Who says you can't get something for nothing? Or nothing in life is free? Not me. Not when it comes to my collection of new stoner rock. I can thank The Soda Shop for that.
The Soda Shop is notorious for feeding free tunes to the masses. I eagerly snatched up their first digital compilation earlier this year and less than 6 months later, Soda Shop Records release The Soda Shop Comp. Volume 2. Jake Ball and Bill Goodman feature 12 promising new rock bands together in another awesome medley that quenches all my thirst for riffs. I sure could get used to this.
Don't know about The Soda Shop? Really?! I find that hard to believe but here's what they say on The Soda Shop website:
"The Soda Shop is an Internet radio station and music blog...we are being run by Jake Ball and Bill Goodman and have never been better. The Soda Shop is geared towards Stoner Rock/Metal and Doom Metal, but will play anything that rocks. The ultimate goal of the station is to focus heavily on independent bands to give them the exposure that they deserve. The Soda Shop was created out of the love for music and the desire to give underrated bands their due..."
Ball and Goodman sure know their rock/metal music and are doing one hell of a job if you ask me. I'm sure you would agree. Just listen to The Soda Shop Comp. Volume 2. Some of my favorite new bands are on this compilation and I even discovered a couple new apples-of-my-eye who I'd never heard before. That's always a bonus.
I've told you how much I love Spiderlord. A stinging new single, "Ungrounded", leads off The Soda Shop Comp. Volume 2. If you liked their self-titled debut ep, you won't be disappointed. And my 2011 front-runners Borracho end the album with the stoner rock monster, "Plunge/Return", off their debut, Splitting Sky. You get over 20 minutes of incredible free music with those 2 songs alone. Sprinkle in more of my top-pick bands of the year and you'll understand why I'm so delighted right now. Valley of the Sun get rowdy with "Deep Light Burns", off Saying of the Seers. Desert Storm crush it on "Cosmic Drips", from their recent release Forked Tongues, and fuzz-masters Naughty Mouse offer a taste of their self-titled ep on "The Eternal Dead of My Soul".
I wasn't too familiar with about half of the rock groups presented on The Soda Shop Comp. Volume 2. I might have heard of the bands or read about them on other sites, but i had never really listened to them. Two made a really strong impression and one of those flat-out amazed me. I boogie down as Switchblade Jesus feeds my addiction for southern-style riffs on "Negative Planet 11", but Odyssey 9 send me into another dimension with their psychedelic song, "Glow". I'll be finding out more about these guys. You betcha.
Bacchus Baracus also have a little impact on me with their groovy effort, "Rock N' Roll Man". And so do Domes of Silence, who punk it out on "Temple of the Wasp". Threefold Law display staggering guitars and an old-school rock/metal feel with their song called "Earth". I got into Elvis Deluxe's version of "Fire" (Loverboy), too.
Wanna know another thing I love about this free digital compilation? The cover. You ever just looked at the artwork and knew the album was gonna be great? 'Nuff said.
You can download The Soda Shop Comp. Volume 2 and it's predecessor at The Soda Shop's Bandcamp page. I've also included a link to Facebook. Like The Soda Shop's page along with me and you'll be updated regularly on the latest new stoner rock/metal releases from the unknown. They also have free download archives on their web page. Check it out. It's priceless.
I'd like to personally thank The Soda Shop. First, for another excellent free compilation. Second, for just being there.
I think it was sometime last year when I typed 'new stoner rock' into the search bar, pressed 'enter', and clicked a link to The Soda Shop. I bookmarked the page that day and I've been going back faithfully ever since - reading about and listening to great new bands, and learning about other sites devoted to my ideal style of music. It's been a vital resource for me and my Ipod.
Again, THANK YOU to Jake Ball and Bill Goodman at The Soda Shop. Thank you so much. You've given me fresh tunes from unique independent rock bands but you've also impacted my life. If it weren't for you guys, I wouldn't be writing about music today. Period.
Heddbuzz
http://thesodashop.bandcamp.com/album/the-soda-shop-comp-volume-2
http://thesodashop.bandcamp.com/
http://thesodashop.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/sodashopradio
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