Pitchfork

More than 40 bands will play the Pitchfork Music Festival at Chicago's Union Park from July 18-20; you're bound to be less familiar with some of them than others. In fact, as great as we expect the collective high to be during, say, Spiritualized's set, stepping outside of one's comfort zone to discover potential new favorite artists is one of the joys of the festival.

To prepare festivalgoers for a weekend of exploration, the Pitchfork Music Festival has again partnered with digital indie music retailer eMusic to offer a free compilation of artists playing the festival. The 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival Sampler marks the third consecutive year of the P4k Fest/eMusic partnership, and this year's compilation cuts across genres to deliver 90 minutes of MP3s from 25 artists. Alongside established acts like Mission of Burma, Animal Collective, Jarvis Cocker, and Dinosaur Jr., the comp includes relative newcomers like High Places, Times New Viking, HEALTH, and Fuck Buttons.

From this instant through August 1, eMusic subscribers and non-subscribers alike can download the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival Sampler for free right here.

Finally, a reminder to latecomers: As of last week, only individual day tickets to the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival remain. Get them for $30 a pop from TicketWeb here.

2008 Pitchfork Music Festival Sampler:

01 Mission of Burma: "Academy Fight Song"
02 Boris: "Ibitsu"
03 Cut Copy: "Lights & Music"
04 Jarvis Cocker: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
05 Spiritualized: "Soul on Fire"
06 Extra Golden: "OK-Oyot System"
07 The Dodos: "Jodi"
08 High Places: "Sandy Feat" (7" Version)
09 Mahjongg: "Those Birds Are Bats"
10 Atlas Sound: "River Card"
11 Bon Iver: "For Emma"
12 No Age: "Neck Escaper"
13 Times New Viking: "Drop-Out"
14 The King Khan & BBQ Show: "I'll Never Belong"
15 Jay Reatard: "My Shadow"
16 Dizzee Rascal: "Sirens"
17 Fuck Buttons: "Bright Tomorrow"
18 HEALTH: "Glitter Pills"
19 Animal Collective: "Grass"
20 Boban Markovic Orkestar: "Balkan Fest"
21 A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangar Ensemble: "Serbian Cocek"
22 Les Savy Fav: "The Equestrian"
23 Elf Power: "Never Believe"
24 The Apples in Stereo: "Energy"
25 Dinosaur Jr.: "Almost Ready"

Pitchfork Music Festival 2008 at Union Park:

Friday, July 18:

Pitchfork Music Festival and All Tomorrow's Parties present "Don't Look Back"

Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Sebadoh performing Bubble and Scrape
Mission of Burma performing Vs.

Saturday, July 19:

Animal Collective
Jarvis Cocker
The Hold Steady
!!!
Vampire Weekend
Dizzee Rascal
Fleet Foxes
Caribou
Jay Reatard
Titus Andronicus
No Age
Atlas Sound
Extra Golden
Fuck Buttons
Elf Power
The Ruby Suns
Icy Demons
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar

Sunday, July 20:

Spoon
Dinosaur Jr.
Spiritualized
M. Ward
Ghostface and Raekwon
Les Savy Fav
The Apples in Stereo
Boris
Dirty Projectors
Times New Viking
Cut Copy
Bon Iver
The Dodos
Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
King Khan & His Shrines
El Guincho
HEALTH
High Places
Mahjongg