Austin-based singer-songwriter Jean Synodinos doesn’t mind if the whole world downloads her new CD, “Girls, Good & Otherwise.” Her free offer comes with only one string attached: if listeners like it, they’re encouraged to send a favorite track to ten of their friends with a link back to the artist’s website to download the rest themselves. This free album download is available until October 1 at Jean Synodinos | grit, grace & acoutic soul | Home.

Jean Synodinos (say it like this: sin-uh-DEE-nus) delivers “grit, grace and acoustic soul” to audiences in Austin and across the country. Her award-winning writing digs deep lyrically, and her songs deftly skate between genres, moving from big affirmations to little ironies at the turn of a phrase. Third Coast Music has raved, “Synodinos is amazing… She has excellent moves as a songwriter and is an accomplished acoustic guitarist, but her big gun is the marvel that is her voice.”

In an age where artists are seeing fewer revenues from recorded music than ever before, giving away a new album – with file sharing encouraged – seems like an improbable choice for an indie artist to make, but it makes complete sense to Synodinos. “Like every other artist I know, I’m working towards a sustainable career. Sustainability, though, isn’t about selling those CDs in the box on the shelf -- it’s about building a relationship with our audiences. Every good relationship is give and take, isn’t it? So here’s a little giving. And I like that feeling a lot.”

“Girls, Good & Otherwise” is Synodinos’ third disc and features some of Austin’s finest players, including several known to national audiences: Bruce Hughes on bass (Jason Mraz), Rob Hooper on drums (Carolyn Wonderland), and Charles Rieser (The Scabs) on electric guitars and production. Guest performers on select tracks include Redd Volkaert (Merle Haggard) on blistering guitar, and Red Young (Joan Armatrading) on B3 and piano.

To learn more about the artist and download “Girls, Good & Otherwise” before October 1st, visit Jean Synodinos | grit, grace & acoutic soul | Home