This album comes like a pleasant surprise amid winter, and I'm astonished more haven't caught on. Two drop-dead gorgeous Swedish girls (one, pictured on the album) with the kind of child-like singing style that's popular amongst freak-folk hippies these days. Sweet harmonies and a faraway, easy-to-fall-for, down-tempo introversion -- what's not to love? [see: here] Has more of the popular appeal of Joan Baez than left-field Karen Dalton, though the most immediate comparison, at least vocally, is to CocoRosie, minus their quirky instrumentation. I'm quite attached to the stripped-down, acoustical nature of this album; the cowering suggestive, sparse tones. Moments, like "Queen of the Underground" remind me of walking through Loren Connors' Hell's Kitchen Park. The more I listen to it actually, the more I'm drawn to the guitar-sound. Despite deceivingly plain riffs, the production really glistens. First and last songs "Rebel gold" and "Visions of you" ring similar, but are haunting nonetheless. "Golden sea" is one of my favourites, whereas "Hurricane blues", which crosses into generic blues riffing, is probably my least. Anyway, I'd keep an eye on these girls. This album is a great cure for cold bones, endearing, easy on the soul --they're definitely talent in the making. - Ann Sung-an Lee
The nominees for the 2012 Swedish Grammis have been announced:
Best Album: Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor Deportees - Islands & Shores Ison & Fille - För Evigt Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Artist: Deportees Lykke Li Melissa Horn Swedish House Mafia Veronica Maggio
Best Electronic/Dance: Adrian Lux - Boy / Alive Avicii - Levels/Fade Into Darkness Little Dragon - Ritual Union Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man Swedish House Mafia - Save The World/Antidote
Best Hip-Hop/Soul: Adam Tensta - Scared Of The Dark Alexis Weak - Till Minne Av Ison & Fille - För Evigt Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen Blues Hammerfall - Infected In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading Opeth - Heritage The Haunted - Unseen
Best Jazz: Freddie Wadling - With A License To Kill Georg Riedel, Sarah Riedel & Nicolai Dunger - Cornelis Vs Riedel Magnus Öström - Thread Of Life Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter: Anna Järvinen - Anna Själv Tredje Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor Lykke Li, Björn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song: Avicii - Levels Den Svenska Björnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?) Eric Saade - Popular Petter & September - Baksmälla September - Mikrofonkåt Swedish House Mafia - Save The World Timbuktu - Resten Av Ditt Liv Tove Styrke - White Light Moment Veronica Maggio - Jag Kommer
Best Music Video: Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)" Magnus Renfors - Peter Jöback, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, Kärleken Och Döden - La Vie, L'amour, La Mort" Max Vitali - Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend" Slobodan Zivic - Kriget "Submission" Ted Malmros/Gustaf Von Arbin - Peter Bjorn And John "Gimme Some"
Best Newcomer: Adrian Lux Aleks Den Svenska Björnstammen Newkid Rebecca & Fiona
Best Pop: Ane Brun - It All Starts With One Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Producer: Christian Walz Johan Eckeborn Masse Salazar Shellback Tobias Fröberg
Best Rock: Deportees - Islands & Shores Eldkvarn - De Berömdas Aveny Kebnekajse - Idioten Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - När Mullret Dövar Våra Öron Blir Vi Rädda
Best International Success: Avicii Little Dragon Lykke Li Opeth Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics: Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren Mauro Scocco - Musik För Nyskilda Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator: Avicii Deportees Erato Looptroop Rockers Veronica Maggio
Swedish early 80s punk/postpunk act Tant Strul, one of Kajsa Grytt's early bands besides Pink Champagne, has reformed and will be performing a number of gigs this coming summer.
Swedish indierock act The Mary Onettes have recorded a new EP with Dan Lissvik of Studio (RIP) called "Love Forever" which apparently finds them stripping away the reverb to find a more organic sound. It will be released on February 29 via and will be available either as a digital download or on 12" vinyl.
New Swedish mainstream pop from the same production team behind September's monster hit "Cry for you". As much as I want to focus on championing underground punk/hardcore/metal, I must admit that I do actually really like this sort of stuff when it's done well.
(Ironville, Tvärvägen) and , a new subsidiary of , are teaming up to release the debut 7" from Malmö-based indie act Yast. Not sure what the release date is, but the a-side tune is called "Believes" and can be previewed above.
Sea Lion