Luke Judge

Downloading online music in recent years have picked up at tremendous speeds. And I am talking about downloading online music at legal websites such as iTunes, Amazon, HMV and the likes. It is understandable since MP3 players are taking the lion’s share of the portable digital music players market. Downloading online music MP3s naturally becomes a popular activity especially among youngsters.

You do not have to worry about the legality of downloading online music at these online music stores. The online music stores have sought for the permission or licence of record labels to distribute their music. In return, the record companies are paid hefty sums of royalties of course. What are some of the handy tips music lovers can use when downloading online music?

It is important to compare this among the licensed music retailers as their prices tend to vary. On average, a price of $0.99 or less per music piece is quite reasonable. Some sites offer you a monthly subscription that permits you to download a specific number of songs every month. It can be anything between 30 to 40 songs.

Sometimes, there would be promotional offers for entire albums or top hit singles. The trick is to sign up for their newsletters to receive such news updates.

Different music stores offers different music genre. Some specializes in rap, while others may offer oldies. Generally, the most established ones would carry Alternative music, Rock, Country music, Hip Hop, Christian music, Pop, Reggae, Dance music, R&B, Jazz, Techno, Blues, Classical, Trance music and movie soundtracks. Music videos are also available at majority of the online retailers.

Remember to read the terms and conditions of the online music site. Downloading online music directly to your computer is acceptable at all sites. However, if you wish to copy them to a portable digital device such as an MP3 player or to copy and burn them onto a CD, it requires different user rights. Be sure to clarify with the site to ensure that you stay on the right side of the law.

The most common music format is MP3. But for those who appreciate better music or want to listen using a home theatre system, this piece of advice would be useful to you. Music files are normally compressed to reduce the space required. MP3, AAC, WMA and Vorbis formats are compressed files that have lost bits and pieces of the original music. Such music files are called lossy files. MP3s are the worst of the lot. So if you want to get the best out of your favourite musical piece, avoid these. WMA and FLAC file formats are able to retain the original sound without music loss, making them ideal choices if you are downloading music online to build a private music collection.

Read more about downloading online music at my popular music blog. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

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By Staten Island AdvanceMay 23, 2010, 4:38AM”Living,” Pontiak (Thrill Jockey)
 
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Pontiak has only been releasing music since 2008, but with four full-length albums already under its belt, it’s safe to say this group will only get better with time.

Previous releases proved that the Virginia trio, made up of three brothers — Van (guitar, lead vocals), Lain (drums, vocals) and Jennings Carney (bass, organ, vocals) — had flashes of brilliance, but as a whole, the records were uneven efforts.

This time around, on their latest and fifth release, “Living,” the band has definitely hit its stride, both in terms of songwriting and musicianship.

Characteristic of its ethos, Pontiak mixes and alternates among genres, and this time around, it’s done almost seamlessly. That may be because the band took longer to record this collection. There’s a reason for that: The songs are intended to be heard in sequence, in their entirety. This more careful approach represents a break with the past when the band recorded in brief evening sessions or released single-take compilations like the earlier “Maker.”

“Living” begins in hard-rocking, stoner (think Queens of the Stone Age) mode with “Young,” then abruptly segues into a series of earth-shaking, gong-like chords on “Original Vestal.” The third track, “Algiers By Day,” is redolent of both ‘90s indie rockers like Slint and Polvo, and Kraut-rock pioneers, Can.

From there, the group launches into a rhythmically pummeling, cacophonous maelstrom with “And By Night.” This is, by far, one of the record’s most challenging cuts. But then comes the calm after the storm, with the chilling, tremolo shimmers of “Second Sun,” which wisely ratchets down the intensity. This cut, in turn, leads into a warm, sparsely strummed folk drone, “Beach” (a la ‘70s Pink Floyd), accompanied only by chanting vocals, a churchy organ and marching guitar strums.

The storm returns with a vengeance, however, with “Lemon Lady, “ a sludgy doom metal trouncer, which leads into a bouncy rocker, “This Is Living.” The psychedelically influenced ebb and flow of instrumental and vocal tracks continue throughout. It’s a skillful exercise in recoil and release, pairing harshly dense abrasion with airy meditation. Add the stylistic jumping among various musical eras, and a listener experiences the sensation of time travel through an ever-changing sonic landscape.

Stylish and gritty, tactile and richly textured, it’s the element of uncertainty, in the end, that makes Pontiak’s music so original. By the way, it’s recorded on an old reel-to-reel in the band’s home studio.

With “Living,” there’s never a dull moment —and, in an age where so much music becomes mere background noise, that’s a feat that’s nearly impossible to achieve.

SEE THE BAND LIVE: