Fibes, Oh Fibes! - Love will always find a way (video)
Here's the new Fibes, Oh Fibes! video for "Love will always find a way": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sn39wkvo8mU
Country: Sweden
Friendly Noise #6
The sixth issue of the webzine is now online: http://www.friendlynoise.se/fzn/6/
MP3: Hunt - Ashes of a secret heart
Hunt is the new band of Susanna Brandin from Winter Took His Life and "Ashes of a secret heart" is the title track to their debut EP. It's not a huge departure from Susanna's previous project -- we're still very much in slowcore territory -- but the full-band instrumentation allows her to explore much bigger dynamics. This song in particular takes a little while to get going, but when it does, oh does it ache! The pain, loneliness and 2nd guessing is further magnified by Jonas Odhner's (Sonores) superbly ethereal production, as he ably captures the final swell of the music as it drifts to its conclusion, a like a wake breaking on the shore. This is beautiful melancholy, as Scandinavia does best.
Hunt - Ashes of a secret heart
New Isobel & November EP in September
Swedish goth-country act Isobel & November will be releasing a new EP on September 1 which will include recent live closing tune "Last feather flown" as well as some "other songs that somewhat deviate from our earlier work."
Pen Expers
Dirty tender love
Alleycat Records
"Dirty tender love" will be record number three for the band Pen Expers and, as before, this newest album features dark rock á la Sweden, meaning gloomy and depressing. Pen Expers really have the ability to influence the mood of the listener with their music, so it might not always be the most fitting choice as it will ruin your day. Maybe this is a feature that comes with good, honest music, however, I often find that Pen Expers leave their genuine sound for more stereotypical dark rock'n'roll during this record. At times the desperation from Alexander Arvman's vocals seem borrowed. This is doubtless good music though and Pen Expers is a good band -- they truly shines through on the track "Don't you wanna kiss me anymore?" -- but they are also good enough to make their own genre rather than trying to fit into already made-up categories.
- Morten Frisch
Bastard Priest preorder is a go
For the death metal fiends, Bastard Priest's debut LP "Under the hammer of destruction" is now available for preorder: http://www.bloodharvest.se/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1917
PopMatters reviews Watain
PopMatters reviews the latest Watain album "Lawless darkness": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/127233-watain-lawless-darkness/
Kvoteringen members launch new label
Larre and Calle from Kvoteringen has started a new label called and are planning on releasing new 7"s from Kvoteringen and Nitad in the near future: http://www.myspace.com/denihilrecords
Siena Root live in Spain
Swedish psychrockers Siena Root are heading to Spain in November:
11/11 - Gruta 77, Madrid
11/12 - Zeppelin Rock Bar, Sevilla
11/13 - La Ley Seca, Zaragoza
11/14 - Jimmy Jazz, Vitoria
11/18 - Dom Pedro, Gijón
11/19 - La Cueva del Jazz, Zamora
11/20 - Sala Mogambo, San Sebastian
11/21 - Taberna Belfast, León
Adventure Of
Malaika/Jehovah
Tack För Igår
Despite what Adventure Of might temporarily convince you, brat doesn't come in as many flavors as one might think. Mining the well of youthful indiscretions that make The Tough Alliance tick, there isn't a synth, horn, or sentiment on "Malaika" or "Jehovah" That hasn't been done before. However, even while busy basking in the glory of its own electro retread, there are still enough guilty pleasures to get your ass out on the dance floor -- and clean out all trances of cynicism along the way. Not bad for a pair of singles.
Case in point? The particularly amusing, The Killers referencing, "Jehovah" b-side "Soul little body". "I've got soul and I am a soldier." My knee-jerk cynical response? "Congrats dude, you've just lapped Brandon Flowers in the Narcissism Olympics! Yea!" My actual response after the horns, monotone delivery, and tropical sentiment had time to settle in? Somewhere between elation and awkward head-bobbing. Point: Adventure Of. "A fluke!" the cynic might cry -- quick to mention The Embassy has been kicking around the same passive-cool beats for a while now. But perhaps the band says it best in "Anno domini": "If you're special then I'm special too." While it seems unlikely Adventure Of will be able to parlay their well-worn routine into anything more that a few high-energy quips, they'll have you believing the hype as long as the record spins.
- Laura Studarus
Dear Euphoria interview at Indie Win
Music blog Indie Win talks to Elina Johansson of Dear Euphoria: http://indiewin.com/2010/07/interview-elina-johansson-of-dear-euphoria/
"Invocation of death" now available
Swedish cassette-only metal label has just released their first comp "Invocation of death" and are streaming a couple teaser samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deathinvocation
EVB talks to Air France
East Village Boys interviews Air France ahead of their upcoming NYC DJ gigs: http://www.eastvillageboys.com/2010/07/13/air-france-departing-from-ps1-to-the-balearic-islands-or-sweden/
Fang Bomb announces upcoming releases
Swedish experimental label has announced the following releases for later this year:
Neghantil - tba (2xCS/box)
Jasper TX - The black sun transmissions (CD/mp3)
The Cray Twins (SCO) - The pier (CD/mp3)
I Am A Vowel (UK) - Body curves 7"
There are other 7" projects in the works as well, along with an album from international artist Paul Baran and a new Göteborg-focused cassette compilation.
Three Germany dates for Björn Kleinhenz
Björn Kleinhenz will be doing three German dates at the end of the month before taking a bit of a break:
07/29 - Schokoladen, Berlin
07/30 - Hafen 2, Offenbach
07/31 - Landluft Festival, Schwabmünchen