Local Natives is a Los Angeles indie rock band that we first heard via the legendary British mag New Music Express' website, and immediately dug their self-described "jungle rock" sound. Their debut album, Gorilla Manor, comes out on November 2, and will be backed up with a November-December U.S. tour together with bands like White Rabbits, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Fool’s Gold. Below are two awesome songs from Gorilla Manor via NME.com.

The iconic indie musician Daniel Johnston's new album, Is And Always Was, dropped on Tuesday, and we're loving it; looking forward to seeing him later this month when Johnston stops in San Francisco as part of his current concert tour. Below is feature a free, legal MP3 from the new record titled "Freedom." You can purchase the album directly from Johnston's colorful website Hi, How Are You?, named after his 1993 album that was regularly 'advertised' by Kurt Cobain.

Straight outta of Brooklyn is a band we heard over at Stereogum called the Freelance Whales. Plus, check out these awesome new songs from The Bright Light Social Hour, Annuals, Rubik, Two Hours Traffic, Baaba Maal, Black Whales, The Honey Brothers, Mew, Avett Brothers, Simon Joyner and Julie Peel. There's a general feeling around here that many of the tracks in this playlist will end up on our 'best of 2009' lists.

"Sun Hands" - Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (2009)
Bonus: "Stranger Things" - Local Natives from Gorilla Manor (2009)

"Freedom" - Daniel Johnston from Is And Always Was (2009)

"Generator First Floor" - Freelance Whales, single (2009)

"Back and Forth" - The Bright Light Social Hour from s/t EP (2009)

"The Giving Tree" - Annuals, single release via IGIF (2009)

"Wasteland" - Rubik from Dada Bandits (2009)

"Territory" - Two Hours Traffic from Territory (2009)

"Television" - Baaba Maal from Television (2009)

"Young Blood" - Black Whales from Origins EP (2009)

"Demonstration" - The Honey Brothers from Demonstration EP (2009)

"Repeaterbeater" - Mew from No More Stories Are Told Today... (2009)

"Kick Drum Heart" - The Avett Brothers from I and Love and You (2009)

"Out Into The Snow" - Simon Joyner from Out Into The Snow (2009)

"Unfold" - Julie Peel from Near The Sun (2009)

For more like these, check out the 2009 Indie Songs page featuring dozens and dozens of free, legal MP3s. One of the great things about this relationship between labels, bands, unsigned artists and all of you is that many of you end up supporting, in some way, the artists whose music you dig, and that which you may have otherwise never known about if this 'new music model' did not exist.

Previous Ears to the Music Playlists:

Ears To The Music, Vol. IV: The Spinto Band, The Dodos, Public Radio, Elvis Perkins, A Sunny Day in Glasgow & More!

Ears To The Music, Vol. III: New Indie Songs from Air Waves, Kings of Convenience, Yo La Tengo, The Clientele, Twilight Sad & More

Ears To The Music, Vol. II: New Songs from The Flaming Lips, White Lies, Good Night States, Sea Wolf, A.A. Bondy & More

Ears To The Music, Vol. I - New Songs from Choir Of Young Believers, The Very Most, Firs, The Love Language & More

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