New music from Thee Gutted String

Thee Gutted String, the pop/indie alias of Johan Gustavsson (Tsukimono, Scraps of Tape), has a bunch of new tracks at myspace including a Solander cover: http://www.myspace.com/theeguttedstring

The Silent Ballet reviews Pg.lost

The Silent Ballet really likes the new Pg.lost album "In never out": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2905/Default.aspx
I gave it a run-through this past weekend and wasn't so impressed, but I will definitely be revisiting it.

Slaktattack - Crawling chaos (video)

Slaktattack pays tribute to Japanese d-beat masters Disclose: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0owlHHrisk

Mikael Lind - Thoork

Swedish Iceland-based artist Mikael Lind is working on a new piece that shows him heading in a more organic direction and is offering an unfinished preview at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mikaellind

Sophie Rimheden - I'm on fire (feat. Annikafiore)

Swedish electro artist Sophie Rimheden has recorded a cover of the Bruce Springsteen chestnut "I'm on fire" together with fellow Bjärnum/Hässleholm-native and ex-Alcazar member Annikafiore. Listen here: http://www.sophierimheden.com/promo/sophie_rimheden_ft_annikafiore_im_on_fire.mp3

Agent Side Grinder signs with Kill Shaman

Excellent Swedish industrial act Agent Side Grinder has signed with US label Kill Shaman Records (Factums, Pink Noise, Swann Danger) who will be rereleasing the band's self-titled debut on CD in a new version with revised artwork and a bonus track. Expect an early 2010 release, but until then you can still grab a copy of the OG vinyl from me right here.

MP3: Magnus Weideskog - 20 år

Ah, to be young and carefree, full of piss and vinegar. Can't say that I'm crazy about this track once divorced from the (excellent) video (above), but it's not bad on its own, not at all. It's got an effortless lilt to it that befits the lyrics. Also, watching the clip and then putting on the mp3 helps me with my Swedish comprehension skills. Beyond that: perfectly pleasant. Good enough!

Magnus Weideskog - 20 år

Tribulation
The horror
Blood Harvest/Pulverised Records

Those of us old enough to remember the emergence of the classic Swedish death metal sound -- that is, the Tomas Skogsberg/Sunlight Studios sound -- know only too well the nostalgic goosebump feeling that arrives every time we hear said sound chainsaw its way out of a good set of Mordaunt-Shorts. And it's that feeling that arrives in abundance upon listening to "The horror", the searing debut album from Arvika's Tribulation. The music itself is a tech-death/black/thrash amalgam that's as musically precise as they come and that benefits from exceptional song construction throughout. Add a shivering guitar sound that references Sweden's old-school elite with a perfectly-balanced production and you have an album that simply commands attention. With vocals bordering on a black metal rasp layered over a relentless metal bombardment, the sparing use of clean and piano passages offers a welcome deviation from the onslaught and exudes an eerie '70s horror movie feel. While the majority of "The horror" is an all-out riff-frenzy, there are numerous slower moments that, without doubt, is when we see Tribulation at their finest; parts evident in the likes of "Curse of resurrection" and "Seduced by the smell of rotten flesh" that suggest that these guys -– if they're clever -– could find themselves the torchbearers for a resurgence in the style. Hell, they even sport an image that screams Stockholm 1990. "Left hand path" this ain't but, by hell, it's one savage album!
- John Norby

New Hästpojken album surrounded by strife

Aftonbladet reports on the chaos surrounding the new Hästpojken album: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/article6169350.ab
To summarize: co-founder Lars Malmros (aka Pop Lars) quit, as did Joel Alme and so did producer Björn Olsson during mixing disagreement. The album "Från där jag ropar" comes out December 28.

Let's Say We Did - Follow me down

Swedish act Let's Say We Did are streaming their new single "Follow me down" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/letssaywedidmusic
Said track will appear on the band's new EP, due out in January/February.

Pitchfork reviews Lake Heartbeat

Pitchfork reviews Service act Lake Heartbeat: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13719-trust-in-numbers/

Sirius playlist week #47

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Bastard Priest - Under the hammer of destruction
02. TALK 1
03. Monty - En till himmel
04. Superfamily - Songs of the weak will die
05. Agent Side Grinder - Black vein
06. TALK 2
07. Murmansk - Silver heel
08. Cleaning Women - Across the void
09. Pintandwefall - Jail
10. TALK 3
11. Tobias Hellkvist - Scars and stripes
12. Truckfighters - Traffic
13. Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie
14. TALK 4
15. Peter Bjorn and John - I don't know what I want us to do
16. Håkan Hellström - En vån med en bil
17. Barra Head - Common ground
18. TALK 5
19. Makthaverskan - Vi var människor från början

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Little Big Adventure - Happiest times (video)

Labrador Records has posted a new video for the song "Happiest times" from Little Big Adventure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ceLXLaN8AY

JJ to tour US with XX

Sincerely Yours artists JJ are touring the US in the spring with XX:

03-22 - Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA
03/24 - The Earl, Atlanta, GA
03/25 - Cats Cradle, Carrboro, NC
03/28 - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC
03/29 - First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, Philadelphia, PA
04/05 - Wexner Center, Columbus, OH
04/06 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Bloomington, IN

Considering the timeframe, I'd assume a SXSW appearance is in the works as well.

Dusted reviews Fire!

Dusted reviews Rune Grammofon all-star act Fire!: http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/5390