Swedish punk act The Indecision Alarm are keeping a tour diary as they travel across Europe: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=93318173&blogID=397281890
PopJustice is streaming a "megamix" of tracks from the new Annie album: http://popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2587&Itemid=206
MP3: Kleerup - Until we bleed
I know a lot of folks are eager to kickstart the Kleerup backlash in earnest, so to them let me say this: sorry, but his new album really isn't all that bad. For one, he's got a lot of starpower in his favor; Robyn, Marit Bergman, Lykke Li (today's mp3), Titiyo, Lisa Milberg (The Concretes) and Neneh Cherry all lend their voices to tracks. On the other hand, those tracks are the only standouts as Kleerup's instrumentals are unanimously forgettable. So when I say that the album isn't all that bad, it really isn't all that great either. "Until we bleed" is sublime, smoky and sad-sack, easily the album highlight. I'm not even that much of a Lykke Li fan, but her fragile delivery here suits the dark, bubbly sound to a tee. It's all about vibe and the string samples in the refrain accentuate her vulnerability, giving the track a subdued but seductive coating. Compared to "With every heartbeat" (ft. Robyn), my pick for the 2nd best track (and one I assume everyone's already heard more than enough times by now), it's far less immediate, but far more rewarding overall. The formula is almost exactly the same almost to the point of self-plagiarization, except that Robyn can't help but make everything she sings into an anthem. When Kleerup attempts to do the same with Marit Bergman and Titiyo, the results are decent enough, but nowhere near as exciting. It's not the vocalists' fault - they do their job adequately enough, the tracks just don't accentuate their strengths. In a word: tepid. Not hot, not cold, not even worth discussing. Grab this one and blast it, forget the rest.
Kleerup - Until we bleed (ft. Lykke Li)
Bobby & Blumm
Live @ Create Berlin Showroom, Berlin, 05/17/08
Surely you've seen musicians after not-so-well-received shows when they wear their "well, that sucked"-smiles and sip on their beers. Last Saturday was one of those days for me when I went to a magazine (well, actually it's a little box full of art) release party at Berlin's "Create Berlin Showroom" where Bobby & Blumm (Bobby Baby and FS Blumm) were set to play. And it could have been such a great evening - free beer, free chocolate, beautiful songs - if not for all the other people who were apparently only there for the beer, the chocolate, and possibly the art. Frank and Ella's setup was entirely computer-free; mostly he just played the guitar while she sang or made friendly noises with a music box, a keyboard and other assorted toys. But the atmosphere and noise from all the talking were just not right for Bobby and Blumm's careful and unobtrusive music, even though they deliberately left out their quietest songs (such as the beautiful "Not at home"). Still, the little hints of how it'd be to see them play a "real" gig made me regret the times that I've already missed them perform before. Better luck next time, I guess.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Halvfabrikat will be releasing a vinyl edition of M:40's crushing album "Historiens svarta vingslag". No official release date yet, but it should be out the same time as the band's new 7" EP.
If you enjoyed that skweee track I posted yesterday, check out Rigas den Andre's contribution to the "Museum of future sound vol. 2" compilation over at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/102670709
Karin Ström will perform live in Philly on May 23 at 222 Gallery. Details: http://www.philebrity.com/2008/05/14/save-the-date-friday-may-23/
Finnish act The Crash will see their album "Pony ride" released in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland this coming August via Rykodisc. It was originally scheduled for release May 20 (today), but obviously that it isn't happening.
Detektivbyrån has confirmed that their forthcoming album "Wermland" will be released on September 3 via the band's own label Danarkia. There's no confirmed tracklist yet, but it is available for preorder and will be preceded by a single sometime in July. In the meantime, check out a video of the group performing the new track "Generation celebration": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wLWhSZ1Uvo
Definitely one of my most anticipated releases this coming fall.
Teeth of the Divine interviews Finnish doom act The Rapture: http://teethofthedivine.com/site/features/interview-with-rapture/
The Silent Ballet is not so impressed with Tape's new album "Luminarium": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/1422/Default.aspx
Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) does the playlist shuffle thing for The Onion A.V. Club: http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/random_rules_peter_moren
Pitchfork reviews Norwegian artist Silje Nes: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/50389-ames-room
Danish act The Fashion will be supporting Alkaline Trio on tour in the US this summer:
06/13 - Otherside, Tulsa, OK
06/14 - The Village, Little Rock, AR
06/15 - Matthew's Bar, Birmingham, AL
06/17 - Freebird Live, Jacksonville, FL
06/18 - Headliners, Columbia, SC
06/19 - The National, Richmond, VA
06/20 - Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
06/21 - Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
06/24 - Chameleon, Lancaster, PA
06/26 - Club Zoo, Pittsburgh, PA
06/27 - Intersection, Grand Rapids, MI
07/05 - Roskilde Festival
07/08 - Clutch Cargo's, Pontiac, MI
07/09 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL
07/10 - House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
07/11 - Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD
07/12 - Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza, NY, NY
07/13 - Lupo's, Providence, RI
07/15 - The Fillmore at the TLA, Philadelphia, PA
07/16 - Norva, Norfolk, VA
07/18 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA
07/19 - House of Blues, Orlanda, FL
07/21 - La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX
07/22 - House of Blues, Dallas, TX
07/25 - House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
07/26 - House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
07/27 - SOMA, San Diego, CA
07/28 - The Fillmore, ,San Fransisco, CA
07/29 - Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
07/30 - El Corazón, Seattle, WA
08/01 - In The Venue, Salt Lake City, UT
08/02 - Cervantes, Denver, CO
08/03 - The Granada, Lawrence, KS
MP3: King of All the Animals - Concrete skyline
The tune of "Concrete skyline" by King of All the Animals reminds me of that classic country chestnut "Sunday morning coming down". It's in the lilt of the melody, the phrasing of the vocals. Guest vocalist TV Smith (The Adverts) has more of a Mike Ness sneer than a Cash or Kristofferson croon, but it makes sense and fits KoAtA's garage-pop sound quite well. It's rough and presumes a life hard-lived, but it's not inaccessible, not in the slightest. However, the thing that's most important is the uplifting, optimistic feeling I get from listening to the track. Even though "Sunday morning coming down" might seem more depressing on the surface, I get the same impression from both songs. They are about new days and new beginnings, examining your surroundings and wanting something more. A perfect spring single, really.
King of All the Animals - Concrete skyline (ft. TV Smith)