Thad Cockrell giving away latest album 'To Be Loved'

Former Raleigh resident Thad Cockrell, who now spends most of his time in Nashville, TN, released his fourth solo album To Be Loved in 2009, but has now decided to give it away free to whoever will listed. The complete album is available to download via NoiseTrade.com as 256 kpbs mp3s. There is also the option of tipping the artist as little or as much as you'd like in order to show your support.

To Be Loved is well worth checking out as it combines excellent songwriting with a lush, folky soundscape to create an enjoyable listening experience.

Cockrell will perform at WUNC's free Music on the Lawn concert series in Durham at the American Tobacco Campus on Friday, Aug. 20. Check out the rest of his upcoming shows below.

Embarrassing Fruits' Joe Norkus offers up free EP

Embarrassing Fruits frontman Joe Norkus has offered up a new EP titled Hollerin' Haints for the low, low price of nothing. It is a Halloween EP released the day before the holiday that's just making the rounds this week. It features six original tracks as well as a track called "Hollerin' Haints (scare track)" that is supposed to be played in a haunted house. I guess we'll have to wait and use it next year.
Download the EP here.

The EP has been made available via Sufficient Records who are giving away other released including two others by Joe Norkus. Just check the right bar of this page for other downloads.

Office gives away new album for free

The fantastic Chicago power-pop band Office has released their new album Mecca today online. The album is available for the low, low price of nothing via LastFM and sendspace (LastFM is much faster). You have to download each track individually.

The album is the follow-up to 2007's A Night at the Ritz released by New Line/Scratchie Records. The band, specifically frontman Scott Mason had expressed displeasure with the way their music was treated by the label which lead to the free release of the new album.

So download and enjoy.

Check out our old review of Office's show with Earlimart at Duke Coffeehouse in October 2007.

The Rosebuds release free remix album

The Rosebuds have released an album of remixes of the songs from their latest album, Night of the Furies. The 10 tracks, dubbed Sweet Beats, Troubled Sleep, can be downloaded for free at mergerecords.com and include remixes by Portastatic, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Roger O'Donnell (former keyboard player for The Cure/producer).

The Rosebuds will play in downtown Raleigh as part of the Earth Day festivities on April 19. They will also play the Cat's Cradle on May 6 with British Sea Power and Jeffrey Lewis.