According to a story on the AP wires, the Swedish government is going to start cracking down on file sharers by forcing ISPs to hand over records: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5juqBsPM7AXzVADrglo-YUbOGKvcQD8VD8BO80
Manes is dying? Read: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=14551432&blogID=366794799
Danish indie act The Late Parade has licensed their self-titled EP to Rallye & Klee for release in Japan. It will also be released in Benelux in the near future as well. Samples: http://www.myspace.com/thelateparade
Now that he's a father, drummer Jens Kinch has decided to leave Spleen United to concentrate on his family. A replacement has yet to be announced.
MP3: Starmarket - Forgotten trail
I pulled Starmarket's 2001 album "Song of songs" off the shelf earlier this week and found myself enjoying it quite a bit more than I remember. The earlier records are still the best (classic, even), but now that I'm a tiny bit older, I think I better appreciate the more relaxed direction they started to head towards. However, my favorite tracks are still the noisier ones such as "Forgotten trail", which I've posted for you today. That's the noisepop sound I adore! The huge, thick guitars, the heavy, crashing drums- I have even grown to love that gnarly pinging snare tone. It's totally obnoxious, but it works. It's distinctive; it has personality! The Göteborg metal scene may have piqued my interest in Swedish music, but the Norrland indie sound is what got me hooked for life.
Starmarket - Forgotten trail
Pitchfork on the US release of The LK and their album "vs the snow": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/48981-the-lk-vs-the-snow
Madrugada
s/t
EMI
Guitarist Robert Burås left this world much too soon. And he will be missed. Those of us that got to see Madrugada live can certify that he was a main character in this otherwise so well put together combo. Being the sixth and final album from Norway's finest, this is nothing but pure genius. The intensity is evident throughout, both musically and vocally. On this self-titled full-length, the band has taken the atmosphere of foreboding that is their trademark to a higher level, which leaves us, the listeners, in a state of darkness that's indefensible. Simply put, we're reeled right in and I wouldn't want anything else. Frontman Sivert Høyem sings with such authority and grace, it makes my eyes fill up with tears. And seeing that I'm into The Birthday Party and Nick Cave, it's difficult not to compare, but Sivert has a hypnotizing way of taking each song to perfection, something Mr. Cave is missing at times. "The hour of the wolf" is a straight-forward rock song with howling guitars, powerful drums and a showcase of one of the shapes that was Madrugada. It's rock'n'roll in its purest form. The more acoustic "Look away Lucifer" is a dark and eerie song that sort of sums up the album as a whole. The uncanny feeling of this swan song is charming in a way that you never want to end. But, all good things must come to an end and I can't think of a better way than this. Kudos. And R.I.P.
- Jonas Appelqvist
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Diverse artister - Sorgen og gleden: Matte Marit
02. Madrugada - Madrugada
03. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri
04. The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side
05. Secret Garden - Inside I'm singing
06. Farmers Market - Surfin' Ussr
07. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord & Øgonblick
08. Hellbillies - Spissrotgang
09. Madcon - So Dark the Con of Man
10. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2008
11. Sie Gubba - Sånn e livet
12. Leif Ove Andsnes - Mozart: Piano Concertos No 1
13. Gaute Ormåsen - Drømmesang
14. Bertine Zetlitz - In my mind 1997-2007 Best of
15. Anne Nørdsti - Livli på låven
16. Celine - Bæstevænna
17. Beady Belle - Belvedere
18. Trond-Viggo Torgersen - Det du kan + noe rart & noe nytt
19. CC Cowboys - På Svalbard uten strøm
20. Alexandria Quartet - Alexandria Quartet
Swedish alt-country artist Racingpaperplanes have posted their new single "In and out of coma" for free download: http://www.richardwilson.se/
The song, which happens to be about a really bad hangover, will be given the video treatment by NY-based director Kevin Doyle and will also appear on a forthcoming full-length album, both due sometime in April. More details to come.
If you haven't added Thomas Denver Jonsson's new blog to your regular reading list, you really should: http://vanbloggen.blogspot.com/
Oskar Linnros from Swedish hip-hop groups Snook and Maskinen is working on a solo album under the name Kihlen. Read more: http://www.metro.se/se/article/tt/2008/03/10/11wnojemusikkihlen/index.xml (in Swedish)
Reports from SXSW are starting to pour in, including the response to the US live debut of The Tough Alliance: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/49272-sxsw-wednesday-amy-phillips
More on TTA here: http://stopusnot.blogspot.com/2008/03/tough-alliance-at-sxsw.html
Any other reports?
Pitchfork adds Wildbird & Peacedrums to the Forkcast section: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/forkcast/49264-wildbirds-peacedrums-doubthope-videomp3
Lukestar's excellent album "Lake Toba" (already declared to be a top 10 fave for 2008) will be released in the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France, Japan and even Malaysia later on this year. Details to come! Can't wait? I've got imports for sale right here.
Discobelle has a brand new track from Sophie Rimheden posted for download: http://www.discobelle.net/2008/03/13/sophie-rimheden-feat-aaron-phiri-go-away-exclusive/
Her new full-length album "Traveller" will be out on April 23 via NONS.