Summer 2016 Road Trip sampler - Various Artists

Artist: Various Artists

Album: N/A

Description: This is a solid 11 tracks -- more than 35 minutes -- of music courtesy of artists working with Sugar Mountain PR this spring and summer. It's called a "road trip" sampler, but there's nothing necessarily summer- or vacation-themed about it. But with songs from Frances England, the Sugar Free Allstars, and the Not-Its, the Okee Dokee Brothers, and more -- not to mention songs from as-yet-unreleased albums by The Whizpops, Brady Rymer, and 123 Andres -- it will do just nicely even if you're just shuttling the kids to the municipal pool or lounging around at home. Grab it quickly, as it'll only be available for the downloading through May 25.

Source: Soundcloud

Let's Hear It for the Moms! - Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Artist: Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Album: Let's Hear It for the Moms!

Description: A seven-song sampler of previously-released maternally-related tracks from the New York roots-rocker, downloadable for free. I would guess that this is a limited-time offer, so don't delay -- Mother's Day has come and gone, but celebrating the mothers in our lives, be it our own or others we know, doesn't go out of style. I've always liked Rymer's take on "Mama Don't Allow," but all of them are worth the mp3 space.

Source: Bandcamp

<a href="http://bradyrymerandthelittlebandthatcould.bandcamp.com/album/lets-hear-it-for-the-moms">Let&#39;s Hear It For The Moms! by Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could</a>

Food Songs for Thanksgiving - Various Artists

Artist: Various Artists

Album: N/A

Description: Eight songs free for the downloading (for a limited time, anyway), courtesy of artists from Sugar Mountain PR. Ostensibly they're songs for Thanksgiving, but that's really just because they're food-related. But with music from Kira Willey, Lisa Loeb, Heidi Swedberg, Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, the Okee Dokee Brothers and more, I think you'll find enough to be grateful for.

Source: Soundcloud

Four Free Book-Related Songs - Caspar Babypants

Artist: Caspar Babypants

Album: N/A

Description: Chris Ballew aka Caspar Babypants is already super-productive, turning out album after album, but even beyond his stellar full-length stuff (Rise and Shine, out September 16!), he occasionally does some one-off stuff. He's done 3 songs for books he's written with his wife Kate Endle, and his latest, "Old Manhattan" is for a new book written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Endle. Just like all of Ballew's Caspar Babypants work, it takes an old song and rejiggers it for the 21st century. Best of all (for you), you can download all 4 of these book-based tracks for free.

Source: CB's Songs for Books page

Father's Day Playlist - Various Artists

Artist: Various Artists

Album: N/A

Description: An eight-song collection of free music (at least through Father's Day) via Sugar Mountain PR. Includes the title track from Raffi's upcoming album Love Bug and other upcoming albums from Brady Rymer and The Not-Its, plus some classics ("When I Grow Up," "The Elephant Song").

Source: Soundcloud

DIY Sampler - Lunch Money

Artist: Lunch Money

Album: N/A

Description: South Carolina's beloved Lunch Money recorded several of their songs at North Carolina's Old House Studios. Now you can download three tracks from the band's wonderful Spicy Kid album, four from Original Friend, plus a song they recorded for the Richland Library Growing Savers Program. You're gonna have to do it yourself, but we like DIY 'round here.

Source: Bandcamp

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/time-out">Time Out by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/you-were-a-basket-of-flowers">You Were A Basket of Flowers by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/awake">Awake by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/follow-me-home">Follow Me Home by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/getaway-car">Getaway Car by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/i-want-to-push-buttons">I Want To Push Buttons by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/snow-globe">Snow Globe by Lunch Money</a>

<a href="http://oldhousestudio.bandcamp.com/track/shake-my-piggy-bank">Shake My Piggy Bank by Lunch Money</a>

The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow (Demo Tracks)

Artist: The S.S. Bungalow (aka Jason Reuter)

Album: The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow

Description: It's a Kickstarter project from Portland, it's a plane... no, it's just a Kickstarter project from Portland. They've got less than 2 days to go, and they're close. Perhaps a free download (or even a spin) of 3 demo tracks from the album might convince you. I think you might be pleasantly surprised and inspired to throw in a ducat or two.

Source: NoiseTrade

Kick Out the Jammies Sampler

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Kick Out the Jammies

Description: The 11-song sampler from Burniside Distribution is the second free Amazon sampler (here's the first from a couple years ago) from the Pacific Northwest distributor, and it's a solid collection, with great tracks from Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, the Verve Pipe, Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, Cat Doorman, Readeez, and more. In fact, you should probably have a lot of those tracks already, so get it for the ones you don't know (or your less-savvy friends who refuse to take your sonic advice).

Source: Amazon / Cool Mom Tech (who have been killin' it recently with kids music recs)