Make No Mistake by MC Paul Barman

Make No Mistake is typical MC Paul Barman: left politics, abzurd lyrics with some really creative rhymes, and otherwise weak rapping. But his rhymes make it worth a listen or three.

http://www.mcpaulbarman.com/mp3/Make_No_Mistake.mp3

Long Time No See by Sleepy Town Manufacture

Another tune I discovered in Oddio Overplay's Tunes in Overplay, Long Time No See is a relaxed electronic song with a beautiful, ethereal voice by Sleepy Town Manufacture.

http://ia300113.us.archive.org/3/items/sute010/07_Sleepy_Town_Manufacture_-_Long_Time_No_See.MP3

I Wish I Was So Sure by Deshead

Deshead made a tribute to El Scorcho. He didn't have a half Japanese girl, so instead he sings about his dog.

http://www.songfight.org/music/i_wish_i_was_so_sure/deshead_iwiwss.mp3

Goodbye Monster by Lonbobby and MC Bacarrat

Lonbobby teamed up with Song Fight rapper MC Bacarrat to tell a story about a brat dreaming about rebellion and living on his own.

http://www.songfight.org/music/goodbye_monster/lonbobby+mcbacarrat_gbm.mp3

Whistling In Tongues by Felix Laband

Whistling in Tongues moves gracefully from an accoustic to an electronic arrangement, ending with a haunting vocal sample.

http://aurgasm.us/music/Felix%20Laband%20-%20Whistling%20in%20Tongues.mp3

No Hay Ciencia Exacta by Pablo Sciuto

Making upbeat music with touches of different styles from all over the world is no exact science, but Pablo Sciuto manages well enough.

http://www.pablosciuto.com/mp3/pablo_sciuto_no_hay_ciencia_exacta.mp3

Xmas Alone by Brother Machine

Brother Machine knows what it's like to spend Christmas alone and will tell you all about it. He really manages to capture the spirit of the holiday.

http://bromachine.msspro.com/music/across%20the%20pond%2032%20xmas%20alone.mp3

I'll Be Right Behind You Josephine by Josh Woodward

One of Josh Woodward's most striking dark folk songs is I'll be Right Behind You Josephine.

http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/OnlyWhispering/JoshWoodward-OnlyWhispering-03-IllBeRightBehindYouJosephine.mp3

It's A Shame My Binoculars Don't Work At Night by State Shirt

State Shirt loves to experiment with his voice, making weird sounds, cutting it up, and beatboxing, and that's the big draw of It's a Shame My Binoculars Don't Work at Night. This playful exploration takes place as part of a solid alternative rock song.

http://www.songfight.org/music/its_a_shame/stateshirt-itisashame.mp3

Atlas by Battles

Battles hit with bouncy rhythmic post rock. Atlas is from the album Mirrored, and the video has the band playing in a rotating mirrored cube.

http://www.timothysaccenti.com/main_data/video/33.mov

Harrowdown Hill by Thom Yorke

Harrowdown Hill is by Thom Yorke, and that should be all you need to know to decide whether you want to check this out or not.

http://www.bentimagelab.net/movies/harrowdown/HH_480x.mov

Our Hell by Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton

Emily Haines takes us through Our Hell. It's a dark place, made better by her lovely voice. The video is equally dark, with stylized negative images of people dumping eerily luminescent fluid all over themselves.

http://www.rokkit.tv/EmilyHaines/OurHell.mp4

I Want You by Andy Korg

I Want You is a beautiful song with a moody hip-hop style production. The video is artfully shot and delivered in a high resolution, high quality format that shows off its excellent shots.

http://www.etagenoir.com/freebies/andy_korg_-_i_want_you.mov

Survivalism by Nine Inch Nails

Survivalism is a return to the far more interesting, more visceral music videos Nine Inch Nails did for the Broken and Downward spiral videos. This one is presented as surveillance video footage of people in their homes as a military unit storms the building.

http://yearzero.nin.com/survivalism/survivalism_hi.mov

Ankle Injury by Fujiya And Miyagi

If you're a sucker for stop motion videos you'll like Fujiya and Miyagi's Ankle Injury. It uses dice to construct animated portraits, backed by solid rhythmic indie rock.

http://www.factoryfilms.net/films/quicktimes/FuyijaMiyagi_AnkleInjury.mov

Man I Used To Be by K-os

K-os makes gloriously poppy hip hop. Man I Used To Be is his Micheal Jackson tribute, and the video has a fantastic dance routine between two guys on the sidewalk in the middle of it. Check out his other videos for more spectacular dance moves.

http://www.k-osmusic.com/downloads/k-os_ManIusedtobe.mov

Wicked Thoughts by Ghetto Pony

Everyone has wicked thoughts but when Ghetto Pony gets them they turn them into busy electronic indie rock.

http://zebox.com/ze/audio/ghettopony_-_wicked_thoughts.mp3

Effects of Elevation by Revolution Void

Revolution Void's album asks that we Increase the Dosage. Their acid jazz will have you feeling the Effects of Elevation, so enjoy it.

http://ia301133.us.archive.org/1/items/Effects_of_Elevation/Revolution_Void__Effects_of_Elevation.mp3

Grrrroove by Marco Raaphorst

Marco Raaphorst just wants to make you Grrrroove. This funky little electronic number aims to make you do just that.

http://melodiefabriek.nl/audio/mp3/Melodiefabriek.nl_-_Grrrroove_V3.mp3

Moon Shine by Southwest Statistic

Moon Shine is one of a few electronic pop songs Southwest Statistic did for Song Fight. It's darker than most of his other songs and won that fight.

http://www.songfight.org/music/moon_shine/southweststatistic_moon.mp3

Women To Control by AK-Momo

This is a wierd little number brought to my attention when it was in overplay over at a certain catalogue of free online music. It has weird Swedish singing over a lo-fi beat with lots of vinyl pops. After hearing it, I'm not so sure I actually want women to control.

http://www.parasol.com/mp3/Ak-Momo%20-%20Women%20To%20Control.mp3

Million Dollar Girlfriend by Jonathan Coulton

Jonathan Coulton likes to share a great many of his absurd songs. For instance, he fantasizes about finding a Million Dollar Girlfriend, then getting his wife's permission to see her and take advantage of her assests.

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/mp3/Millionaire%20Girlfriend.mp3

Idropof by The Apartment

Within The Apartment you may find strange noises doing wonderful things. For instance, in the section called idropof, you'll hear melodies carried out with mutating timbre across a variety of electronic instruments.

http://www.gondolamusic.com/mp3s/slicecon/05%20idropof.mp3

Heaven by Bitter:Sweet

This song is an absolute treat. It has a bossa nova soul with some trip-hop production flourishes, and a luscious female voice. Let Bitter:Sweet show you their little bit of Heaven.

http://aurgasm.us/tracks/Bitter%20Sweet%20-%20Heaven.mp3

Romantic Cheapskate by MC Frontalot with Badd Spellah

MC Frontalot clearly doesn't treat SongFight like he should. He's a Romantic Cheapskate, coming around only once in a blue moon, sweeping songfight off her feet, and then disappearing again.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/74/mc_frontalot_-_romantic_cheapskate.mp3

Skyline by The John Benjamin Band

John Benjamin sings a pretty little lullaby. He promises skylines and wishing wells and other fanciful things. It helps soothe me to sleep.

http://www.songfight.org/music/skyline/jbb-skyline.mp3

Cell Phones Work Much Better Underwater by Daniele Torelli

Daniele Torelli, a part of the electronic music collective Yue, has a boatload of fine electronic music to offer. Cell Phones Work Much Better Underwater has my favorite title of the lot, and like all of Yue's tunes, it also comes in delicious Ogg flavor.

http://esaurito.yue.it/torelli_songs/daniele_torelli-cell_phones_work_much_better_underwater.mp3
http://esaurito.yue.it/torelli_songs/daniele_torelli-cell_phones_work_much_better_underwater.ogg

Harvest Season by Orchid Ensemble

Orchid Ensemble does traditional Chinese music blended with a mix of western traditions and other influences. Harvest Season "is a modern portrayal of farmers dancing and singing at a harvest celebration in rural China." It was featured in the October 2004 tunes in overplay.

http://orchidensemble.com/Real_Audio/orchid_ensemble_harvest_season.mp3

Boy With A Coin by Iron And Wine

The Shepherd's Dog isn't the tight, moving work that the Woman King EP was. It loses my attention at points and gains it back at others. Boy With A Coin is one of those highlights.

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/3458.mp3

Cloud 8 by Podington Bear

Podington Bear is definitely someone you'll be seeing featured regularly here. Cloud 8 is a dreamy bit of electronic pop from the collection Make Out Music.

http://podingtonbear.com/podcasts/October/Cloud8.mp3

California by Frankie Big Face

Frankie Big Face performs a simple acoustic song in a friend's living room. He fantasizes about running off to California, just him and his love.

http://www.frankiebigface.com/music/california-913.mp3

Proud To Be Wack by Old Scratch

Like I imagine most of the artist contributing to Rhyme Torrents, Old Scratch is proud to be wack. If I paid attention to what's cool, would I be proud to be wack too?

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc3/Old%20Scratch%20-%2000%20-%20Proud%20to%20be%20WACK.mp3

Dirty Chucks by A Kid Named Ace

It's an indie rock song making fun of hipsters and their Dirty Chucks. A Kid Named Ace knows that irony is the new sincerity.

http://www.songfight.org/music/dirty_chucks/akidnamedace_dc.mp3

Troublemaker by Lemon Party

Lemon Party makes trouble by rearranging everything. They throw different instruments, voice effects, and singing styles over some solid song structures. The changing arrangements and effects make Troublemaker more interesting than your average songfight entry.

http://www.songfight.org/music/troublemaker/lemonparty_tm.mp3

Rabbit Pushing Mower by Toy

This sounds like a joyful frolic through a child's fantasy. Rabbit Pushing Mower's electronic beat is set against terrifically playful instrumentation.

http://aurgasm.us/music/Toy%20-%20Rabbit%20Pushing%20Mower.mp3

Dirtbag by Brad Sucks

Brad Sucks never has anyting good to say about himself. Now he's a Dirtbag and overrated.

http://www.bradsucks.net/music/albums/idkwid-128/10_-_Brad_Sucks_-_Dirtbag.mp3

Sylph by Ochre

Sylph

a slender graceful young woman

an elemental being believed to inhabit the air

http://ochremusic.com/mp3s/Ochre_-_Sylph.mp3

Bit Pop by Shael Riley

"Like a botox injection I keep a stiff upper lip." If that line doesn't make you want to listen to Bit Pop, perhaps you should move on. Catchy electronic beats back up this absurd nerdy tirade.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc3/Shael%20Riley%20-%2002%20-%20Bit%20Pop.mp3

The Russians Are Coming by Val Bennett

If you are looking to slide into a nice, downtempo jazz groove, hear The Russians Are Coming. It'll make you feel years away from 2007.

http://aurgasm.us/music/Val%20Bennett%20-%20The%20Russians%20Are%20Coming.mp3

Shreds by Duboce Triangle

This is my kind of love song; one that professes its affection for lemon drops. This despite the fact that the sugar is so sharp that it'll tear the roof of your mouth to shreds.

http://dt.songhole.org/sf/DuboceTriangle_Shreds.mp3

Phantom Limb by The Shins

If you like music inspired by 60s pop, you probably already listen to The Shins. But casual fans can find a few songs to enjoy at their Sub Pop page, such as Phantom Limb.

http://subpop.com/assets/audio/2940.mp3

This Town by Brother Machine

Brother Machine is a master of making catchy pop with weirdly dark sentimuents. This Town asks "If I stand up tall, how far can I fall?" but still manages to sound like a celebration.

http://bromachine.msspro.com/music/going%20nuts%2025%20this%20town.mp3

She Remained by Josh Woodward

It's a simple, eery tale of a tragic event. The fact that She Remained seems like it's supposed to be comforting, but it's not.

http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/JoshWoodward-SheRemained.mp3

Toronto Star by Lonbobby featuring Evan

Lonbobby adds Evan's saxophone skills to his own piano-based electronic music. The result is the lovely instrumental Toronto Star.

http://www.songfight.org/music/toronto_star/lonbobbyfeatevan_ts.mp3

One Less by Future Boy

Future Boy delivers a delicious pop song with One Less. It's got a bouncy beat, a catchy melody, and best of all, it's about being happy when your competition dies tragically.

http://www.songfight.org/music/one_less/futureboy_ol.mp3

Modern Christianity by Lackthereof

I can only expect a song called Modern Christianity to be kind of creepy. And it is creepy in just the way I appreciate. Danny Seim's distinctive voice complements the atmosphere perfectly.

http://www.lackthereof.net/modernc.mp3

3/4 by Ghetto Pony

A creepy moan and skittering electronic beat help 3/4 earn its place on the album Post Apocalyptic Bubblegum Music.

http://zebox.com/ze/audio/ghettopony_-_3_4.mp3

Fell Out Of The Sky by Hostess Mostess

Hostess Mostess delivers delicious pop. With overdubbed vocals and sappy love song lyrics, you may find Fell Out of the Sky stuck repeating in your head.

http://www.songfight.org/music/fell_out_of_the_sky/hostessmostess_foots.mp3

Shine A Light by Wolf Parade

Dan Boeckner's mumbly delivery get made fun of a few times in Wolf Parade's bio. Hear him mumble something about being buried alive and hearts beating time out slowly in Shine A Light.

http://subpop.com/assets/audio/2363.mp3

Nursehellamentary by Nursehella with Badd Spellah

Nursehella is one of the strongest geek rappers on the 'net. Prolific nerdcore producer Badd Spellah helps her introduce herself with Nursehellamentary.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc1/Nursehella%20-%2015%20-%20Nursehellamentary.mp3

Dialysis by Lucky 7s

Dialysis is one of the tightest recording's on Lucky 7s music page. Like most of the Lucky 7s music, it's a must have for fans of the trombone.

http://lucky7s.org/audio/dialysis.mp3

David Courtney by Rancid

The legend of underworld Robin Hood David Courtney is condensed into punk rock form. Best not step.

http://www.rancidrancid.com/music/david_courtney.mp3

The Moon Is Full by The Apartment

Three Forks is a dashing little EP by internet electronic act The Apartment. The Moon Is Full layers vocal samples and catchy melodies over a shuffling electronic rhythm.

http://www.gondolamusic.com/mp3s/ThreeForks/csr005-03-the-apartment-the-moon-is-full.mp3

Anomaly by State Shirt

Sometimes State Shirt bangs and growls for the Song Fight community, which helps fill the metal music void there. On no song does he bang and growl more beautifully than Anomaly.

http://www.songfight.org/music/anomaly/stateshirt_anomaly.mp3

Fab Cusion by Martinibomb

This here's a really fun instrumental track from some brothers in Portland. Put it on and enjoy the monkey noises.

http://www.archive.org/download/csr016/csr016_02_martinibomb_-_fab-cushion.mp3

Goth Girls by MC Frontalot

Approaching girls can be hard, especially if you've a fetish for a particular type and the object of your affections is right in front of you. Listen as the MC Front tells you about his troubles coping with Goth Girls.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/7/MC_Frontalot_-_Nerdcore_Rising_02_Goth_Girls.mp3
http://frontalot.com/media.php/263/MC_Frontalot_-_02_-_Goth_Girls.ogg

Jay by Abstract Avenue

The Internet Archive holds an enormous treasure of music, but it's difficult to know what to look for. Abstract Avenue has put an album up there. Jay is an ambient electronic track from that album that was featured on Oddio Overplay's Tunes In Overplay.

The album is titled Audio Port and even comes with some attractive cover art.

http://www.archive.org/download/lego002/lego002_02-Jay.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/lego002/lego002_02-Jay.ogg

Ran Away To Paris by The Sober Irishman

The Sober Irishman has improved his recording equiment over the years, and it shows in the cleaner sounds of his newer songs. Ran Away To Paris is crisp without being fussed-over and without sacrificing his distinctive, gravelly voice.

http://www.songfight.org/music/ran_away_to_paris/soberirishman_ratp.mp3

Padriac My Prince by Bright Eyes

From their first album Letting Off The Happiness, Padriac My Prince shows off the Connor Oberst's strained singing that does so much to set Bright Eyes apart. It also goes into typically Bright Eyes topics like dead infant brothers and other rays of happiness.

http://www.saddle-creek.com/sounds/BrightEyes_Padriac.mp3

Treat Me Mean, I Need The Reputation by Xploding Plastix

Xploding Plastix has put a ton of music to stream on their site. Treat Me Mean is perfect when you want hyperactive electronic jazz to get your ass moving.

http://aurgasm.us/music/Xploding%20Plastix%20-%20Treat%20Me%20Mean,%20I%20Need%20the%20Reputation.mp3

A Tear by Max The Cat

Moody spoken word verses, minimal instrumentation, and a beautifully sung chorus has Max The Cat's A Tear oozing atmosphere.

http://www.songfight.org/music/a_tear/maxthecat_at.mp3

Short Life by Eight Legged Oedipus

Today, Eight Legged Oedipus mourns his Short Life.

http://www.songfight.org/music/short_life/eightleggedoedipus_sl.mp3

100 Greatest Robberies In History by Portable Folk Band

100 Greatest Robberies In History is a great title. Fortunately, it's also a damn good rock song. Fans of jangly guitar noises should especially listen in.

http://ia300126.us.archive.org/2/items/PortableFolkBandintroducestheRoyalPostalBazaar/portable_folk_band__introduces_the_royal_postal_bazaar__01__100_greatest_robberies_in_history.mp3

Brightest Day by Ken Flagg

Ken Flagg has a wide variety of music out on the internet, but most of the songs you'll find on his website are pretty piano songs that tend towards the melodramatic. And Brightest Day falls nicely into that pattern.

http://www.kenflagg.com/music/brightest_day.mp3

Just Forget It by Optimus Rhyme

I'm not sure why Optimus Rhyme chose Just Forget It to be the single for their most recent record. I really don't like the chorus, and Autobeat Airbus really shows off what they do much better. But the verses are pretty impressive. The first verse ends with one of the most creative expressions of frustration I've ever heard.

http://www.optimusrhyme.com/musicplayer/just.mp3

Butterflies by Kourosh Zolani

The work of an Iranian composer, the beautiful string melodies of Butterflies adds a taste of world music to my typical pop music diet.

http://mirrors.creativecommons.org/copyremix/Kourosh_Zolani_-_Butterflies.mp3

The Good Life by Brandon Patton

A nice bit of Americana from Should Confusion, The Good Life is predictably about a character whose own faults keep him from finding the good life he's looking for.

http://www.brandonpatton.com/media/Brandon_Patton_-_Should_Confusion_08_The_Good_Life.mp3

Romantic by Walter Meego

Like most of their songs, Romantic is perfect for the dance floor. It has a warm retro feel that might cause a tear of nostalgia in between the drum kicks.

http://waltermeego.com/audio/Romantic.mp3

Ants by Dr. Octagon

Even though it's not particularly nerdy, Dr. Octagon's Ants is on Volume 3 of Rhyme Torrents. It's a solid song from one of rap's earliest oddball rappers.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc3/Dr.%20Octagon%20-%2010%20-%20Ants.mp3

Welcome To by The Cow Exchange

The Cow Exchange knows how to make great pop songs. His Song Fight entry for Welcome To plays to his strengths: a nice voice, a catchy melody, and ear candy production.

http://www.songfight.org/music/welcome_to/cowexchange_wt.mp3

Real Big Love by Evils That Never Came

If you are like me, you'll want to turn up the bass when you listen to Real Big Love. One of the song's chief pleasures is its pounding downbeat.

http://www.evilsthatnevercame.com/audio/mp3_256k/Evils%20That%20Never%20Came%20-%2007%20Real%20Big%20Love.mp3

Den Her Sang Hander Om At Få Det Bedste Ud Af Det by Under Byen

The title's a mouthful, and Den Her Sang Hander Om At Få Det Bedste Ud Af Det has a duration to match its title's length. It takes its time, winding around shifting arrangements, subtle singing, and layers of processed vocals, creating an ethereal atmosphere.

http://aurgasm.us/music/Under%20Byen%20-%20Den%20Her%20Sang%20Hander%20Om%20At%20Fa%20Det%20Bedste%20Ud%20Af%20Det.mp3

E Puteo Vita by Sepulcrum Spei

Sepulcrum Spei has an EP of ambient instrumentals available on the internet archive. E Puteo Vita mixes found watery noises and simple machine whirs and rattles with acoustic strings and wind notes to give a quiet, textured ambience.

http://www.archive.org/download/mir014/mir014-02-sepulcrum_spei-e_puteo_vita.mp3

Step Up by Seth (Brother Machine)

In the past, Brother Machine has contributed not one but two songs to a Song Fight. For the Step Up fight, he produced a second entry under the name Seth. This version of Step Up is an unusually positive song for Brother Machine, moving from self-doubt to self-confidence.

http://www.songfight.org/music/stepup/seth_stepup.mp3

Stroller Town by Jonathon Coulton

Not enough songs tell a story from the point of view of a baby. Jonathan Coulton fills this void with Stroller Town. If you want to know what strollers will win the race around town for your baby, give it a close listen.

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/mp3/Stroller%20Town.mp3

Systematic Panic by The John Benjamin Band

Dysfunctional relationships fuel a lot of songs, but few are as energetic and bouncy as John Benjamin's Systematic Panic. It rushes past with a fast pulse and a catchy refrain.

http://www.songfight.org/music/systematic_panic/johnbenjaminband_sp.mp3

Wet And Rusting by Menomena

Menomena's second album, Friend And Foe, has been a favorite of mine since I got it. The band graciously offered Wet And Rusting to tempt you into buying it.

http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/Menomena_WetAndRusting.mp3

Lifeguard by The Rhombus

Oh yes. More of that weird mixed acoustic and electronic music, this time from The Rhombus. When the electronic noises hit me on the low end of Lifeguard, I know I'm in a good place.

http://therhombus.org/Lifeguard.mp3

Worked Up So Sexual by The Faint

For a song that's about stripping for dollars, Worked Up So Sexual is almost absurdly bouncy and fun.

http://www.saddle-creek.com/sounds/TheFaint_WorkedUpSoSexual.mp3

Shut Up And Sit Down by Deshead

Deshead can sing his guts out, and he knows how to make a rock song kick. Shut Up And Sit Down has him getting in trouble as usual. But he sings about it with more fire and pathos than any song he's done.

http://www.songfight.org/music/shut_up_and_sit_down/deshead_suasd.mp3

Up On Your Leopard, Upon The End Of Your Feral Days by Sunset Rubdown

I just got Random Spirit Lover, Sunset Rubdown's newest album. It's a glaringly fantastic album. Just get it, get it now. The weird carnival sound of Up On Your Leopard, Upon The End Of Your Feral Days would stand out on most albums, but it's surrounded by songs that would stand out, and the whole record fits nicely together. If you like this song, it's seriously a must have album.

http://www.scjag.com/mp3/jag/uponyourleopard.mp3

Toronto Star by Josh Woodward

For Josh Woodward, Toronto Star is not a newspaper, but guitar playing beggar. His telling of this beggar's story won him a Song Fight.

http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/JoshWoodward-TorontoStar.mp3

Day Be Done by Ghetto Pony

I like a thick bassline, and Day Be Done delivers one. The keys and percussion all fits together interestingly in the typical Ghetto Pony style, with the lyrics decorating the other noises nicely.

http://zebox.com/ze/audio/ghettopony_-_ghetto_pony_-_day_be_done.mp3

Bioluminescence by Puce

Just to remind you, I love Puce. Bioluminescence is such a friggin' happy song. It also shows off Puce's knack for extended metaphor. And it's just a damn fun pop song.

http://www.songfight.org/music/bioluminescence/puce_bio.mp3

Only Smoke by The Walt

There's something I can appreciate about a song as straightforward as Only Smoke. None of the playing is very complicated, and the song builds up by adding layers of guitar in predictable places. There's also something I can appreciate about a band that can ruin their attractively straightforward website with the message "Everything that was beautiful has been eaten by the monster" in big orange lettering in the background.

Note: That background message on their web page is actually randomly selected. Even better.

Second Note: The link provided leads to a download of a file called '3'. Rename it with a '.mp3' extension and it should work fine. In fact, it should work without renaming it, but your OS might not associate the file with your media player of choice.

http://www.thewalt.nl/?dl=03%20only%20smoke.mp3

Black Hole by State Shirt

This song is ridiculous, and it's one of my favorites from State Shirt. Apparently he has a Black Hole in his tooth, which becomes an excuse for some sick beat boxing and all kinds of strange vocal noisemaking. Hooray.

http://www.songfight.org/music/black_hole/stateshirt_blackhole.mp3

The Words by Psapp

The experimental indie band Psapp had two songs featured on Aurgasm, an mp3 blog. The Words moves about a looping melody with other instruments entering and leaving around it and an engaging singer presiding over the whole affair.

http://aurgasm.us/tracks/Psapp%20-%20The%20Words.mp3

A Very Unlikely Occurrence by MC Frontalot

MC Frontalot wrote a Song Fight entry that starts off sad and moves to celebration in under a minute. He submitted it incognito, so that when he won the fight, it was in fact A Very Unlikely Occurrence.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/57/mc_frontalot_-_a_very_unlikely_occurrence.mp3h
http://frontalot.com/media.php/100/mc_frontalot_-_a_very_unlikely_occurrence.ogg

Iron Goddess Of Mercy by Lonbobby

Lonbobby is certain that his prayer to the Iron Goddess of Mercy won't protect him, but he still tries.

http://www.songfight.org/music/iron_goddess_of_mercy/lonbobby_igom.mp3

A Friendly Reminder by ADD

ADD's entry in the last Song Fight, A Friendly Reminder, came out the winner. Aside from a few awkward lyrics, it's a solid pop song.

http://www.songfight.org/music/a_friendly_reminder/add_afr.mp3

Breakbeat Phase by Digitonal, Remixed by Ochre

My first introduction to Ochre was his remix of Breakbeat Phase which was featured in Oddio Overplay's tunes in overplay. It has a strong electronic beat with a more prominent melody than most ambient electronic music.

http://ochremusic.com/mp3s/Ochre_-_Breakbeat_Phase_(Ochre_remix).mp3

Dirtbag (Anesthetic Remix) by Brad Sucks, remixed by c.layne

There have been an enourmous number of remixes of Brad Sucks' I Don't Know What I'm Doing. Dirtbag is a hot pick to remix. C.layne's anesthetic remix turns the alternative rock original into an ethereal electronic song.

http://www.bradsucks.net/music/albums/i_dont_know_remixed_128/09_-_Dirtbag_(Anesthetic_mix).mp3

Music Don't Stop (music does stop mix) by Hot Bitch Arsenal, mix by nebulae

A typical song by Hot Bitch Arsenal is a lo-fi lounge-y electronic number that sounds like I should like it but never really works for me. Nebulae's remix of Music Don't Stop juices the track up with a thumping, danceable beat and crisp electronic noises.

http://www.hotbitcharsenal.com/audio/mds_neb.mp3

The Fries by Mr. Lif, remixed by Abdul Malik

Mr. Lif can bring the political rap as well as anybody, and his album Mo' Mega has prodiced no better example of this than The Fries. This remix provides a different beat for the song, but the real attraction here are still Lif's sharp lyrics.

http://www.definitivejux.net/mp3/Fries_remix.mp3

Nube (Sin Fronteras mix) by Businari feat. SilviaO

I don't know anything about Businari or SilviaO other than what I can gather from Nube. It's a pretty downtempo folky song with a soft female voice that's not exactly expertly recorded, but still relaxing.

http://ccmixter.org/people/businari/businari_-_Nube_(Sin_Fronteras_Remix).mp3

Superego Exchange (Suicide Mix) by Bm Relocation Program, remixed by Fourstones

If you have ever wondered how a suicidal cockroach could end it all quickly and easily, then the suicide remix of Bm Relocation Program's Superego Exchange might help you in your speculations.

http://www.chuckbeat.com/bm/music/superegoremix_suicide.mp3

Break In by Skalpel, remixed by Jeremy Joshua

The Polish Jazz act Skalpel had a remix competition for their song Break In. One of the runners up was J's mix, which I enjoyed better than the winner. It brings a hip hop production style to the mix while still maintaining the jazz heart of the original.

http://www.ninjatune.net/skalpel_winner/mp3/js.mp3

The Best Of Jill Hives by Guided By Voices

From their album Earthquake Glue, The Best of Jill Hives is Guided by Voices at their most polished.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/guided_by_voices/gbv_best_of_jill_hives.mp3

Naked As We Came by Iron and Wine

Last night I got to see Iron and Wine play, and it was excellent. And while I love his newer, more elaborately arranged songs (played by eight people on stage), the encore song was a much simpler performance more like Naked As We Came. The performance could have used some more of these simpler, more straightforward songs to break up the rest.

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/2424.mp3

Hotel by Monorail Racetrack

Unfortunately a lot of the best work of Monorail RT is not on Song Fight!, and has disappeared from the internet. So if anyone can turn that up (Communication Blues and Don't Worry Where Your Keys Are At are two non-SF songs I'd like to find), leave a comment and you'll have my gratitude. Until then, enjoy the lo-fi blues of Hotel.

http://www.songfight.org/music/hotel/mrrt-hotel.do.not.direct.link.please.mp3

Pray by The Book of Knots (feat. Tom Waits)

Traineater by The Book of Knots is an album about American post-industrial ruins. Pray features Tom Waits and sounds like some of the more recent Tom Waits stuff.

http://media.anti.com/the_book_of_knots/00000-traineater/pray.mp3

Kill Dash Nine by Monzy

Today's song is an inside joke for the computer savvy. If you don't know what the title Kill Dash Nine means, you aren't on the inside, and you should probably pass on this song. But if you get it, Monzy is hilarious.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc1/Monzy%20-%2012%20-%20Kill%20Dash%20Nine.mp3

Stronger Than by Duboce Triangle

Duboce Triangle seem to specialize in nonsense. In fact, a song about Paganini and Beethoven wrestling is normal compared to some of their other songs.

http://dt.songhole.org/sf/DuboceTriangle-strongerthan.mp3

A Message To America by The Apartment

The Apartment has constructed A Message To America from a fundamentalist leader's speech. Perhaps the most shocking thing I discovered from this message is that 97% of America says that they believe in gonorrhea, but only 5% say that they have felt gonorrhea as a part of their individual reality.

http://www.gondolamusic.com/mp3s/slicecon/11%20a%20message%20to%20america.mp3

Welcome To by Ross Durand featuring Sydney Durand

Children need music too. And a great kids' song should put a smile on an adult's face too. If Ross and Sydney Durand's Welcome To doesn't make you feel at least a little bit better, then you have my condolences.

http://www.songfight.org/music/welcome_to/rossdurandfeatsyd_wt.mp3

No One Else by Merisan

People often make their best stuff when they're pushed outside their comfort zone. Round four of the Nur Ein competition challenged competitors to not use guitars in their song. Sam of Merisan is primarily a guitarist did some grumbling about the challenge, but No One Else turned out to be one of their best.

http://people.geneticmail.com/sam/merisan/merisan_nooneelse.mp3

So Kind Stacey by Hostess Mostess

I suspect that most people have met someone like Stacey. She inspired Hostess Mostess to warn "Don't think that a fall is over just 'cause you've hit the ground." But despite being suddenly down, he still thanks Stacey, and the sentiment comes off as genuine and bittersweet rather than ironic and just bitter.

http://www.songfight.org/music/so_kind_stacey/hostessmostess_sks.mp3

Lover I Don't Have To Love by Bright Eyes

Their label Saddle Creek has a lovely selection of Bright Eyes songs to take with you. One of my all time favorite Bright Eyes songs is Lover I Don't Have To Love, conveniently available for download.

http://www.saddle-creek.com/sounds/BrightEyes_Lover.mp3

Soft Orange Glow by Lemon Party

Lemon Party have made six of the most interesting songs in the Song Fight! archive. Soft Orange Glow is a very pretty number that didn't win but probably deserved to.

http://www.songfight.org/music/soft_orange_glow/lemonparty_sog.mp3

Yodeller by yes.no.yes

Yodeller may be yes.no.yes's most listenable song. It's less noisy and shorter than most of the songs they offer.

http://yesnoyes.us/music/bsides/yes.no.yes%20-%20yodeller.mp3

Gimme Something Nice by That Crooner From Nowhere

Incredibly dense vocal music. Doowop on acid. That Crooner From Nowhere has some mighty interesting short songs to listen to. Gimme Something Nice is one of the funkiest they offer.

http://ia351413.us.archive.org/1/items/ThatCroonerfromNowhere_Cummingsoon_EP/03_Gimmesomethingnice.mp3

The Laws Have Changed by New Pornographers

The second album by the New Pornographers, Electric Version, is my favorite. I found it more consistently catchy than either of Masso Romantic or Twin Cinema. The Laws Have Changed is a particularly catchy song from this particularly catchy album.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/the_new_pornographers/new_pornographers_laws.mp3

Heart of a Girl by Jesse Dangerously

I'm a sucker for insanely fast rappers who still manage to enunciate, and Jesse Dangerously has mastered that skill. He also has a gift for writing incredibly interesting lyrics. His Rhyme Torrents entry Heart Of A Girl shows off his skill at wordplay and manages to come off as genuinely emutonal as well.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc5/11%20-%20Jesse%20Dangerously%20-%20Heart%20of%20a%20Girl.mp3

(Yes,) We Went To Novgorod by We Vs. Death

Few bands take on a name as colossal as We Vs. Death. Their sound is not so epic as their name, but they do manage to leave a few instrumental tracks around the internet that are worth listening to, like (Yes,) We Went To Novogorod.

http://www.simuze.nl/live/public/wevsdeath/mp3hi/we_vs_death__yes_we_went_to_novgorod.mp3

She's On My Mind by A Kid Named Ace

A Kid Named Ace has girl problems. She's on his mind so much that he can't get on with basic daily functions like eating and sleeping, but she doesn't know he exists. And thanks to his catchy pop song about her, She's On My Mind too.

http://www.songfight.org/music/shes_on_my_mind/akidnamedace_somm.mp3

Some Hot Lazy Day by Obadia

Some Hot Lazy Day evokes just that; it feels like a summer midafternoon. It was featured on Oddio Overplay's tunes in overplay in June 2005.

http://homestudios.free.fr/obadia/06-some_hot_lazy_day.mp3

Stadiums and Shrines II by Sunset Rubdown

Spencer Krug is in Wolf Parade. Sunset Rubdown is his other band, and Stadiums and Shrines II is the sample song from their first full length, Shut Up I Am Dreaming.

http://www.absolutelykosher.com/musicfiles/Stadiums_And_Shrines_II.mp3

I Heart Fags by MC Frontalot

Back when MC Frontalot expected I Heart Fags to be controversial, lose him fans, and be unplayable live. But it turns out his audience of geeks and nerds loves fags too, and don't mind his little song about them.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/265/mc_frontalot_-_i_heart_fags.mp3

I Can See You by State Shirt

Ok, I FUBARed here. I linked to a song I had already featured the previous month without realizing it until over a month later. So now I'm editing it for those who might see these archives and instead featuring a song I might not have otherwise chosen, I Can See You by State Shirt. It's a simple and depressing song with some creepy samples.

http://www.songfight.org/music/i_can_see_you/stateshirt-icanseeyou.mp3

Ash by Lucky 7s

Like any good jazz band, Lucky 7s are an excellent live show. Probably the most memorable part of the band is their crazy vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, who play so enthusiastically that he fell partly off the stage at one point. He gets to show off in a nice long intro in Ash, but a good part of the magic is lost when you can't see him play. The trombone playing by band leaders Jeff Albert and Jeb Bishop is amazing on this one as well.

http://lucky7s.org/audio/ash_brain.mp3

Powers by Blackalicious

One of the highlights of the most recent Blackalicious album The Craft is Powers. It has a reverent attitude towards women that's common among the past music that Blackalicious draws upon but unfortunately rare in modern rap.

http://www.spokane7.com/music/mp3s/Blackalicious%20-%20Powers.mp3

Baby I'm Down by Brother Machine

The backlog on Brother Machine's page isn't what it once was, but it's still mighty impressive. Baby I'm Down is typically bleak Brother Machine. It's been rearranged and re-recorded for his new album No Home In This World, which I highly recommend.

http://bromachine.msspro.com/music/across%20the%20pond%2002%20baby%20I'm%20down.mp3

I'm Letting Go by Josh Woodward

The newest song by Josh Woodward is an acoustic song about a character going through a difficult process. I'm Letting Go.



http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/JoshWoodward-ImLettingGo.mp3

Creepy Doll by Jonathan Coulton

I like absurd pop songs, and Jonathan Coulton makes some pretty absurd pop songs, such as this one about a Creepy Doll terrorizing your life.

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/mp3/Creepy%20Doll.mp3

Point Of View by Cornelius

Cornelius has made a name for himself as one of electronic music's best DJs. Listening to Point Of View will give you a good idea of where that reputation comes from.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/cornelius/point_of_view_point.mp3

Datura by El Circulo de Willis

Datura starts with a heavy guitar intro but moves gracefully towards the horn driven jazz that makes up most of the song. One of El Circulo de Willis's finest.

http://ia300128.us.archive.org/1/items/Cuadrado/2Datura_vbr.mp3
http://www.archive.org/download/Cuadrado/2Datura.ogg
http://www.archive.org/download/Cuadrado/2Datura.flac

I Turn My Camera On by Spoon

You must've heard I Turn My Camera On. The song's been everywhere, on television and the radio, so it's no surprise that you can download it from Matador's web page as well. And if you haven't run across it yet, enjoy.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/spoon/spoon_camera.mp3

Cool Is Forever by Ghetto Pony

Today, Ghetto Pony show that Canadian indie rockers are cool, and Cool Is Forever.

http://zebox.com/a4/ghettopony_-_Cool_Is_Forever_Demo07-26-06.mp3

Salvation by Rancid

Back in 1994 Rancid and Bad Religion introduced me to punk rock. Hearing Salvation now takes me back to those days, singing along to the radio. Like most of Rancid's work, the tune still stands up even without the nostalgia.

http://www.rancidrancid.com/music/salvation.mp3

Lick Your Own Butthole Party Dance by Rappy McRapperson

It's time for something very, very bad. From the depths of the Rhyme Torrents project comes Rappy McRapperson with a new summer dance. The Lick Your Own Butthole Party Dance is a bad idea on all levels. So bad it's good? You decide.

http://www.rhymetorrents.com/disc3/Rappy%20McRapperson%20-%2012%20-%20Lick%20your%20own%20butthole%20dance.mp3

Advanced Tree Surgery by Ochre

More ambient electronic music by the likes of Ochre. This track makes Advanced Tree Surgery sound like an unusual but reassuring process.

http://ochremusic.com/mp3s/Ochre_-_Advanced_Tree_Surgery.mp3

Can't Take Our Love Away by Doctor Worm

I do like a ham, and Doctor Worm is definitely a ham. Can't Take Our Love Away is a crunchy song and an overwrought telling of a relationship-gone-bad story performed with all the earnestness that sort of tale needs.

http://www.songfight.org/music/cant_take_our_love_away/doctorworm_ctola.mp3

Rainsong By Blackberry

Today we get a dose of dark, repetitive electronic music from Blackberry. Rainsong starts up slow and takes its time to develop, with subtle effects and an aggressive beat.

http://www.archive.org/download/BlackberryRainsong/bmch03_rainsongv.1.0.mp3

Housemate Troubles by MC Paul Barman

MC Paul Barman may not have the smoothest flow or the best MC name (seriously, just drop the "MC" and go by your name), but he writes insane rhymes that are often hilarious. This one deals with Housemate Troubles.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/mc_paul_barman/housemate_troubles.mp3

Ninja Gang by Eight Legged Oedipus

If you're an honest gal, then it's no good when Eight Legged Oedipus falls in love with you. Chances are you won't be able able to live with his ninja lifestyle. But given all the fun it sounds like he's having, I'd pass on romance for life in a Ninja Gang too.

http://www.songfight.org/music/ninja_gang/eightleggedoedipus_ng.mp3

Dirty Business by The Dresden Dolls

It's hard to get too much of the punk cabaret of The Dresden Dolls. Dirty Business, like most of their songs, is about a damaged girl and her dysfunctional habits. But also like most of their music, it has a sense of humor about it that makes it cathartic and amusing rather than trite.

http://www.dresdendolls.com/downloads_n_lyrics/mp3/DirtyBusiness.mp3

Everywhere With Helicopter by Guided By Voices

If you don't know about the massively prolific indie rock act Guided By Voices, then their samples at their Matador Records page will give you a good introduction to their later work. My favorite amongst these is Evereywhere With Hellicopter.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/guided_by_voices/everywhere_with_helicopter.mp3

Upcoming Downtime by The Sober Irishman

The 2004 presidential election campaigns inspired a lot of political music. Long-time Songfighter The Sober Irishman produced a punk rock song mentioning the Florida election scandal, Enron, and the PATRIOT Act for the Upcoming Downtime fight.

http://www.songfight.org/music/upcoming_downtime/soberirishman_ud.mp3

Silent Pipe by Redcar

Redcar has made some weird ass songs for Song Fight!. But Silent Pipe isn't one of them. Instead it's a rap song about being addicted to crack.

http://www.songfight.org/music/silent_pipe/redcar_pipe.mp3

Fixing My Brain by Brad Sucks

The problem with fixing your brain is that you might not be you afterwards. Brad Sucks understands this dilemma and has given us a song about it.

http://www.bradsucks.net/music/albums/idkwid-128/03_-_Brad_Sucks_-_Fixing_My_Brain.mp3

Fuzzy Dice by Optimus Rhyme

The Autobeat Allies are gathering to do battle with the Wackacons. This battle occurs on all fronts of their life, including their life as a taxi cab driver.

http://www.optimusrhyme.com/musicplayer/Optimus_Rhyme_Fuzzy_Dice.mp3

Angry All Over by Matthan Minster

For some beautiful emo-pop, try Matthan Minster's winning entry for Angry All Over.

http://www.songfight.org/music/angry_all_over/matthanminster_angry.mp3

Factum Par Ficto by Revolution Void

Fans of electronic jazz should give a listen to Revolution Void. From the album Increase The Dosage, Factum Par Ficto features bass by Matthew Garrison on a 5-string.

http://www.archive.org/download/revoid_2004_04_04.flac16/revoid_2004_04_04_t02_vbr.mp3

What We Need More Of Is Science by MC Hawking

The famous MC Hawking entered a Song Fight! that was particularly suited to him. His entry predictably won by a landslide.

http://www.songfight.org/music/morescience/mchawking_morescience.mp3

Chance by Lonbobby

The biggest provider of electronic music in the Song Fight! arena dropped one of his songs into the Chance fight, and by my reckoning, he should have won.

http://www.songfight.org/music/chance/lonbobby_chance.mp3

Drink To Me Babe, Then by A.C. Newman

If the hits from his other project aren't enough, A C Newman also has some solo recordings. Drink To Me Babe, Then is the sample from his solo album, and it stands up well to his other work.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/a_c_newman/a_c_newman_drink_to_me.mp3

I Wish I Was So Sure by Hostess Mostess

I Wish I Was So Sure is perhaps a bit less serious than most Hostess Mostess songs, but the verse about Isaac Newton makes it worth the listen alone.

http://www.songfight.org/music/i_wish_i_was_so_sure/hostessmostess_iwiwss.mp3

Two Feet by Evils That Never Came

I don't have much to say about Evils That Never Came. So just listen to Two Feet and enjoy it.

http://www.evilsthatnevercame.com/audio/mp3_256k/Evils%20That%20Never%20Came%20-%2002%20Two%20Feet.mp3

Field Day by Brother Machine

Field Day won a Song Fight! for being one of the funkiest rock songs Brother Machine has contributed.

http://www.songfight.org/music/field_day/brothermachine_field.mp3

Thirty-One Hundred Miles by Brandon Patton

The entire length of Should Confusion is available on Brandon Patton's site. Thirty-One Hundred Miles is a cut off that album about dealing with a long distance relationship, and it also has a cute video available worth watching if only to see a brass section marching through a train while playing.

http://www.brandonpatton.com/media/brandon_patton_-_3100_miles.mov
http://www.brandonpatton.com/media/Brandon_Patton_-_Should_Confusion_04_Thirty-One_Hundred_Miles.mp3

Crack Baby by Ken Flagg

Ken Flagg has a five song EP available for download on his website. One of these songs explains why he wishes he had a little crack baby.

http://www.kenflagg.com/music/03-Crack%20Baby.mp3

Hinge, Door, et cetera by Portable Folk Band

If you like Beatles-based pop, you should give Portable Folk Band a listen. Hinge, Door, et cetera is one of the songs the band highly recommends, if you don't know what to start with.

http://ia300126.us.archive.org/2/items/PortableFolkBandintroducestheRoyalPostalBazaar/portable_folk_band__introduces_the_royal_postal_bazaar__03__hinge_door_et_cetera.mp3

Hope You're Okay by The Cow Exchange

The Cow Exchange has a history of making silly, well produced pop songs for Song Fight! Hope You're Okay is less obviously silly, but still a fun pop song.

http://www.songfight.org/music/hope_your_ok/cowexchange_hyo.mp3

Less of You by State Shirt

My favorite State Shirt song is Less Of You. It's a very amusing rant against George W. Bush, featuring horns, voice effects, and semi-incompetent white-boy rapping.

http://www.songfight.org/music/less_of_you/stateshirt_loy.mp3

Oversleeping by 15-16 Puzzle

15-16 Puzzle is one of Songfight's best lyricists, and Oversleeping, his only winning entry, is a perfect example of clever wordplay.

http://www.songfight.org/music/oversleeping/15-16puzzle_os.mp3

Boarding Call by Lonbobby + Yook

Lonbobby teams up with Yook to create another piano centered electronic song. Boarding Call is about indecision and hesitation about moving on.

http://www.songfight.org/music/boarding_call/lonbobby+yook_bc.mp3

Brown Boxes by The 'Over

The 'Over has quite a few songs available, but none have affected my like Brown Boxes. It's a slow piano song with a mournful female voice.

http://www.songfight.org/music/brown_boxes/over_bb.mp3

Braggadocio by MC Frontalot

If you don't already know, the humble MC Frontalot will tell you exactly why he is the world's 579th greatest rapper. Enjoy the bragging in your standard mp3 format or a fancy-schmancy ogg vorbis format.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/101/mc_frontalot_-_braggadocio.ogg
http://frontalot.com/media.php/19/mc_frontalot_-_bitter_end_-_10_braggadocio.mp3

Misery Is A Butterfly by Blonde Redhead

The title song of Blonde Redhead's second most recent album, Misery Is A Butterfly, is a perfect example of what you get listening to that album: ethereal Japanese female vocals over simple but beautiful orchestration.

http://static.cissme.com/streaming/bgroup-us/dl/4ad/blond/cad2409cd-05.mp3

Thick Atmosphere by Ghetto Pony

Ghetto Pony recently put up a new song. And like most of their stuff, Thick Atmosphere is a odd, rhythmic rock song that finds its groove and just hovers around it.

http://zebox.com/artists/audio/ghettopony_-_Thick_Atmosphere.mp3

Better Than This by Deshead

One of Deshead's early entries (in the Zero 2 Phantom fight), Better Than This is an epic performance in melodrama if not length.

http://www.deshead.com/media/mp3/deshead-BetterThanThis.mp3

Fight The Sea by Josh Woodward

Josh Woodward's album Crawford Street kicks off with Fight The Sea. It's a tightly produced, dark rock song.



http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/crawford/JoshWoodward-CrawfordStreet-01-FightTheSea.mp3

I Don't Care by Andy Korg feat. Dani Cargo

Another freebie from the Etage Noir label, I Don't Care is a brilliant piece of electronic music with a beautiful singer.

http://www.etagenoir.com/freebies/andy_korg_-_i_dont_care.mp3

Through A Keyhole by Walter Meego

Walter Meego makes the most perfect sort of quirky electronic dance music. Through A Keyhole is instantly catchy without sounding commonplace.

http://alberni.textdrive.com:8133/audio/Through_a_Keyhole.mp3

Fashion Zombies by The Aquabats

The Aquabats are here to battle the ranks of the undead. Or, failing that, deliver a song about fashion whores.

http://www.nitrorecords.com/files/24/fashionzombies.mp3

Thieving Tulips by The Apartment

The Apartment makes some of my favorite ambient electronic music on the internet, and Theiving Tulips is one of his strongest tunes yet.

http://www.gondolamusic.com/mp3s/newstuff/thieving%20tulips.mp3

Fire Bomb by The John Benjamin Band

JBB can make some strange songs. Fire Bomb features riots of unending happiness and weapons of mass satisfaction.

http://www.songfight.org/music/firebomb/johnbenjaminband_fb.mp3

Tomorrow's Almost Over by Lemon Party

Though they only have six songs there, Lemon Party have contributed some of the most interesting songs in the Song Fight! archive. Tomorrow's Almost Over won that fight, and rightfully so.

http://www.songfight.org/music/tomorrows_almost_over/lemonparty_tao.mp3

Let U Down As Good As I Did by Lackthereof

An old side project of the drummer for Menomena, Lackthereof makes experimental indie rock. Let U Down as Good As I Did is an excellent sample from the LP Christian The Christian.

http://www.menomena.com/letudown.mp3

la lune by Mari Fukuhara

Mari Fukuhara most recently has doing solo piano performances. la lune combines her piano playing with some strings (a cello?) and what sounds like programmed drumbeat to create a moody instrumental piece.

http://s5.video.blip.tv/0580000086971/Fishthemusic-mariFukuharaLaLune225.mp3

Strangelight by Fugazi

Strangelight is from Fugazi's excellent album The Argument.

http://www.dischord.com/media/mp3/07Strangelight.mp3

Eternityscape by HAK

HAK has one song in the internet archives. Eternityscape is a Celtic instrumental track with electronic elements.

http://ia300106.us.archive.org/1/items/od023/od023_-_hak_-_eternityscape.mp3

Things I Don't Remember by Ugly Casanova

Ugly Casanova is a collaboration between some guy from Modest Mouse, some guy from Califone, and some other guys. Their album Sharpen Your Teeth is one of my favorite albums. Things I Don't Remember is a surreal sort of song with lyrics that seem to follow a dream logic.

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/2368.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Final Round: Heart Of A Lion

Challenge: Bring your "A"-game

In the final round Puce beat Frankie Big Face by a single vote. Puce's entry is his first stab at live keys (he normally sequences). The song can either be about cats or girlfriends, it's your choice.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/lionheart.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round Six: Last Hope

Challenge: Six+ minutes in length

In response to this challenge for an epic song, Puce takes on an epic topic: the monomyth, the basic story structure common the stories of Jesus and Moses, to Star Wars and The Matrix, and present in the mythology of just about every culture ever. But don't worry; just because you already know how this story goes doesn't it's not worth hearing. The growling alone makes it worth the listen.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/lasthope.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round Five: The Thing Most Easily Forgotten

Challenge: Vox and guitar (bass is not okay)

This round nearly saw Puce eliminated. He was up against some excellent offerings from his rivals and he turned out his weakest entry in the competition. The silly lyrics about a broken relationship earned the approval of one of the judges, which was just enough to pass him into the next round.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/forgotten%20mixdown%202.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round Four: No One Else

Challenge: No guitar (bass is okay)

With immunity in this round, Puce delivers an angry electronic rock tune about a dysfunctional relationship.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/puce_noe.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round Three: State of Emergency

Challenge: Guest Vocals

For this round Puce teamed up with fellow internet one-man rock act Brad Sucks to deliver some frenzied paranoid ramblings that won the judges approval and immunity in round four.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/puce_bradsucks_soe.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round Two: Brownie Points

Challenge: Must include a change in time signature

Immune from elimination from his first round win, Puce took the opportunity to make a song incorporating as many things that other Song Fight! reviewers hate. These include:

1. A pointless sample opener (the A-Ha sample is a reference to a Song Fight! entry that the fightmasters deleted because it was just a long loop of an A-Ha sample).
2. Lyrics about song writing.
3. Playing out of tune.
4. Pointless profanity.
5. Humming along to the tune rather than singing.

But since he was immune, the song was just for Brownie Points.

http://forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/puce_bp.mp3

Nur Ein Champion, Round One: Sister Cocaine

Challenge: The song must include use of alliteration.

Puce got off to a good start with an upbeat tune featuring absurd religious/drug addiction puns. It got him a first round win, granting him immunity from elimination in the second round.

Stan Getz Singt by Parov Stelar

Parov Stelar is an Austrian DJ. Stan Getz Singt is a mellow trip-hop tune that was featured in the Temp Electronic Music Festival and in Oddio Overplay's Tunes in Overplay.

http://www.backlab.at/temp~/mp3/06-parov_stelar-stan_getz_singt.mp3

Heart Of A Lion by Frankie Big Face

Frankie Big Face writes love songs. This limits his appeal for me, but some of them are so good I can't help but fall in love with them anyway. In this year's Nur Ein competition he's been trading off wins with Puce for most of the competition, and the two of them are now battling for the votes of the elimnated contestants with their final songs, Heart Of A Lion. After hearing Puce's entry, I was sure Frankie's song would have to be my favorite song of his for him to compete, and he damn near delivered that.

http://www.frankiebigface.com/music/heart_of_a_lion.mp3

Lazy by Freezepop

Looking for a cute overload? Try Freezepop. Their electronic pop music is so fucking adorable you may get sick. Lazy describes how my 8:30 am class has me feeling every day.

http://freezepop.net/listen/songs/freezepop_Lazy.mp3

Get A Life by Doctor Worm

The latest Song Fight! entry by Doctor Worm is a just a straight up rocking song. Get A Life is hardly expertly recorded or mixed, but that gives it a bit of a garage music appeal.

http://www.songfight.org/music/get_a_life/doctorworm_gal.mp3

E. Is Stable by Menomena

Menomena's webpage takes aggravating web page design to a horrible extreme. But if you poke it in the right place, it rewards you with a cute experimental rock song called E. Is Stable.

http://www.menomena.com/eisstable.mp3

Bloodletting by Saul Williams

Saul Williams is a poet, occasionally an actor, and sometimes a rapper. His lyrics involve a lot of wordplay and often advocate liberal politics and anti-war and anti-gangster views. Bloodletting is a hyper-literate rant against violence.

http://72.167.29.135/sw/sw_bloodletting.mp3

Systematic Panic by ADD

ADD has been in and around Song Fight! for quite some time. Systematic Panic is one of his most recent winning songs. It features a catchy beat and some fun production tricks.

http://www.songfight.org/music/systematic_panic/add_sp.mp3

Let Me In by Puce

My favorite internet musician has made it to the final round of Nur Ein. Of the songs he's made for the competition, my favorite is his qualifying song, Let Me In, a song about a desperate attempt to escape zombies.

http://www.forkbomb.ca/songs/demos/puce_lmi.mp3

Blue Glasses by Smokey Hormel with Miho Hatori

Smokey Hormel and Miho Hatori (of Gorillaz fame) were featured on Oddio Overplay's tunes in overplay. Blue Glasses is a bossa nova song with an ethereal feel lent by Hatori's singing.

http://www.midheaven.com/fi/audio/Blue_Glasses.mp3

Your Move by Blackalicious

Blackalicious sound like a history lesson in black American music aimed at today's audience. For their latest album, The Craft, Chief Xcel gives us funk inspired beats that always sound contemporary. In Your Move Gift of Gab delivers tongue twisting rhymes showing off his smooth rhythm and flow.

http://www.spokane7.com/music/mp3s/Blackalicious%20-%20Your%20Move.mp3

Driving by Brother Machine

A month and a day and I have yet to post any country songs either. Brother Machine helps fill this hole with his country-ish Song Fight! contender, Driving.

http://www.songfight.org/music/driving/brothermachine_driving.mp3

I Hate You by State Shirt

I've been doing this for a month now, and I've managed to include a lot of indie-pop, dance rock, some jazz, some hip-hop, and some idm/ambient music. But I haven't posted any metal songs. So to fix this, I return to State Shirt's Song Fight! archive and present I Hate You.

http://www.songfight.org/music/i_hate_you/stateshirt_ihy.mp3

Thousands by yes.no.yes

yes.no.yes is a noisy indie rock group. They cite Sonic Youth, Blonde Redhead, and Fugazi as just some of their influences. And you can hear it in Thousands, from their apparently untitled EP.

http://yesnoyes.us/music/EP/yes.no.yes%20-%2002%20-%20thousands.mp3

Airweight by Ochre

Ochre makes ambient music along the lines of Aphex Twin, with an emphasis on melodies over electronic beats. Airweight is one of his more succinct songs and it features some pretty bleeps and bloops.

http://ochremusic.com/mp3s/Ochre_-_Airweight.mp3

Thanks For Coming by The Sober Irishman

The Sober Irishman has made quite a few songs spanning a wide range of genres (and quality). Thanks For Coming is a fun little Irish jig.

http://www.songfight.org/music/thanks_for_coming/soberirishman_tfc.mp3

Mass Romantic by The New Pornographers

Mass Romantic, the first song from their first album, was my first New Pornographers experience. And what an experience. It's bouncy, energetic power pop, and Neko Case's voice makes the song sweet enough to cause diabetic shock.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/mpeg/the_new_pornographers/new_pornographers_mass.mp3

The Thing Most Easily Forgotten by Merisan

Round five of Nur Ein is titled "The Thing Most Easily Forgotten". The challenge is to use vocals and guitar only. This round's winner is sure to be Merisan, who came up with one of the most gorgeous songs they've made.

UPDATE: Merisan did win this round as the unanimous top choice of the jury.

http://people.geneticmail.com/sam/merisan/merisan_ttmef.mp3

Snow Fort by Eight Legged Oedipus

From one of the dirtiest minds on Song Fight! comes a surprisingly innocent song about a battle in the snow. It really drives home the importance of holding a defensive position within the snow fort despite any injuries you may suffer.

http://www.songfight.org/music/snow_fort/eightleggedoedipus_sf.mp3

Need Stilts by A Kid Named Ace

A Kid Named Ace has a sort of indie/emo sound that you don't hear too much in the Song Fight! community. Unfortunately he hasn't entered many fights, which for a musician of his ability is a sin. So much so that he'll Need Stilts to get into heaven.

http://www.songfight.org/music/need_stilts/kidnamedace_needstilts.mp3

I Meant To Remember by Deshead

Deshead is a Canadian who puts out good old fashioned rock songs. He has entered and won himself many a Song Fight!, including I Meant To Remember. It's a fun, summertime song.

http://www.songfight.org/music/i_meant_to_remember/deshead_imtr.mp3

Doin' The Cockroach by Modest Mouse

This song opens with the line "I was in heaven. I was in hell. / Believed in neither but feared them as well." And that about sums up why I love Modest Mouse so much. That, and the fact that Isaac Brock manages to sound like a grizzled lunatic when he shouts "PLEASE SHUT UP".

http://www.uprecords.com/mp3/modestmouse_doin-the-cockroach.mp3

Como Te Quiero by El Círculo de Willis

From the depths of the internet archives one can find a great many treasures. One is the experimental/jazz group El Circulo de Willis. Como Te Quiero is a hopping electronic jazz song, packaged in a variety of convenient formats. As usual, I recommend the Ogg Vorbis version for those hip enough to not have Apple brand portable music players. If file size is no concern of yours, you should try the FLAC version (that's Free Lossless Audio Codec).

http://www.archive.org/download/Cuadrado/4CTQ.ogg
http://www.archive.org/download/Cuadrado/4CTQ.flac
http://www.archive.org/download/Cuadrado/4CTQ_vbr.mp3

No One Else by Abominominous

The last round of Nur Ein was titled "No One Else" and challenged contestants to not use a guitar in their songs. It brought out the best songs of the competition all around, but the winning song also happens to be my favorite song Abominominous has put out.

http://www.tartpop.com/tunes/abominominous-no_one_else.mp3

Tracks For Future Practice by Duboce Triangle

You may have heard the voice of Duboce Triangle in other, more famous internet music. One of the band's Song Fight! entries has me looking forward to the future, when we'll take perfection and track it down.

http://www.songfight.org/music/tracks_for_future_practice/dubocetriangle-tracksforfut.mp3

120 MPH by The John Benjamin Band

John Benjamin is not only a frequent Songfighter but also one of the fightmasters who keeps that site running. He is also one of the only fighters who has submitted a recording of just him singing with no instrumentation or vocal harmonies. He recorded a second, full version of the song, but it loses some of the nakedness that makes the Song Fight! entry so charming.

http://johnorama.com/songs/sensitive_pop/120_mph.mp3
http://www.songfight.org/music/120_mph/jbb-120mph.mp3

Adding Up Numbers by Kompressor

He has been described as the greatest industrial musician ever. And like an great German industrial act Kompressor understands the importance of math. He has focused his industrial power on letting everyone know about Adding Up Numbers.

http://www.kompressormusic.com/mp3/ADDING_UP_NUMBERS.mp3

You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son by Wolf Parade

If you read my comment about needing even more quirky rock music from Montreal and thought, "but I don't even know of any rock music from Montreal", you need to give a listen to Wolf Parade. They are unusual among my favorite Montreal based acts in actually having music available for download. So go over there and check out You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son.

While you're there, be sure to get a gander at the band's biographic entry. It's the best I've ever read. Any band who describes their music as "like a bullfight, only where the bull is a gorilla and the matador is a robot precariously holding a baby and all the spectators are eagles and whales with laser beams for eyes and everybody cries when the gorilla dies," is worth a good look.

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/2362.mp3

My Ghetto Noise by Ghetto Pony

Any band that would call their album Post Apocalyptic Bubblegum Music deserves a good look. And Ghetto Pony deliver perfectly on that title. My Ghetto Noise is one of the shortest tracks on their site, and it's catchy as hell, so it's a good place to start. And if you need more quirky rock music from Montreal, then it will just be the start.

http://zebox.com/artists/audio/ghettopony_-_My_Ghetto_Noise.mp3

Making Me Nervous by Brad Sucks

A one man band with no fans. Brad Sucks has whole album for you to download, and if you are feeling ambitious you can download the source audio and make your own remixes. The first song on this album is Making Me Nervous.

http://www.bradsucks.net/music/albums/idkwid-128/01_-_Brad_Sucks_-_Making_Me_Nervous.mp3

Failure and Regret by Lonbobby

Lonbobby has stocked the Song Fight! archive with a good deal of electronic music over the years. Among his best is Failure and Regret, which has his autotuned voice singing about how it got messed up and now he has to use a harmonica.

(And if you like the cover art, you should also get a look at the cover art for the Pass/Fail fight. They sorta go together.)

http://www.songfight.org/music/failure_and_regret/lonbobby_far.mp3

Imaginary Places by Busdriver

Busdriver shows us how to rap insanely fast over a flute of all things. He's just here to hold your hand when you die and show you around Imaginary Places.

http://www.midheaven.com/fi/audio/Imaginary_Places.mp3

Gallows Hill by Josh Woodward

Josh Woodward is a ridiculiously prolific songwriter. So if you're intimidated by his list of over 100 songs, I suggest Gallows Hill. You can give it a quick listen by just pushing play below.



http://www.joshwoodward.com/mp3/JoshWoodward-GallowsHill.mp3

State of Emergency by Bovine Recyclery

Twenty-five contestants have entered this year's Nur Ein competition. It's now round 3, the song title is "State of Emergency", and the challenge for this round is to include guest vocals in the song. Fifteen contestants are left. One is The Bovine Recyclery (he used to go by "The Cow Exchange", geddit?) and he teamed up with Bjam and Stueym to deliver a song about how his soap has low detergency. If that doesn't get him immunity for the next round nothing will.

Edit: It didn't get him immunity. But the song that did get immunity was my favorite of the bunch.

http://noise.dillfrog.com/audio/nurein2/bore_state_of_emergency.mp3

Half Jack by Dresden Dolls

The Dresden Dolls seem to put an enormous amount of enthusiasm in everything they do (that'd be the "punk" part of "punk cabaret"). And one of my favorites of theirs is Half Jack. In the live versions of the song, Brian Viglione does an extended drum into that's almost exhausting just to watch. And Amanda Palmer's singing is fantastically earnest. My favorite parts are her delivery of the line "I'd sacrifice my body to get the Jack part ... out." and the way she growls "Run, Jack, run" at the end.

http://www.dresdendolls.com/media_site/downloads/HalfJack.mp3

Electromusetic Sound by The Apartment

The Apartment makes a lot of sample-based electronic music. Electromusetic Sound is featured in the compilation People Doing Strange Things With Electricity Too and also appeared on one of Oddio Overplay's Tunes In Overplay.

http://www.archive.org/download/csr054/csr054_pdstwetoo_1-02_the-apartment_electromusetic-sound.mp3

Pasty White Man by Hostess Mostess

The pop/folk music act Hostess Mostess frequently enters Song Fights and occasionally wins some. Among my favorites are his entry for Pasty White Man.

http://www.songfight.org/music/pasty_white_man/hostessmostess_pwm.mp3

Charity Case by MC Frontalot

The almost famous Nerdcore Rapper is trying to become a music star. But to do that, he needs to convince an audience that doesn't like to pay for their data that his songs aren't free.

The Front also does something unusual for an internet musician. He offers many of his songs in both Ogg Vorbis and mp3 formats. Vorbis encoding has many advantages over mp3. Vorbis results in songs with higher fidelity, smaller file sizes, or both. It's also an open format, with no patent holder to demand licensing fees for selling files encoded using that format (unlike mp3). The best reason to go for the mp3 rather than the ogg file is if you use a portable media player that doesn't support ogg.

http://frontalot.com/media.php/6/MC_Frontalot_-_Nerdcore_Rising_01_Charity_Case.mp3
http://frontalot.com/media.php/263/MC_Frontalot_-_02_-_Goth_Girls.ogg

Woman King by Iron and Wine

Woman King is an excellent little EP by folk musician Iron and Wine. The title song is available on Iron and Wine's record label page.

http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/2425.mp3

Can't Afford A Soul by Evils That Never Came

There is very little information about Evils That Never Came on their website. What is there is a link to a directory with eight solid, rhythmic rock songs. The first on the list is Can't Afford A Soul.

http://www.evilsthatnevercame.com/audio/mp3_256k/Evils%20That%20Never%20Came%20-%2001%20Can't%20Afford%20A%20Soul.mp3

Little Girl by Brother Machine

Brother Machine is one man in Austin Texas. His music is most clearly influenced by Beck and The Eels and strays from rock to country to rap, but mostly sticks to catchy pop songs. Little Girl is an early song from his first demo set, Going Nuts.

http://bromachine.msspro.com/music/going%20nuts%2012%20little%20girl.mp3

Straw Man by State Shirt

What is your favorite song featuring a loop of the artist's dog? Mine would be Straw Man by State Shirt. This song won a Song Fight!, and is highly recommended to any fans of unusual drumming.

http://www.songfight.org/music/strawman/stateshirt_strawman.mp3

There Are So Many Possibilities by Puce

Just before the concert Tuesday night I made a very exciting discovery: my favorite internet musician has a new webpage with some new songs to go on it. (Uppity may help you find the new songs.)

Puce is a one man band with a good number of songs in the Song Fight! archive. He describes his music as "mostly histrionic nerd rock". One of my favorites is There Are So Many Possibilities, a dance oriented electronic rock song. It won that fight pretty handily.

http://www.songfight.org/music/there_are_so_many_possibilities/puce_tasmp.mp3

Glass Danse by The Faint

Last night The Faint played at the Metro in Chicago. Their brand of dance oriented electronic rock kept me dancing my ass off for most of the show. As the show was nearing its end, they had play nearly every song I had most wanted to hear, with one notable exception: Glass Danse. The first two songs in their encore were both new material that left the crowd cold. But within moments of hearing the first few notes of their final song of the night, the crowd erupted into cheers and got up on it.

Download the song and hear what the excitement was about.

http://www.saddle-creek.com/sounds/TheFaint_GlassDanse.mp3