New Torpedo album gets release date
The new Torpedo album "We" is confirmed for release on April 22 in GAS, April 29 everywhere else.
Country: Sweden
Subliminal Sounds preps Träd Gräs och Stenar, Tom Zacharias reissues
will reissuing 2LP collections from both legendary progg act Träd Gräs och Stenar and psych/funk/erotica artist Tom Zacharias in early April. Details: http://www.subliminalsounds.se/DOK/news.html
LDOD - They never
Check out the new single "They never" from Swedish electro act LDOD, aka Last Days of Disco -- the trio of Kocky, K-laz and Niklas von Arnold: http://www.skiva.se/aktuellt/ldod-ex-last-days-of-disco-slapper-singeln-%E2%80%9Cthey-never%E2%80%9D
The Crypt begets Cult Demo Series
vinyl reissue label offshoot is launching a new sub-imprint called which will "focus exclusively on unsigned bands who only ever released demo material and have never had an official release." The first release will be a split between two Swedish acts, Embryo (featuring Mattias Borgh pre-Crypt of Kerberos) and Stigmata (featuring Peter Eklund of Dark Funeral).
Skudge ready with debut LP "Phantom"
P3 Guld Dance award winners Skudge will release their long-awaited full-length debut "Phantom" in April via the duo's own . Hear samples/preorder: http://rushhour.nl/store_detailed.php?item=58884
MP3: Peter Bjorn and John - Tomorrow has to wait
It's true, the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some" is absolutely superb. Their best record since "Falling out" I'd say, though I don't mean to disparage their work since then -- despite many, many fine singles (and yes, though you may be burnt on "Young folks", it's still a modern classic), none of the the albums have felt like a cohesive statement since then. "Gimme some" is exactly that and it's extremely satisfying. Plus, as a longtime fan since the very beginning, I'm glad to hear them return to their power-pop/mod-rock roots, albeit in a far more refined manner suitable to the current depth of their discography. Opening tune "Tomorrow has to wait" has all the elements that make me love the band, from the verse's excellent call-and-response simplicity and underlying acerbic tension to the eminently satisfying and gloriously wistful refrain of the chorus. Not to mention the buried Eastern-tinged melody lurking underneath it all, so cleverly playing against the steady pulse of the central chord. Peter Bjorn and John never stopped being a good band, now once again they reinforce why I think they're truly great.
Peter Bjorn and John - Tomorrow has to wait
Faster Katt demo to get cassette release
Doomsday Mag's new cassette label will be putting out a physical edition of the new Faster Katt demo: http://doomsdaymag.blogspot.com/2011/03/faster-katt-demo-2.html
Peter Bjorn and John
Gimme some
Almost Gold/StarTime International
A year and a half back, I heard rumblings that the new Peter Bjorn and John record was going to be a return to basics -- guitar, bass and drums -- which, for longtime fans, would light them up with glee. Not that "Living thing" was at all a bad album, in fact it found itself duly entrenched in the expert song craft from the trio, but that it was an uncomfortable confrontation on the archetype that catapulted them into popular culture (one can still hear "Young folks" whistled on the streets a half-decade after its release). Whereas "Living thing" was that masterful shunning of settling for a comfortable musical career, "Gimme some" finds the next logical step of the band's discography -- making its tightest pop/rock album to date. All of the rhythms click, all the vocals punch, the bass growls and the guitars provide the texture. "Second chance" and "Eyes" drop a danceable beat while "I know you don't love me" repetitiously steadies the finale; "Lies", "(Don't let them) Cool off", "Breaker breaker" and "Black book" all glorify the various elements of post-punk that have since valorized the genre in music history. "Gimme some" finds Peter Bjorn and John ready to accept their place in popular culture while simultaneously building a catalogue of integrity and depth.
- Matt Giordano
Pascal/Mattias Alkberg split details
Details have been revealed for the upcoming Pascal/Mattias Alkberg split: http://www.kyssmig.com/
Pascal contribute 5 tunes, including a cover of Peter LeMarc's "Håll om mig" with Matti on guest vocals while Matti gives us 4 tunes with his cover selection being "Regnet i Södertälje" by Conny Nimmersjö. The official release date is April 13 via .
Acid House Kings - Would you say stop (video)
Pitchfork is streaming the new Acid House Kings video for "Would you say stop": http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/music-videos/1602-acid-house-kings/2539-would-you-say-stop/
Sahara Hotnights - Oh's (teaser)
A quick teaser of the new Sahara Hotnights single "Oh's", produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet, Laakso, etc.).
Teddybears + Robyn - Cardiac arrest (video)
Teddybears + Robyn, can't go wrong. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZUiMixMMz0
The Haunted album preview
MetalSucks is streaming The Haunted's new album "Unseen": http://www.metalsucks.net/2011/03/15/exclusive-full-album-stream-the-haunteds-unseen/
Björn Kleinhenz reveals new album, tour
Björn Kleinhenz reports that his new album "Djago Bråk", which I do believe is his planned acoustic album, is just about done and will be released in May. Just in time for tour, too -- he'll be setting out to Germany once again, this time with Karin Wiberg on violin and Jonathan Larsson on accordion as accompaniment. Dates:
04/30 - Hasenschaukel, Hamburg
05/01 - Brause, Duesseldorf
05/02 - King Georg, Cologne
05/03 - Walhalla Spiegelsaal
05/04 - Kino Maxim, Munich
05/05 - Thalia Kino, Dresden
05/06 - Grüner Salon, Berlin
05/07 - AMP, Münster
The Berlin show will be a special one too, because Björn will be playing with Pink Moth and they'll have a new split CD/download for the show featuring one song each "based on notes made during our travels together in the spring of 2010." More details and maybe even some samples soon...
Days to play NYC Popfest
Swedish act Days will be playing NYC Popfest in late May: http://www.nycpopfest.org/line-up.html
As for SF Popfest which happens around the same time, I don't see any Scandinavians confirmed (yet), but they do have quite a few big names such as The Undertones.