Get A Free MP3 of Dashboard Confessional's "Thick As Thieves"

That's right! Go to Dashboard Confessional's MySpace and download the MP3 of "Thick As Thieves" for free, before the album Shade of Poison Trees comes out on October 2! There is also a contest to create the new video for "Thick As Thieves". The contest ends October 5. Even if you're not a creative type individual, go watch Chris Carrabba's lo-fi video introducing the contest, and laugh at his tilted brim.

Oh yeah, watch the first live recording of "Thick As Thieves":

Album Review: Mark Berube - What The River Gave The Boat; Win A Free Copy Of The Album!

Lately, I've been in love with the closing track on just about every album I listen to. That goes for today's review choice, Mark Berube's What The River Gave The Boat. The magnificent sound of "Barber Shop", from its rebounding piano to its regal string section, romantically carries the sentimental voice of Berube over the clouds before climaxing in a thunderous cacophony of classically-tuned sound. Although a bit off the path of the rest of the album, "Barber Shop" is one of the songs that speaks to my spirit, musically, more than others of late.

What The River Gave The Boat is the first half of a double album, to be followed with What The Boat Gave The River in the future. A trumpet drives the mid-tempo swing of "Cloudy Day" and upright bass pushes the groove of "Pretty Little Bird (The Saint of Vancouver)", while Berube's voice sings the gospel of the folk tales of today's world. Berube's tales are just as at home in his native Vancouver as the war fields in the wrenching "War Without An End". Singing the sorrow in "Alarms", Mark Berube's voice carries the weight of someone who has seen it all and conveys that experience through that voice. It's not just the choice of his words, which he does stunningly, but the salt and grit of experience and empathy in his voice that makes What The River Gave The Boat enough to sprain whatever existential muscle it is that ties the heart to the soul.

If you like what you just read, and you went to Mark's website and liked the songs, leave a comment or Email AGT and win a free copy of Mark Berube's new album! Hurry, the drawing ends on August 17!

Contest Promoter Issues

To the winners of the Cartel contest (who have been previously notified), I apologize for the failure of the promotional company to provide your prizes. You have all expressed thanks for the alternative prizes and I truly appreciate your understanding.

The promoter promised to send me the prize packs prior to the end of the media hype so that I could announce winners here on Any Given Tuesday contemporaneously with the exit from the bubble by the band. That never occurred. I asked more than once when I might expect those prizes, and was told the prizes were coming from the sponsors of the contest, but had not yet arrived. More recently, I inquired about the prizes since we were well past the end of the contest and explained that I would prefer to avoid reporting to my readers that the company fell through. I regret to report that M80 neglected to respond to my email and have therefore neglected to satisfy their end of our agreement.

As a small-time blogger like myself, it is hard to burn a bridge with a promo/PR agency, but I will not take lightly a failure to come through on a promise both to this site and, by proxy, its readers. Without an explanation and clarification for my readers why the prizes fell through, I will no longer provide press for that company. Nor will I post any information about contests unless and until I either have the prizes in hand to give to the readers, or a contract or other enforceable writing indicating how fans will receive their prize.

Thanks again to the contest winners for graciously accepting your back-up prizes. I hope you enjoy them, and all future contests will not end in this fashion.

Cartel Become the Band In A Bubble Today! Enter to win prizes!

Today, Cartel enters the Bubble to record their next album. Be sure to enter Any Given Tuesday's Cartel contest for your chance to win cool prizes from the band.

Band In A Bubble featuring Cartel; Win A Prize Pack From Cartel, Dr. Pepper, and M80

Dr. Pepper and M80 have informed Any Given Tuesday about a project called Band In A Bubble featuring Cartel. Cartel will be sealed inside a huge transparent bubble on Hudson River Park's Pier 54 in New York City from May 24 through June 12, and every move they make will be live for the world to see as they eat, breathe, sleep and record the follow-up to their debut album, Chroma.

Cartel will be trapped inside the bubble for the duration of recording, with webcams streaming, and there will be a music special in four 30-minute episodes aired on MTV.

As for the bubble itself, it is a 40-by-40 foot state-of-the-art recording studio equipped with everything Cartel needs to record their next album. Designed by international firm TPG Architecture, the 2,000-square-foot structure will consist of 55,000 pounds of steel truss and quarter-inch-thick fireproof rigid fiber glass. Three semi-circular steel arches will loop the bubble and act as light trusses to provide a glowing effect. While in the bubble, Cartel will have access to a custom kitchen and dining room, a casual lounge area and a spa-like bathroom as well as a “Sleeping Bubble,” or mezzanine level, which will be a giant pod elevated nine feet off the ground and hung in place with airplane hanger cables, that will house the band's sleeping quarters.

Click the banner above to check out the Band In A Bubble. You can also join the Band In A Bubble Street Team.

To top it all off, Cartel, M80 and Dr. Pepper have been generous enough to offer a Cartel prize pack (containing CDs, posters, and more) for giveaway on Any Given Tuesday. Leave a comment or send Any Given Tuesday an email and you'll have the chance to win something out of the prize pack when Cartel comes out of the bubble!

Winner of the Umphrey's McGee Contest, Sponsored by Record & Tape Traders

A hearty congrats to Laura E., who won the Umphrey's McGee contest Any Given Tuesday offered up courtesy of Record & Tape Traders! Laura won a signed lithograph and a copy of the new album, The Bottom Half.

Remember the Umphrey's McGee Contest. . .ends Sunday!

Remember to enter the Umphrey's McGee contest courtesy of Record & Tape Traders. You can win a signed lithograph from the band, as well as a copy of their new album, The Bottom Half.

Win A Signed Lithograph And The New Album From Umphrey's McGee, Courtesy of Record and Tape Traders!

Last week, Any Given Tuesday reviewed the latest album from Umphrey's McGee, The Bottom Half.



Record and Tape Traders has offered up a contest for the loyal readers of Any Given Tuesday: an autographed lithograph of the last Umphrey's McGee album, Safety In Numbers, where most of the Bottom Half material came from. And to sweeten the deal, R&TT is throwing in a copy of The Bottom Half, to boot!

To enter, either email me or leave a comment with your first name and email address, so that Record and Tape Traders can contact the winner. And, be near a Record and Tape Traders store, so that you can drive to pick up your prize! R&TT has locations in Annapolis, Towson, Catonsville, Westminster, Glen Burnie, Bel Air, Owings Mills, Charles Village, Dundalk, Frederick, and my old stomping grounds, Rehoboth Beach, DE!

Entries will be considered valid until 11:59 PM on Sunday, 4/22. A winner will be announced soon thereafter.

This being Any Given Tuesday's first proper contest, be a sport and enter. Don't embarrass us and decline your shot at something cool for free!