DOWNLOAD: My 5 favorite albums with less than 30 downloads

This blog is nearly two years old, and in that time I've posted about 100 records that are available for free. Some of those records have been downloaded almost 400 times (Hasil Adkins's Peanut Butter Rock and Roll) while others have been only been received 12 hits. Some of those rarely accessed albums are ones I truly love, and it disappoints me that more people have not heard them, which was part of the goal of this blog.

I am giving some of these records a second chance. These five demos, full-lengths or discographies are my favorites that have been downloaded less than 30 times, which frankly needs to be a lot more. So here are some haikus to try to convince you to put these tunes in your digital collection.

1. The Beautiful Down - Ashes and Vanity / Of Angels and Of Men (27 downloads)

Redneck boys from Boone
In vein of At the Drive In
Christian sure can shred

2. Horns to the Matador - We Own This Town, Johnny! (15 downloads)

Big guitars play emo
Think Journey as indie rock
Broke up way too soon

3. Malicious Intent - The Sound of Diesel (29 downloads)

As thick as gravy
Lighthearted death metal punk
Changed my fucking life

4. The Dick Brothers - The Dick Brothers (16 downloads)

Iafrate bros
Listen to Hazel Dickens
Play great folk music

5. Steel Nation - Forever Wounded (13 downloads)

Nineties hardcore lives
Hard style like Biohazard
Ethan Mania

DOWNLOAD: Horns to the Matador - We Own This Town, Johnny!

Having broken up in late 2000, members of the Wheeling rock outfit went on to play in the likes of The Minus Tide and Mr. Fancy Pants. In their short-lived existence, HTTM had (according to the band's bio) "perfected the big-guitar emo-rock sound that earlier Wheeling bands had reached toward, drawing on the work of modern indie-rock bands such as Elliott and Piebald and rock favorties such as Journey to create a sound that mixed the 'classic' sounds of 80s rock giants with the fresh modern rock heroes of the emo genre."

HTTM does in fact combine the exuberant emo energy of Elliott with the discordant side of early Piebald. The band also combined with the technical, stop-and-go preciseness of Don Caballero, which is present in The Minus Tide sci-fi metal style. While Sean Decker's reverb-heavy vocals reminiscent of a poppier My Morning Jacket is at the front of the band's sound, it is Nate Musser's creativity and skill on bass and Dave Klug's drumming that punch the band forward in each song. In fact, it was Musser's departure from the band to attend Berklee College of Music that attributed to HTTM breaking up, but not before recording this 7-song EP in 2000. And though the members went on to create great music with other projects, We Own This Town, Johnny! remains one of my favorite albums from a West Virginia band.

Artist: Horns to the Matador

Album: We Own this Town, Johnny!

Year: 2000

For Fans Of: Elliott, Piebald, Don Caballero

DOWNLOAD: Horns to the Matador - We Own this Town, Johnny!