There's some inherent complicity in this record that triggers a violent uneasiness. It's like it's 1972 and I'm one of those kids who are sick of the soft-pop chart hits of Fleetwood Mac, America, fluffy brown hair & equally revolting album covers (however radical these folkies were in their own right). Halfway through listening to The Amazing's "Gentle stream", the overall one-beat homogeny gives birth to a nihilistic urge to shake things up. Now, if I could goddamned be like everybody else, especially the hip Scandy radio-pop listening public, this cauldron would probably just spill off the decks like almond milk; the super gooey melodies and the Air-like retro sexing mood perfected by obviously professional musicians doing it up professionally -- probably wouldn't hurt so bad. Already celebrated Dungen members serve up what can be viewed as a Seventies itch they needed to scratch, or a chance to break the market with another kind of popular. Title track, "Gentle stream" has the cushy opening déjà vu of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young while the following track has more of that Nick Drake, laid-back reminiscence. Track 3, "International hair" hints at a Morrissey chorusing style (an uncanny reminder of "...International Playboys", anyone?). "Gone" however, could annoy even those loving the most introverted croon as it teeters too much on the side of breathy repetition. However well-produced this album is, however deserving of fans of the NME or just willy-wet twee folk revivals -- as for me, count me out. - Ann Sung-an Lee
Looks like the Refused reunion you pretty much expected to happen someday will indeed occur at this year's Coachella Festival: http://pitchfork.com/news/44978-coachella-announces-lineup/
Maybe they'll even tour with At the Drive-in to rake in some serious cash from dudes who grew up in the 90s. Anyhow, other Scandinavians playing the fest include Swedish House Mafia, Miike Snow, The Hives and First Aid Kit.
Check out the debut full-length from Swedish psychrockers The Early Days. Recorded at the renown Svenska Grammon Studion in Göteborg and mixed by Mark Gardener (ex-Ride) in the UK.
will be pressing a vinyl edition of Finnish occult death metal act Serpent Ascending's album "The enigma unsettled" which collects both the self-titled and "The mournful pilgrimage" recordings from 2009/10 in one place. No release date yet, but I'll keep you posted.
The nominees for the 2012 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative/indie Grammy, have been announced:
Folk/Ballad: Marin/Marin – Småfolket () Merit Hemmingson – EQ () Navarra – Nya fönster () Siri Karlsson – Gran Fuego ()
Dance: Skudge – Samlad årsproduktion () Jonsson/Alter – Samlad årsproduktion () The Field – Looping State of mind () Pallers – The Sea Of Memories ()
Punk: Sju Svåra År – Storma varje hjärta () Obnoxious Youth – The Eternal Void () Vånna Inget – Allvar () Black Feet – Black Feet ()
Hip-Hop: Mofeta & Jerre – Briljanter & Smaragder () Ison & Fille – För evigt () Mohammed Ali – Vi () Roffe Ruff – Barrabas ()
Experimental: Hans Appelqvist – Sjunga slutet nu () Hanna Hartman – H ^ 2 () Ophir – Opus Operatum () Midaircondo feat. Michala Østergaard-Nielsen – Reports on the Horizon ()
Hardrock: In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil () Opeth – Heritage () Terra Tenebrosa – The Tunnels () The Haunted – Unseen ()
Rhythm: Syster Sol – Kichinga! () Simone Moreno – Planetas () Kapten Röd – Fläcken Som Aldrig Går Bort () OK Star Orchestra – The Beat and the Melody ()
Pop: Azure Blue – Rule of thirds () Jonathan Johansson – Klagomuren () Korallreven – An album by Korallreven () Loney Dear – Hall Music ()
Rock: Pascal/Mattias Alkberg – Allt det här () Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan () Bob Hund - Det överexponerade gömstället () Tramp – Indigo ()
Synth: Henric de la Cour – Henric de la Cour () Necro Facility – Wintermute () Mr Jones Machine – Monokrom () Covenant – Modern Ruin ()
Jazz: Jonas Holgersson – Snick Snack () Parti & Minut – Från klart till halvklart () Priming Orchestra – Deep Blue () The Splendor – Delphian Palace ()
Best Unsigned: Death By Armborst Storskogen Schizo and the Personalities Farsta
Singer/Songwriter/Country/Americana: Brothers of End – Mount Inside () Ane Brun – It All Start With One () Promise & the Monster – Red Tide () Lars Bygdén – Songs I Wrote ()
Best live act: Kriget () This is Head () Graveyard () Mattias Alkberg ()
The official first single from Åbe's excellent new album "King of Pellargonia". Watch videos for each and every track here or click here to listen via Spotify.
has picked up black/death act Terrorama, the so-called "angriest band in Sweden", and will be releasing their as-yet-untitled third album this coming August.
The Amazing