is a new label founded by Håkan Jonson and Erik Enocksson with a focus on putting out limited edition vinyl records and books. Their first release will be "Misantropi för nybörjare" ("Misanthropy for beginners") by Chicagojazzen (aka Erik Karlsson of Skellefteå, Sweden), an record they describe as "37 minutes worth of instrumental pop, neatly tucked into a bed of tape-hiss and crooked arrangements owing as much to Norwegian second wave black metal and American Eastcoast hiphop as to late '80s Brittish shoegaze." The official release date is April 30 and said LP will be available limited to 250 copies on 140g white vinyl. Release #2 will be "Den vita staden", a poem by Jessica Andersson with an expected release later this coming spring. More here: http://www.irrlicht.se/
After releasing two stellar singles in 2009, Elias & the Wizzkids have returned with their second album, "Just do it!". They have changed their sound immensely since the early days, and said singles alluded to the band's new, finely honed pop sound and clean production as opposed to the alt-country leanings of their first record. I must say thought, it's quite enjoyable hearing Elias Åkesson's scratchy voice over the lush arrangements of this new set (see "Oh these nights" with it's anthemic chorus). However, the band doesn't fully forsake their old sound, they just consolidated it to the closing track "What would kill us". And it works so well, because each track recalls varying influences, and excels wholly on its own. The 80s-leaning opener "Waste of time", the 70s-pop-meets-Beatles aspect of "Crooked road" and the absolutely huge "Hit & run". But the underlying strength of each one makes this a much more cohesive set than this review may lead on -- the structure of the album is as impeccable as the songwriting and performance. It's hard not to gush (in the professional sense) over a great album, but when one hears it, it is the logical conclusion. - Matt Giordano
Swedish hardcore act Insurgent Kid never managed to release the "Bad DNA" EP they recorded back in 2007, so they've posted the whole thing on myspace along with an unnamed and unreleased cover tune: http://www.myspace.com/insurgentkid
Check out a live video of The Tarantula Waltz playing their new single "Bacchus" with a guest appearance by Nicke Andersson (Hellacopters, Death Breath, Entombed, etc.): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jtkF6WbpEQ
Be sure to also peep the more/related for lots more clips from the record release show.
Here is Kite covering "I give you morning", one of my all-time favorite ballads. Like a lot of people who read this site, I suspect we all first heard the song when Weeping Willowscovered it, though of course it's been a longtime Swedish evergreen from way back when Fred Åkerström first did it på Svenska ("Jag ger dig min morgon") in 1972 on the album "Två tungor". And of course Håkan Hellströmdid it as well on his "visor" EP "Luften bor i mina steg". There's probably more versions out there, but let us not forget the original by Tom Paxton which I believe originally appeared on 1969's "The things I notice now" (and was rerecorded for 1982's "Even a gray day", an LP I have in my collection). Now, as far as ranking them goes, I consider the OG and WW versions to be my favorite, but this new one by Kite is pretty darn good, but even better: it's different. Reverence is for the weak; let's give it up for Kite's pulsating synth version!
will releasing new albums from Ass and Jobalites this spring, with the former's record "Salt marsh" due first in April. Also look out for a new Goran Kajfes album this coming fall.
will be releasing the vinyl edition of Danish act Kiss Kiss Kiss' debut album "Release the birds". They'll also be putting out a limited edition (300, hand-numbered) vinyl treatment of the new Salem al Fakir record "Ignore this". No official release date on either, but they say they should be ready in about three weeks.
Elias & the Wizzkids