Music Monday: Free stuff, Cheap stuff, and a challenge

First, let me say read through to the third section of this post. I'll need your help. Now, on with the show.

Free Stuff
Who doesn't like free music. Kat does, even when she has to pay $7 for it. So here is some free music for you today - and it is a departure from what you might normally think of Euphrony listening to for fun. P.O.D. is offering a free download of their new single "Shine With Me" from their album When Angels & Serpents Dance. You can go through their front page to get it, or click here to download it directly. I got this album a couple of months ago, and I will be doing a review of it (I really will, I just have not had time to do it, yet). It's a pretty good album, overall - perhaps a bit repetitive at times, but P.O.D. sounds as good as ever here and they have some good lyrics to boot. Check out "Shine With Me" - hey, it's free, what's the worst that could happen?

Cheap Stuff
So, Kat (again) has been all over this artist. But I've not seen her mention that right now you can buy and download a digital copy of Cindy Morgan's new album Beautiful Bird for only $5.99. No, it's not free - but pretty close. Go to her online store, and you'll see the option to buy the CD for $9.99 or buy all tracks for $5.99. Now you have some more good music for your listening pleasure.

Oh, by the way, have you heard about NoiseTrade? No? Well, now you have, and consider yourself lucky. Their tag line is fair trade music, and you can download some good music from some great artists by either giving them three e-mail addresses or by paying what you think is fair. Okay, sounds fair to me. (HT: Shaun and Brody)

A Challenge
Who doesn't like a little challenge now and then? Well, here is your challenge (should you choose to accept it).

Euphrony is headed off to sunny California in a couple of weeks to attend a big rheology shin-dig. I'll even be presenting a paper and a poster at this thing, plus Mrs. E will fly up after me and we'll spend a couple of child-free days in Monterey. As part of this wild gathering of us crazy rheologists from around the globe, there will be a beach party one evening as a social event. There will be ping-pong, foosball, shuffleboard, a limbo contest (I get the giggles trying to picture some of these people I know doing to limbo), and karaoke. They have published the list of available songs for karaoke and have encouraged us to prepare for "Rheology Idol".

Now, I've mentioned before that I really don't like karaoke that much. There's the bad singing, the annoying songs that inevitably get chosen, and the "drunk" factor. (Did I mention that the conference is in Monterey, and that wine will be free-flowing at the social events? I guess I should have done that.) But in the spirit of fun, Euphrony is willing to entertain the idea of joining in the karaoke madness just this one time. The full list of karaoke songs can be read here, but I've already spotted a few that would seem to fit the mood of foolish, half-drunk rheologists singing on a beach. There's David Lee Roth's "Just a Gigolo" - that would be fun. I could do my best Geddy Lee impression and sing "Fly By Night" from Rush. I could honor the best voice in rock and roll and sing "Crying" from Roy Orbison. I could go for the crowd favorite and do "Y.M.C.A." (or not). Or I could find a buddy and sing "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" in my best Willie Nelson and/or Julio Iglesias accent. I will not consider anything from Madonna (no discussion).

So, what say you? Can you convince Euphrony to karaoke? Give it a shot! And who bust a gut laughing at rheologists partying on the beach?