CMJ Rolls On: Free Song Downloads, Recommendations, & More

CMJ 2012 is underway in full force Wednesday, with the second day kicking off early with Daughter playing at a KEXP show at 10:30 a.m. See the complete schedule for CMJ (which runs through the 21st), and click the "Showcase" button on the right-hand side to see the music events.

Better late than never, the Village Voice is out with its dozen don't-miss acts for CMJ 2012 (including Savages, above, playing Glasslands tonight).

And Spinner is offering a free download of 30 songs on its CMJ 2012 Mixtape, featuring Bear Hands, Eleanor Friedberger, Dum Dum Girls, Levek, and Miracles of Modern Science. (They say they'll be issuing a second part of the mixtape later.) [Update: here's the second part of the mixtape download.]

What's worth seeing on the CMJ schedule for tonight? Here are some of the gigs Pitckfork is recommending:

• Flying Lotus, Death Grips, and Buke and Gase at the NPR Music/WNYC Soundcheck showcase (Le Poisson Rouge)
• Dum Dum Girls, Savages, Icona Pop, IO Echo, and Port St. Willow at the Stereogum/Popgun showcase (Glasslands)
• Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Indians at the Hype Machine showcase (Brooklyn Bowl)

Entry to these will be in high demand, so you'll want to get there early, or be prepared to stand in line for some time.  If you're interested in some good music in a more low-key atmosphere, check out the lineup of north-of-the-border acts at the Canadian Blast show at Arlene's Grocery (starting at 8 p.m.), including Two Hours Traffic and Elephant Stone:

Two Hours Traffic kicks off the Canadian Blast show.

Get out there and enjoy some live music!