I love music. Especially new music.

There’s a liberating feeling about hearing something new, especially when that something could be a potentially mind-blowing song from a band that wasn’t even on your radar – or anyone elses for that matter.

Any true music fan will tell you, there’s something special about discovering a band no one has ever heard of. Following a band through muffled recordings and tiny pub shows to chart-topping hits and packed arenas gives you a sort of ownership and a feeling of being part of something great that can rarely be experienced elsewhere.

Who knows? That song you’ve just downloaded onto your MP3 player could be the next head-bobbing, emotion-inducing, awe-inspiring track that is soon to become the soundtrack to your life, something that will pick you up on a bad day or help you let loose after a long week, something that can connect you with a complete stranger with just a few notes and something that can bring back vivid memories of a time you had almost forgotten.

Any way you cut it, discovering new music can be a life-altering experience. Luckily we live in a time where finding free, new music is easier than ever.

Starting with the file sharing sites of the late 1990s and early 2000s, a community has built up around the notion that sharing music online is not just for bootleggers and song stealers. It is also an amazing form of promotion for those simply trying to get their music heard.

And now, as we kick off a new decade, the success of digital distribution platforms such as Myspace and the iTunes music store has expanded the world of freely available music to the point where nearly everyone with an instrument and an internet connection is online sharing and/or selling their music.

So with this spirit of discovery in mind, Kicks! has decided to begin featuring a sampling of freely available songs in a digital music column called Streaming Sounds.

To kick off this weekly feature, I set out using only my browser to find out as much as I could about the local music scene, and what I found was a diverse group of tracks that proves you don’t have to leave the sandy shores of the Grand Strand to hear some great new tunes.

Check out links to all the bands after the jump.

ACOUSTIC

Gray Click
“New Sunrise”
www.myspace.com/grayclickmusic

This singer-songwriter makes feel-good tunes that bring to mind a mash-up of mid-90s pop tunes while keeping the old-school appeal of influences such as Tom Petty and Jim Croce.

“New Sunrise” is the perfect example of Click’s style, with a catchy hook (“Lift your head up to a new sunrise/ as the day goes on you’ll see those clouds pass by”) and a hopeful message.

While the selection is small, all four of the tunes available online are worth listening to, including the country-tinged break-up tune “Crumbling” and a spiritual rocker “Given In Vain.” If you like the sound, catch him live Monday night at 8 p.m. at The Basement with William Everett Cline & Ed Tanner.

Rick Perry
“Rented”
myspace.com/azwari

A veteran of the coastal music scene, Perry seems to carry the soul of a rocker inside the body of an acoustic singer-songwriter. Perhaps his involvement with various heavier bands in Myrtle Beach and Wilmington has rubbed off on him, despite his proclamation that he strives to “hold true to clean honest vocal delivery and pronounced lyrical presentation.”

But whatever the reason for the edge, there is a decidely jaded feel to his songs that sets them apart.

“Rented” is no exception, with Perry kicking off the track with lyrics like “Every day’s the same/ I don’t look when I cross the road/ I just go that way.” The song starts slow with simple acoustic strumming and then add s layers, first with Perry’s undulating vocals, then a steady drum beat and finally an electric guitar to accompany the chorus. This gives the music a feel of a full band as opposed to the more traditional one guy and a guitar shtick.

Even with a mere half dozen tracks for listening, Perry’s site doesn’t disappoint with at least one other standout track “N.Y. Charleston L.A.” which pulls you in with an intriguing concept and then delivers with an intense dischordant drama.

RAP/HIP-HOP
Decm
“You Can Make It (feat. Creekside)”
www.myspace.com/decm2

Myrtle Beach’s resident slick-tongued Caucasian crazy man, Decm, is basically the elder statesman of the local rap scene, a producer/rapper/beatboxer with enough talent to fill three Myspace pages (seriously, he has three Myspace pages).

What appears to be one of his most recent tracks, “You Can Make It” is a solid hip-hop offering about staying strong through tough times with a catchy sing-song hook and on point lyrics throughout.

With way-out-there qualities reminiscent of Kool Keith, the bravado of Jay-Z and the pure insanity of Eminem, Decm’s sometimes funny, always animated lyrics deliver on nearly every track he offers. His site features more than 25 tracks available for free download including the abstract anthem “Holy Crap Gimme Sum Drugz,” female themed “Start a Fire” and cover of Eminem’s “Ass Like Dat.”

843 Boyz
“Imma Do My Thing”
www.myspace.com/official843boyz

You can tell from their name that this group of local emcees is proud of where they’re from. In fact, Yung Swizz, Lil K and company are so proud of their surroundings that they mention being from Burgess in nearly every song and drop S.C. 707 and a other locational references quite often.

Just the fact that someone is out there reppin’ the area this hard makes the tracks worth a listen, but where the novelty wears off, a party-starting mix of crunk beats carries their songs through.

“Imma Do My Thing” is among the stickiest of the tracks available online, with a undeniably catchy hook, but “Crank It Up” and “Stuck On My Grind” may also appeal to those looking to crunk it up.

Sunni G
“Body Roc”
www.myspace.com/sunnigmusic

Sean “Sunni G” Grissett hails from rural Horry County circa Red Bluff and Brooksville, but as one of the biggest names in local hip-hop, his prescence extends far beyond the county line.

Trying to pin down all the places to find his music is a bit tough, as he’s been featured on plenty of mixtapes and has a few songs floating around with heavyweights such as Fabolous and Drake.

According to his management, he’s currently hard at work on his album “Born Ready” but still surfaces occasionally for shows such as the upcoming Carolina Celebrity Calendar 2010 showcase, which will be at Club Touch on Feb. 21.

The first track off the new album, “Body Roc” is a hard-driving club anthem sure to get crowds moving and even his older tracks such as “Chevy Ridin’” and “Out Here Grindin’” show off the huge potential this man carries.

HARDCORE/METAL

Hundredth
“Desolate”
www.myspace.com/hundreth

I have to admit that my enthusiasm for hardcore metal has diminshed a bit since my time as a mosh-pit loving Pantera/Slayer teen, but I know there are still tons of folks out there who love to shred and up-and-coming Myrtle Beach band Hundreth definitely fits the bill.

The band, which signed with Mediaskare Records last year, recently began touring nationally and will release its full-length debut “When Will We Surrender” in February.

“Desolate,” the first single off the new album, starts out full blast before bringing in some tempo changes, tweaking between guitar- and drum-driven parts and even adding some great melodic vocals toward the end, all without losing any intensity along the way. In addition, the band also offers up the firey “Catalysts” from on its facelifted Myspace page and a few older tracks including the slow-building “Sinking.”

The Classic Struggle
“CowardsAreNotWorthyofGraves”
www.myspace.com/theclassicstruggle

Formed in Myrtle Beach in 2002, The Classic Struggle has seen great success in the metalcore genre releasing two full-length albums and touring nationally.

The current lineup, led by frontman Tim Zlinsky,is rocking as hard as ever despite some recent turnover in members and is surely working on a follow-up to 2008’s “Bring Back the Glory.”

For those not familiar with the band’s raw energy, a quick glance through their online offerings will show you just how heavy these beach boys can get.

I’d say “CowardsAreNoteWorthyofGraves” is less coherent than some of the other offerings the band has posted, but the breakdown of the instruments and intensity on this track surely outshines the rest.

ALTERNATIVE/ROCK

Wicked Gift
“Tonya’s Iguana”
www.myspace.com/wickedgift
www.wickedgift.com

Headed up by charismatic frontman Phil Fox, a veteran of the local music scene, Wicked Gift has been performing together in some capacity since 2002.

With two album releases under their belts, creative lyrics and a distinctively peppy sound, the band continues to draw in new listeners.

Since their 2006 release “Down for the Summer” the band has continued to put out original music as evidenced by the more recent offerings including the unqiuely quirky feature track “Tonya’s Iguana,” the ryhtmically rambling “The Island” and sing-songy “Caught In A Dream.”

In addition to their Myspace page, the band also has a standalone site where you can sample snippets of all the tracks on their previous releases and purchase a copy for yourself

Eight:fourteen
“The Doorway”
www.myspace.com/planet814

Well-known jam rock band Psych Ward has been shredding up and down the Strand for quite a few years, drawing a loyal following, that is until they became Eight:Fourteen.

This current incarnation of the band, headed by singer/guitarist Matt Parker, still rocks, bringing its style of blues-tinged rock to local stages as often as possible.

One of the newest tracks “The Doorway” shows how the band is evolving back to its Southern roots as it blends uplifting lyrics and soulful vocals for a heavily Americana feel that evokes the Black Crowes or My Morning Jacket.

Of course their site also offers a smattering of carried over Psych Ward songs such as pop-rockers “Drama Queen” and “Not Around Here.”

COUNTRY/SOUTHERN ROCK

Superswamp Heroes
“Blackberry Shine”
www.myspace.com/superswampheroes

The Pawleys Island-based quartet of good old boys from the swamp seems to love what they do, and this feel-good vibe carries through into their music.

The sound is undeniably southern and surely draws from classic bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwa{#xf078} ter Revival, but there’s something in the guitars that evokes 80s hair rock and 90s alternative, giving the music a more modern feel.

On “Blackberry Shine” you get a feel good melody which provides a solid backing for singer Rusty Bruton’s gritty, yet warm and soulful vocals. And let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a southern rock fan who doesn’t love a song about moonshine.

If you like what you hear, be sure to check them out live at Shamrocks, 2510 N. Kings Highway, beginning at 8 p.m. every Wednesday night for the next month.

Charlie Floyd & The Southern Express Band
“Carolina Rain”
www.myspace.com/charliefloyd1

Aynor native Charlie Floyd has done a little bit of everything when it comes to the music business.

Among his successes are being signed as a solo artist with Capitol Records, operating the Daytona Opry in Daytona Beach, Fla., opening a nightclub called Charlie’s Night Life in Myrtle Beach before finally coming to settle in Murrells Inlet.

As some of the hardest working musicians in the area, Floyd and his Southern Express Band have played up and down the coast and opened for national acts such as Charlie Daniels, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Montgomery Gentry and more.

The melancholy standout “Carolina Rain” is a song about a bittersweet homecoming that will surely resignate with country folkfrom S.C. and beyond.

While Floyd offers just a few original tracks via Myspace, his previous releases can be found elsewhere online at sites such as Artistsdirect.com. Or better yet, just go see Floyd and the boys Saturday at Nashville Dreams, 2701 S. Kings Highway, starting at 9:45 p.m.– rumor has it they put on quite a lively show.

BLUES/JAZZ

Greg Bowman Blues Band
“A Little Sexy’s Alright”
www.myspace.com/gregbowmanband

This Murrells Inlet singer-songwriter and his band classify themselves as blues, but the keyboard-driven feel of this music has me hard pressed to think of it as anything other than soft rock.

Not that this tag is necessarily a bad thing — the music actually has smooth feel, and laid-back vibe reminscent of some of the Beach music I’ve heard — it just has such an old-timey feel that I think younger folks will have a hard time digesting it.

Still, despite the fact that “A Little Sexy” saunters along at a snail’s pace, the lyrics are cute and the clever tagline “And when the music gets tight/ a little sexy’s alright” is simply unforgettable.

A scan through the band’s other online tracks reveals the 70s-ish “Kindreed Spirit” and a decidely more upbeat bluesy number called “Easy on the Eyes.” Want to hear more? Check them out at Surfside Live at 9 p.m. on Jan. 22.

Bernie Kenerson
“Make My Jungle Electric”
www.myspace.com/berniekenerson
www.berniekenerson.com

While I surely don’t know enough about Jazz music to accurately judge the genre’s musical landscape, I think it’s safe to say the Myrtle Beach-based multi-instrumentalist Bernie Kenerson stands out from the crowd.

As one of a limited number of EWI (Electric Wind Instriument) enthusiasts out there, Kenerson’s choice of favorite instrument gives his smooth jazz a decidely synthy feel. This creates some very interesting grooves that verge on being classified more as electronic or ambient.

One such tune is “Make My Jungle Electric” which features plenty of long runs of notes from the EWI as well as a quick metronome-like backbeat and occasional interjections by a synthesized voice which utters the title phrase.

While true jazz fans may opt for his other online tracks including “Bernie Game” and “Just You and Me” I’m sticking with the funky jungle tune.

If you’re interested, you can likely catch Kenerson around town at Drink! or Fontinellos Martini Bar as he sits with theAndrew Thielen Big Band, Wicked Gift and his own The Bernie Kenerson Group.

ELECTRONIC/EXPERIMENTAL

Catpuncher & The Mayor
“Junkyard Days”
www.myspace.com/catpuncherandthemayor
www.nomorestarsrecords.com

This DJ team serves as the de facto first couple of Myrtle Beach music. The duo is coprised of superproducer/man-about-town Brian McKenzie - also known for projects such as Electric Bird Noise and Something About Vampires and Sluts - and his longtime girlfriend Chrissy Kotsopoulos.

These two occasionally show up at The Basement and other area clubs spinning an eclectic mix of dance hits and classic tunes, but also offer a double dose of original tunes online.

You can sample both the glitchy, driving space anthem “Junkyard Days” and the perfectly-paced, groovy “Dogs at Noon” via their Myspace page or just log onto the No More Stars Online Records site to download the songs for free.

Favata
“Simple Trouble”
www.virb.com/samfavata
www.inkhaus.com

While local music fans may know Sam Favata, a guitarist and part of the band Wicked Gift, according to his various internet outlets, he is much more than that.

A sort of jack-of-all-trades, Favata describes himself as “addicted to inspiration” and he seems to find that inspiration in multiple media including web design and marketing - as part of Inkhaus Creative design house - and various genres of art and music.

While seeming to only dabble in this electronic genre on the side, Favata still manages to push out some quality electronic sounds with “Simple Trouble,” a jazzy little track that seems perfectly suited to a nighttime cruise down the bouelvard.

From some simple cyber stalking, it’s hard to tell exactly where Favata’s heart lies when it comes to making music. But from what I’ve heard, if he were to further pursue his love for house and electronic tunes, I’m sure the result would be worth listening to.

Contact CHRIS MOWDER at 444-1758 or cmowder@thesunnews.com