8
Can Novoton Records do any wrong? Paper's "An object" and all its wondrous lo-fi post-punk magic is yet another indication that, in fact, Novoton may be the best record label in Sweden at the moment. A shadowy effort, Paper create a storm of string-thin guitars, bass riffs and analog synths, punctuated by the dark vocal delivery and the assured drum patterns - and its something to behold. Like the missing step between Joy Division and New Order, "An object" carefully captures both of these influences and then proceeds to twist them around the more raucous post-punk of the later 80s, all without sacrificing the individuality of the compositions themselves despite all of these reference points. "To her" should be the opening track to a late 80s cinematic effort, "Out of it into it" is a powerful thesis for the album to come, and closer "Ideal plane" is a strangely serene, beautiful ending to an album that seems most comfortable observing frantic destruction, but this peculiar ending works; an introspective close to one of the best new post-punk albums that I've heard in a long time.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
It's no secret that I'm fond of folk-influenced jazz (and other music), as I've touched on the subject many, many times. I love the ways old melodies come alive in new contexts, bridging the gap between old and new. But while I know why I'm drawn to it, I've often wondered where the musicians themselves get their influence and inspiration. So when I received a few CDs from pianist/bandleader Ira Mogilevsky recently, I decided to track her down and find out where she's coming from.
From Russia to Israel to Sweden? Why end up in Stockholm? What brought you there and is it everything you hoped it would be?
My family moved to Israel from Russia in 1991 when I was 16 y.o. Actually, the final "switch" from classical music to jazz happened to me in Israel. I studied in Jerusalem Academy of music with Slava Ganelin, widely known on the international contemporary jazz scene. This wonderful musician and inspiring teacher has been guiding me in the world of music for many years. He was the one who first suggested the idea to try "something new and fresh" and continue my education abroad. Stockholm was the best choice for me at that time: I have heard about very high level of Swedish jazz (it has appeared to be very true!), Sweden seemed enough far and different from Israel to make me feel the freshness of change. Besides that, The Royal College of Music in Stockholm offered me a really interesting and flexible program. So, I ended up in Stockholm and live and work here since 2002. I didn't have so many expectations, just wanted to explore the world and test my own "limits". I am at the middle of this adventure and many exciting things happen to me here in Sweden music-wise.
How did you first become interested in Swedish/Scandinavian folk? What do you think are the similarities between it and other Eastern European/Russian folk traditions that you are familiar with?
One of my first jobs in Sweden was comping the amateur choir. I was very impressed to see how people love singing their folk songs and hundreds - years - old psalms. It is something that I haven't seen either in Russia nor in Israel. I tried to play these tunes in my own way, as any jazz musician would probably do. Some people thought it sounds very fresh and unique. That's how "Nybakat!" band started. (means "fresh-baked" in Swedish)
Probably the fact that I wasn't familiar with traditional performance of Swedish folk music let me approach this material in a quiet free way without a fear of "breaking a taboo". Apparently I broke quite many "traditions" by using odd rhythms, freely changing characters and styles of the songs. Once it even led to a confusing situation: I wrote a very happy up-tempo arrangement for an old psalm "I himmelen, I himmelen" ("in heaven") and after some months realized that it is a funeral psalm!
I must admit that Swedish audience has appeared to be very open minded and supportive regarding my experiments with their folk music!
There are certainly some similarities in the melodism and "modes" of Swedish and Eastern European folk songs. I'm not an expert in folk music, but I think the reason is long- time cultural and historical connections.
In fact, our alternative and humoristic solution for the problem of the funeral psalm mentioned above, was to present it as an Ukrainian folk song "Carnaval" (there is no such a folk song as there is no Carnival in Ukraine!).
Probably the melodic "mode" of this Swedish song was so close to the Ukrainian, that no one felt any suspicions. Perhaps that's good proof for the similarity in folk music traditions.
Of the songs on the Nybakat! CD, is there one piece that's a particular favorite?
Frankly speaking, I like all of them. Probably because I am emotionally involved. In my opinion they are quite different and it's impossible for me to pick up the best. Well, may be it is a mission of independent reviewers to choose the "best", "worst" and "in between". I must say that a great contribution to the CD of Nybakat! were songs and arrangements of the saxophone player Björn Dahlberg and creative approach and support of drummer Vlad Nedelin and bass player Markus Hängsel.
Naturally, I understand your reluctance to pick favorites, but how about I rephrase it- if you had to pick one song and one song only to show listeners what Nybakat! was about, which song would that be?
Hmm..... in this case maybe "Fjäriln vingad syns på Haga"
A fine choice, as far as I'm concerned! Listen below...
Nybakat! - Fjäriln vingad syns på Haga
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Franke - Jag älskar dig
02. TALK 1
03. White Knives - Welcome transplants
04. Bobby and Blumm - Drow a bow
05. Anna Leong - Guillotine
06. TALK 2
07. Juvelen - Don't mess
08. Eucharist - The Eucharist
09. Sophie Rimheden - Go away (ft. Aaron Phiri)
10. TALK 3
11. Form One - Money (ft. Vincent)
12. Tape - Augustan chateau
13. Moneybrother - They're building walls around us
14. TALK 4
15. Lapko - Killer whales
16. The State of Floral Beings - Bad broker
17. Opération Zéro - Grand Pere
18. TALK 5
19. Pistol Disco - Beat of the tune
20. Kusowsky - Jonny
21. Motorhomes - Into the night
22. TALK 6
23. They Live By Night - Endless summer
24. Cleaning Women - Clean up your body
25. Kaka - What a frame
26. Gorgoroth - Krig
27. TALK 7
28. Markus Krunegård - Samma nätter väntar alla
29. Snöleoparden - Waterpuppet theatre
30. Oskar Schönning - Stoner
31. TALK 8
32. Tellu - Tuulet
33. Convoj - Cultural legacy
34. Lukestar - White shade
35. Silver - The personal decay
36. TALK 9
37. Brick - Labrador
38. Callisto - Anastasis
39. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - When she's GONE
40. TALK 10
41. Magyar Posse - Singlesparks are spectral fires
The latest albums from Barra Head and Lack are now in-stock on both CD and vinyl! Even better, the vinyl editions include a coupon for a free mp3 download. You simply can't go wrong! Go shopping!
This week's guests in our ongoing Göteborg spotlight series is Samtidigt Som.
How long have you lived in Gbg? What brought you there and what's keeping you from relocating elsewhere?
We're all from the GBG area and all of us has always lived in or really close to the city. We really love GBG and as a band who sings in Swedish, there's really no place else. GBG has been the major city for music in Sweden for several years and still is. It's a city with a strong identity and legacy music wise. The alternative in Sweden would be Stockholm (Malmö doesn't have a music scene worth mention) and it's no point to relocate since Stockholm is cold and soulless. And they have the worst football teams.
Your music reminds me a lot of classic Gbg indierock- is this something that you are aware of? Do you think there's an important legacy of Gbg music to live up to? What other influences do you draw from?
There is no doubt that we are strongly influenced by GBG indierock. For instance, our debut-EP are recorded and produced by old Bad Cash Quartet guitarist Kalle Von Hall. The thing was, when me (Erik Grahn, guitar) and bassist Erik Weiman were beginning to talk about forming a new band together again, things that came up was that we shouldn't try to complicate things, keep it simple and pure and don't be embarrassed of our influences. I think that both me and Erik have strong sense for melodies and even if you can hear that we're from GBG, which we're very proud of, I think you can hear that it is Samtidigt Som. Basically we just want to play fast and loud because it's more fun that way.
How friendly is the local scene? Is it easy for a new band such as yourselves to get noticed?
I think that it's probably friendlier than many other places. There are a few really good clubs where most of the scene hang out. In a way you can see that a new generation is growing and taking more space, it's about time that a new generation steps forward.
With bands like us, Almedal, Boat Club and My Darling You!, I think that our small label Luxury done a great job, and it is, togheter with the club "Svanen" at Jazzhuset, the two most important things for having the good scene we have.
I think that it's quite easy to get noticed in GBG if you're good. I know loads of bands that been playing for ages without getting anywhere simply because they're not good enough, but in contrast, you have us who got a record deal after our first gig. Of course, I'm quite sure playing the way we do helps us, we give 110% when we play live and we do really catchy songs. But that is what we want to do and if people like it, I wont have some pretentious idiot telling me that we get everything for free and that we do brainless music (which we do, but we like it brainless).
Are there any rivalries or are other bands generally happy to help eachother out?
I'm a strong believer in helping each other out. I don't believe you can compete in music and I hate when I hear people trash talk other bands just because they doing better then them. GBG is to small for rivalry and to keep our position as Sweden's music city number one, we should all just try to promote other good bands.
What are the advantages of being an artist in Gbg? Disadvantages? Is there anything that the city is lacking?
The good thing about GBG is that it's small. The bad thing about GBG is that it's small. It's good in that sense that it never gets too elitist, but bad that sometimes it feels like a small group of people have way too much power over the scene. If it was bigger, it would be easier to fight that. But as I said before, a new generation is on its way and it's inevitable for us not to take over.
Got a song you'd like to share?
If it should be a song of ours, I would say our new single "Constant in motion". That one sounds really GBG. And a song from another GBG band would be "No time for us" by Broder Daniel. It's one of my favourite songs ever and still gives me the shivers.
Unfortunately, "Constant in motion" was not available to me at press time, but since I strongly feel that Samtidigt Som is worth hearing, here's "För jag tror att ingen annan kan känna såhär för dig" instead.
Samtidigt Som - För jag tror att ingen annan kan känna såhär för dig
7
Another solid member of the Around Your Neck family, home also to Johnny Superhero, Pestida feel like an uncovered relic from that box of albums you bought in the 1990s. Like Johnny Superhero's "Choices", "Surface parallel" feels like a beginning, akin to their 90s influences instead of synthesizing them into a 'redefined' sound. This recalls the beginning of the 'emo' and post-hardcore scenes, wonderfully oblivious to the years and years of music that has been released since Pavement's "Brighten the corners" or the efforts of bands like Mineral and Knapsack. This album is not for everyone: the vocal delivery could easily catch some ears as too quirky or off key, the songwriting's solidarity with the bands of the mid- to late-90s might seem outdated to some, but if these obstacles can be overcome, "Surface parallel" has much to offer. If you need more evidence, find the track "Another circle" and listen for yourself. It will make you miss those flannel shirts you donated to the Salvation Army and long for the nights you spent as a teenager staring up at your ceiling, listening to Sunny Day Real Estate, missing someone.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Swedish hip-hop artist Timbuktu will perform in Cape Town, South Africa on April 4: http://www.jujurecords.nu/downloads/live&exclusive-4th%20april.jpg
Finnish rock'n'rollers Soulstab will release their debut full-length "Primitive communication" on April 30. Hear the first single "Breaking in the hen house" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/soulstab
New livedates for Moneybrother:
05/15 - Jazzhaus, Freiburg (GER)
05/18 - Posthof, Linz (AUS)
05/19 - Rockhouse, Salzburg (AUS)
Swedish synthpop act Kamera will support Mando Diao on tour in Japan:
04/14 - Club Quattro, Nagoya
04/15 - Club Quattro, Osaka
04/16 - club Quattro, Tokyo
04/17 - Club Quattro, Tokyo
The Hives will be bringing along legendary Swedish garage-punk madmen Henry Fiats Open Sore on the next leg of their European tour: http://www.myspace.com/henryfiatsopensore
Danish act Veto will release their new album "Crushing digits" on May 5. Hear the first single "Built to fail" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vetosite
Swedish noiserockers Voices Break the Silence have a new track on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/voicesbreakthesilence
Been awhile since I've heard from these guys, so I'm stoked that they're still active. The song sounds great too.
Weeping Willows' 2002 album "Into the light" marks the band's transition from retro-pop into modern rock and, as such, signified the downfall of the band for a lot of people, myself included. However, due to patience and hindsight, I've changed my mind about the band progression on this album and now find that I enjoy it very much, thank you. The first two records are still superior (AMG's assessment that they lost their originality when they tried develop their own sound is dead-on), but "Into the light" is a not-so-distant 3rd. Singles like "Touch me" are undeniably catchy and aching ballads such as "Somewhere" and "If I could see you one more time" (today's mp3) are startlingly effective. Frontman Magnus Carlson has a near-perfect croon, making even the lamest lyrics seem powerful - "Stairs" from the album "Presence" is a prime example. When his words hit their mark, it's powerful stuff, despite all obvious clichés and sappiness. Melancholy pop rarely gets better that this in my opinion.
Weeping Willows - If I could see you one more time
Check out an extra fast live version of Barra Head playing the song "Common ground" recorded just the other night in Berlin: http://www.myspace.com/rockingrobinsfuckingprojects
Paper
Pestida
