iTunes: Free Tuesday
Welcome to this week's edition of iTunes: Free Tuesday. This week brings US readers new free music and TV shows. Still no sign of any international TV and Movies offerings to fill up those international Apple TVs of yours, but here are some free music tracks for those of you in Canada, the UK, France, New Zealand and Australia.
US Music
US: A Strange Education by The Cinematics
Born in a part of Scotland where most people's idea of good music involves an accordion and the sheep outnumber the people 20:1, The Cinematics have come a long way already. We think they have the potential to go a lot further, which is why we chose their song, "Strange Education," as our free Single of the Week.
US: Montala by Miguelito
Meet the new prince of reggaetón – he's eight years old. Puerto Rico's Miguelito was discovered by reggaetón's reigning king, Daddy Yankee, while on a movie set. Yankee was taken by Miguelito's style and confidence. A short time later, Miguelito had released his debut, Más Grande Que Tú. Now, the second-grader can be heard booming from all the biggest soundsystems thanks to his newest hit, and our free Single of the Week, "Móntala."
US: One for 'Grew (For Mulgrew Miller) by Robert Glasper
"One for 'Grew" (a track named for Robert Glasper's mentor, Mulgrew Miller) is one of the many tunes on the jazz pianist's second album, In My Element, that shows why many are putting him in league with Keith Jarrett or Brad Mehldau. As a bandleader he's subtle and yet carries a strong rhythmic bent that stems from his exposure to hip-hop. This particular tune is a more straightforward ballad that doesn't blow you away with dexterity, but conjures up mood and nuance brilliantly. This is our free Discovery Download.
US Audio Books, US Video and International Music selections after the jump...
US Audio Books
US: The Easter Story: The Bible Experience (Unabridged, Frepeat)
The story of the events leading up to and including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are reenacted with incredible drama, sound effects, and cinema-quality background music. The Scripture portions included in this audio program are from Matthew chapters 26-28. Taken from Inspired By...The Bible Experience, you will hear Blair Underwood as Jesus, Cuba Gooding Jr. as Judas, and many other leading celebrities bring to life the drama of the last days of Jesus, his sacrificial death, and triumphant resurrection.
US: Fired: Tales of Jobs Gone Bad – Free Excerpt (Original Staging, Frepeat)
This is a free excerpt. Rejection has never been so hilarious! After her role in a Woody Allen play was "rethought", actress Annabelle Gurwitch (TBS' Dinner and a Movie) was devastated. But then she got funny. Gurwitch and a revolving cast of fellow show-biz veterans share their stories in L.A. Theatre Works' Fired: Tales of Jobs Gone Bad.
US TV Shows
US: Big Ideas for a Small Planet, Episode Fuel
An original 13-part documentary series highlighting forward-thinking designers, products, and processes that are on the leading edge of a new green world. Each episode revolves around a particular green issue, with titles such as "Fuel," "Build," "Cities," "Drive," "Wear," and "Eat," it spotlights a specific innovator or innovation that has the potential to transform our everyday lives on these topics. The individuals profiled range from scientists to fashion and product designers, entrepreneurs to first-time inventors. The original series also features a cast of recurring expert commentators, including activists, scientists, writers, and environmental personalities who provide the big-picture context to each week's stories.
US: Mind Explosion by Human Giant (Frepeat)
A half-hour of hilarious short comedy films starring Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, and Paul Scheer. This season features a love triangle with a killer whale, a mosh pit that breaks loose from a concert and goes on a killer rampage, a psychotic astronaut who hunts men on the moon, ex-girlfriends sent to wander in a corn maze, a genie who runs a crystal meth lab out of his magic lamp, a morning zoo show that continues after a nuclear holocaust, and robotic vacuums that take over the world . . . all in the pursuit of some good old fashioned fun.
International
Australia: Hands In the Air by Ground Components
"Hands in the Air" is the second single to be released from Ground Components' debut, An Eye for a Brow, A Tooth for a Pick. It's like a choral punk rock tune with a buzzing guitar lead that makes you feel like going down in a blaze of glory. The track was written by keyboardist Dallas Paxton and its unceasing energy explains the slowly rising wave of interest that has been following the band since it began touring last year. The tune is our free Single of the Week.
New Zealand: Hands In the Air by Ground Components
"Hands in the Air" is the second single to be released from Ground Components' debut, An Eye for a Brow, A Tooth for a Pick. It's like a choral punk rock tune with a buzzing guitar lead that makes you feel like going down in a blaze of glory. The track was written by keyboardist Dallas Paxton and its unceasing energy explains the slowly rising wave of interest that has been following the band since it began touring last year. The tune is our free Single of the Week.
Canada: Remembrance Day by A Northern Chorus
This track from A Northern Chorus' The Millions Too Many album is a big, epic track that is suitable for driving down an empty freeway at dusk with the clouds hanging thick in the sky, a fading sun vaguely visible behind them. The bass and drums have put down a heavy, solid rhythm that is coloured in by thick guitar atmospherics and a distant twang. Vocalist Stuart Livingstone breathes heavily in the foreground, delivering lyrics like "don't let me forget that I'm alive." Well, we're doing are part. This is our free Single of the Week.
France: You Can't Hold Her by Chin Chin
Chaque semaine, nous réfléchissons pour essayer de trouver des morceaux d'artistes que nous pensons à l'orée du succès. Il s'agit de morceaux en lesquels nous croyons, de nouveaux artistes avec un avenir.
UK: Snakes and Ladders by Switches
Besides being one of the least popular games for children, "Snakes and Ladders" is a glammy bit of noisy pop we're honoured to present as our Single of the Week. The London quartet plays unabashed good-time art-rock on this tune. Sound incongruous? Switches dress up a power-pop tune with tense guitar lines and then put down a stop-start chorus that bleeds in toward a Beach Boys-esque harmony overload near the end. Take a deep breath and have a listen.