The deep-bargain bin: Local bands’ most worthwhile free downloads

Flights, Living Bodies EP

Flights became Chicago residents earlier this year by way of Milwaukee, Wis., bringing their piano-based dream pop along with them. The new Living Bodies EP is fully suited for the fast-approaching winter months, providing a perfect soundscape to those long, cold, endless nights. Given the EP's delicate nature, it follows that the group cites an ambitious list of influences like Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Sigur Rós, and Coldplay. Flights’ tender ballads strive for the same damaged sensitivity of those acts, especially in the pronounced, reverberating piano of "Old Wings," easily the EP's most breathless and heartfelt offering. Lest anyone think the group has set too sleepy of standards, however, the sudden burst of lively guitars on "Dead Bodies" prove otherwise.

Download here in exchange for your e-mail address; check the band’s MySpace for more information on its Oct. 15 show, which currently doesn't list a venue.

Soft Speaker, recordings from Gallery Of Carpet studio

In the new two-song bundle available for download, Soft Speaker displays the group's dual identities. "Concerning Your Memoirs" is a swaying, subdued tune, showcasing the outfit's slower and softer rock sound without delving into syrupy ballad territory. "Maybe Baby," meanwhile, employs a twangier guitar sound, with singer-guitarist Paul Foreman treating this Buddy Holly original with an almost Elvis-inspired vocal approach. Grab both cuts and determine your preference.

Download here; see the band live at the Hideout Oct. 2, and the Empty Bottle Oct. 23.

Yawn, Yawn EP

Until a few months ago, Yawn wrote and recorded under the name Metrovox, a moniker the band eventually outgrew. So it's to the group's credit that in embracing a new name with the goal of branching out into broader musical territory, its new self-titled EP does just that.

"David" comes off positively ceremonial, with celebratory chanting repeating over tribal drumming. The vibe carries over into "Empress," which features animal calls that sound like they’ve been bootlegged at a Rainforest Café, and glassy riffs keep the hyperactive rhythm and grooving melody in check. Funky and lush with layers of sound, Yawn achieves an expansive scope.

Download here; see the band live at Snack Manor Oct. 31.

Nick Stetina, Slogan Of His Soul EP

On his Slogan Of His Soul EP, Saint Charles’ Nick Stetina channels Dashboard Confessional's acoustic-tinged, full-band, singer-songwriter sound, though he steers clear of Chris Carrabba's wounded puppy-dog lyrics. Instead, Stetina is upbeat, as evident in the track "The Futures Got Me Smilin'," a decidedly jaunty production that picks up towards the track's end with some harder hitting and celebratory guitars. Slogan Of His Soul's selections are consistently personal, but Stetina never lets that vulnerability overpower his agreeable and uptempo folky-pop. 

Download here.