Best Of Year One: Mixes, Giveaways & Events
In addition to our birthday shows, we’re celebrating our one year anniversary by looking back over our favorite news, reviews, features, and mixes, as Joseph, Kristen, Mariana, and Sonam make their picks for Best of Year One. And to show how far we’ve come, we’re also switching back to our original look for the week. It’s been an amazing twelve months, and we look forward to what the next twelve will bring. Thanks for reading.
There’s something intensely special about giving someone music, in any form. It could be via mix, gifting a record or tape, through making your friend listen to a song you love. Over the past year, we’ve shared music in every way we know how. Besides writing about it, we’ve made you seventy-six mixes—whether it’s compiled by the staff, a themed videogram, or put together by your favorite band. We’ve given away over a hundred records, tapes and concert tickets. Here’s to another another year of giving as much as I can to the people who’ve given me the best thing I could’ve asked for—a reason to get out of bed every morning.
Compiled below is a list of some of our favorite giveaways, events and mixes. If you want to contribute, contact me. - Sonam Parikh, Managing Editor
GET YOUR VERY OWN GLOW KIT!
GET BENT was one of the first US blogs to share the insanely catchy and trashy rock n’ roll of Denmark’s Glow Kit, and we raved about their self-titled debut LP last week. Now, we’re teaming up with the nice people behind FDH Records to give away a free copy of the record to you guys. To enter the contest, just comment on this post with your favorite city in Denmark. One lucky winner will be chosen at random, but if you don’t want to gamble, you can buy it here.
MAGNETIX WILL GET YOU HIGH
French maniacs Magnetix just concluded their tour around the states with Xray Eyeballs and Bare Wires. They’re currently back to playing shows around Europe and have recently released Drogue Electrique, which we reviewed yesterday.
A few of you lucky boys n’ girls can win a copy, courtesy of Shit in Can Records! Stream the 7” below, or on their Bandcamp. Comment this post with your favorite song from the 7”. As always, if you like what you hear, you can always support the band and buy it here.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Chicago’s Trouble In Mind Records have been killin’ it with their latest releases, namely Estrogen Highs‘ Irrelevant Future and Hollows‘ Vulture LP. They recently contacted us because they want us to give ‘em away to you guys — two winners will receive one of each LP express from Bill and Lisa Roe themselves. (Incidentally, check out the guest mix they made us a few weeks ago.)
Listen to “I Wanna Be Tall” by Estrogen Highs and “Sunset Lullabye” from Hollows, get real excited to enter, and comment on this post to win. Two lucky jerks to be selected at random!
HERE’S A SOLUTION
The fine folks at FDH Records have given us two copies of the new LP from Digital Leather, Modern Problems. We reviewed it here here and also premiered an exclusive out-take from the Modern Problems sessions - a cover of Nirvana’s “Territorial Pissings,” which shits all over the original. (Skeptical? Listen here.)
Stream the album below, and comment with your favorite track off Modern Problems to receive a copy — two winners to be selected at random.
BRING BEER, INDEED
Naturally, all of us at GET BENT want you to get off yer ass and get to buyin’ and lovin’ on some records today — as should be the case for every day of your year! Still, this was one Record Store Day compilation, offered up to us by the cool folks at 12XU Records that’s too good not to give away to you fools. Bring Beer features new recordings from Cruddy, The Golden Boys, Chris Brokaw, James Arthur’s Manhunt, The Flesh Lights, Naw Dude, Carolee, Marriage, Philip Sambol of Strange Boys, Followed By Static, Nazi Gold, G.Green, Rhett And Dean, and Air Traffic Controllers.
Even better, all proceeds will go to Trailer Space Records! Gerard Cosloy of 12XU elaborates after the cut. (Which is also where you can find out how to win the thing.)
WE NEVER LEARN… BUT WE CAN TRY
In conjunction with his Record Store Day column, Eric Davidson continues to drop some knowledge by offering up his book, We Never Learn, for one of yous gunk punks to snag. Win it by answering this question: What is the name of the record label that put out the first Gories album, House Rockin’? Don’t know the answer? Well, buy the book and maybe you’ll find out!
Alright! So maybe you are about to win my book, maybe you’ve already purchased it, maybe you’re rubbing your chin pondering purchasing it, maybe your wisest friend bought you a copy, or maybe you came across it in a friend’s bathroom. And of course there is always the very distinct possibility you have never even heard of this damn thing, and are even wondering what a “book” is.
Whatever the case may be, I was not able to put Dr. Dre- funded holograms in We Never Learn, so GET BENT has asked me to whip up a list of some YouTube clips relating to my tome. And quickly whip it up I did, as I’m in a crunch to get my shit together and go to the Atlanta Mess Around this weekend!
Basically, most of these clips are live, a couple of proper music videos, and some TV and interview junk too. (Note especially the fan-damn-tastic “Wah Wah TV” Crypt Special from German TV in 1996. (I guess Wah Wah was kinda like their “120 Minutes”.) It contains loads of good clips, and maybe the only filmed interview with the mighty Tim Warren, head of Crypt Records….
Anyway, there are a million other worthy vids you can dig up on your own, but here’s a start…. - Eric Davidson
TELLIN’ LIES
We recently delighted over the new Evans The Death track, “Telling Lies”.It makes total sense that pop mavens, Slumberland Records, recently released their 7”. They’ve also offered us a copy to give away! If you wanna get your hands on it, comment on this post with an outrageous or funny lie you’ve told.
The band will release a self-titled debut album in a couple of months — until then, grab the single here and listen to a track below.
SOME GOLDEN TUNES
Apparently The Golden Boys don’t change their underwear, as evidenced by the eponymous track below, but they know that you want them anyway. And we’re gonna give ‘em to you! Their recently released album, a sunny jaunt back to some truly solid rock n’ roll musicianship, is a solid effort — check out our review here. And if you still need convincing, comment below and we’ll send one of you a copy of Dirty Fingernails.
Even if you don’t end up winning this gem, do yourself a solid and buy the record here from 12XU Records.
The Golden Boys - Dirty Fingernails by Gilded Gutter
