Free MP3 Music Madness... a plethora of great stuff, plus free TV shows!

Howdy folks! It's time for this week's free-and-legal MP3 Madness. Perhaps you're wondering what I'm looking so excited about?? Well, my answer would have to the TV and movie downloads I just found available for free via iTunes. Yes, full episodes!! (and the crowds go wild! Oooooh ahhhhh ooooooh ahhhhhh)

Err, please excuse that girl sitting behind the keyboard... she's groggy from last night's NyQuil, even though it's now 2:26 pm. Sad, huh?

In any case, since I'm excited about iTunes for the first time in a while, we'll head over there first in this week's tour of free-and-legal downloads. Awaiting us we will find full episodes of:

• NCIS: Los Angeles
• Parks and Recreation
• Mercy
• Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train
• Modern Family
• The Good Wife
• Brothers
• Accidentally on Purpose

There are a ton of other sneak peaks and show clips too, but ignore those for the moment and keep scrolling down. Keep scrolling. Yeah, there at the bottom. See that one, Truth in 24? No, it isn't a behind-the-scenes look at the science of Jack Bauer... it's a full-length and very well reviewed documentary of the famous 3,000 mile race Le Mans. I don't even like cars, let alone movies about cars, and I still can't help but be psyched about this one!

The music available on iTunes this week is also pretty decent, with a track from the British band Animal Kingdom, an extra track from the collaborative fund raising CD Tck Tck Tck, and a very fun and upbeat Latin download from the artist Kany Garcia.

Other favorites I discovered this week include:

Pop & Easy Listening (aka, hard to categorize...):
Carly Simon (via artist's website)
Gary Go (via Borders -- a different track than Amazon had last week!)
Jer Coons (via Muruch)

Indie Rock:
Rufus Wainwright (via Amazon, limited time availability)
John Vanderslice (via Paste Magazine)
Los Campesinos! (via Fingertips)
God Help the Girl (via Fingertips)
M. Ward (live concert recording, via NPR)

Jazz:
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Astrud Gilberto, et al (Verve Vaults sampler, via Amazon)
Dave Brubeck, Claudia Acuna, et al (Jazz festival 12 track sampler, via NPR)

Gospel and CCM:
Ted Winn (via Amazon)
B. Reith (via Amazon, multiple tracks. Very fun upbeat style!)
The Famous Rocks of Harmony, et al (via Zatarain's website, must have a UPC to download. I don't want to post a code here 'cuz I feel that would be a little unethical, but I have three boxes of Zatarain's sitting on my shelf if anybody wants to email me for one of those).

Folk:
Iron and Wine, Fleet Foxes, Joan Baez, Avett Brothers, et al (Folk festival sampler, via NPR)

Classical/Instrumental:
Direct Aid Iraq sampler Under the Rose
Joshua Bell and Tiempo Libre (via Amazon)
Italian band Ronin (via Muruch)

World Music:
Nouvelle Vague (French band, lyrics in English, via Muruch)

Kids/Family:
Kenny Loggins All Join In (via artist's website)
Music for Little People (multiple downloads, via store site)

There's also a sampler of 17 tracks from the Austin City Limits available for free download and including lots of different styles and genres, so be sure to check that out too... my favorite is the one from Lisa Hannigan.

That's all for now, so have fun with it! As always, don't forget that many of the MP3 Madness selections from previous weeks are still available, so if you missed any be sure to flip back through and check those posts out as well. And make sure you're subscribed to my blog via email or RSS, so you can be in the know for next time too! Happy listening, and tell your iPod a hearty "You're welcome" from me. ;)

Thanks to Bargain Briana and A Cheap Chick's Ray of Sunshine for the head's up on several of these!

PS Don't forget the polls to the left! I very much would appreciate your input. :)