whole-album downloads the site often points to other sites where those downloads are available.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 6:03 PM on March 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

Go here. Better yet, go here, then once you're done with that page (at either link) scroll down until you see "music blogs, etc.". Click links. Repeat sidebar scroll method on the sites on the other end of links, or use your browser's back button to start again. Enjoy.
posted by carsonb at 6:24 PM on March 13, 2011

Oh also, I think I saw this on MeFiProjects a while back. It's pretty great: Ask Sleeves - MP3 Search Engine
posted by carsonb at 7:30 PM on March 13, 2011 [1 favorite]

weidomusic.com has a collection of links to sharity blogs.

"Wierdo, Lo-Fi & Fringe Music": Decrepit Tapes

Brazilian blog of Jamacian music: You & Me on a Jamboree!

If you like Brazilian music (and who doesn't?):
Loronix
Brazilian Nuggets
Sabadabada
Uma Música Por Dia
Flabbergasted Vibes
posted by hydrophonic at 8:00 PM on March 13, 2011

Really wonderful, very eclectic: What's in my iPod?
posted by neroli at 9:06 PM on March 13, 2011

If you don't know about Daytrotter, you should.

Ditto Stereogum.

WFMU! FMA!

While this blog admittedly lacks complete albums, it has an excellent variety of underground/DIY bands and the option to stream or download.
posted by mellavellum at 2:52 AM on March 14, 2011

Free Albums Galore is my favorite source for free and legal album downloads from a variety of genres.
posted by kickerofelves at 4:51 AM on March 14, 2011

More Brazilian music:
Forró em Vinil
Um Que Tenha
posted by Tom-B at 11:27 AM on March 14, 2011

mp3blogs i check regularly with some omissions, a few of these post reviews along with the albums but it isn't necessary to read them to glean general information about the music:

GLOWING RAW - general experimental music, posts with relatively verbose reviews but i usually just check the categorized 'styles' and see if they add a note at the end

Japshare - this guy only posts like semi-annually nowadays but he posts some really great obscure japanese stuff of all varieties that you're unlikely to find anywhere else

idmtrade - probably the best idm blog around

Bleak Bliss - heavy/dark stuff, mostly extreme metal/noise

This Track Is Wet - mostly chilled out dope electronic stuff

A SOFTLY SLEEPING ROSE - mostly japanese, lots of very strange stuff

HABIT OF SEX - japanese indie from 1980-95

STALKING DUPPI - japanese 80's underground

UAXUCTUM - obscure electronic/experimental stuff, lots of tape rips

and my own mp3blog, ponpoko yama, which is some combination of the above. i think it generally fits the bill as far as what you're looking for because i also don't like reading large reviews and try to keep the descriptions brief and general.
posted by p3on at 2:01 PM on March 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

If you are into mellow acoustic music, slowcoustic.com is great.
posted by mayonnaise at 2:15 PM on March 14, 2011

Shadow Divers (recommended by Leo Laporte) is still my favorite audiobook of all time.

I also love the sound of David McCullough, so 1776 is another fav.
posted by scottelkin at 4:50 PM on March 15, 2011

I've taken this list from my Google Reader subs, which may contain repeats from above, for which please accept my apologies. I can only suggest you try these out and see what, if anything, appeals.

And Your Bird Can Swing

Dr. Schluss' Garage Of Psychedelic Obscurities

coolallover

Free Albums Galore

Free Music Archive Blog

FrostClick.com

Know Your Conjurer

Life on Mars

netwaves - sharing music

Phlow: Free Creative Commons MP3 Music

Querbeet

shoot the hostage

the nomadic subject

United Mutations

We Fucking Love Music


Can I also put in a word for the good folks at the Internet Archive as well, where you'll find acres of music old and new?
posted by Boggins at 6:58 AM on March 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Your Favorite Music Blog Sucks
posted by swift at 10:24 AM on March 16, 2011