eMusic is my favourite place to get music (and the only place I download music online). You might have noticed from the blog that my taste in music is for modern indie and classic old-school songs – which is pretty much the eMusic catalogue. For those who don’t know, it’s a subscription service – you get so many downloads per month – and they cover independent record labels (so stay clear if you’re into James Blunt and the Crazy Frog).
Since I started subscribing (well over a year ago) I’ve been adding to a list of ukulele tracks on eMusic. There are some big, popular acts there like Magnetic Fields (US only), James Hill, Beirut, IZ and George Formby; as well as many unusual and obscure sounds such as Malaysian ukulele and hip-hop ukulele. So, if you’re a subscriber, chow down and use up this month’s allocation.
If you’re not a subscriber, you don’t have to miss out. You get 25 downloads for free when you sign up, after which you can cancel before they grab any of your money. So here’s a list of the 25 essential ukulele mp3s you have to get from eMusic.
James Hill
1. Skipping Stone
2. Uke Talk
3. One Small Suite for Ukulele Part I
James Hill is THE best ukulele soloist around at the moment. There’s no competition. He’s incredibly technically adept but he never falls into the trap of sounding like a robot as some others do. His album A Flying Leap is on eMusic and, to be honest, you need it all.
Hailey Wojcik
4. Nabakov’s Butterfly
5. Bad Modern Art
Indie chanteuse, Hailey Wojcik caused a bit of a stir in ukuleleland recently with her track Nabakov’s Butterfly getting a mention on Ukulelia and a spin on UkeCast and I’m happy to report the album lives up to the promise. Even the non-uke tracks are fantastic. Check out Dinosaur Bone.
The Kalima Brothers
6. Stars and Stripes
A rollocking version of this tune. The best I’ve ever heard on the uke. And there have been a few.
That should get you started. Stay tuned for the rest of the list or skip ahead and check out my list of ukulele tracks on eMusic.
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