Check out the new video for the new single "Speak'n spell" from Swedish pop artist Elin Lanto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPMvBfV8F6c
MIC Norway on American artist Mike Patton's (Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, etc.) recent performance with Stian Carstensen at the Borealis Festival: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008022813342487423208
Patton's label Ipecac will be releasing Carsten's band Farmers Market's new record "Surfin' USSR" in the US.
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri
02. Madrugada - Madrugada
03. The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side
04. Secret Garden - Inside I'm singing
05. Madcon - So Dark the Con of Man
06. Hellbillies - Spissrotgang
07. Anne Nørdsti - Livli på låven
08. Sie Gubba - Sånn e livet
09. Gaute Ormåsen - Drømmesang
10. Leif Ove Andsnes - Mozart Piano Concerto Nos 9 & 18
11. Beady Belle - Belvedere
12. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord og Øgonblick
13. Celine - Bæstevænna
14. BigBang - Something Special - The Best
15. Bertine Zetlitz - In my mind 1997-2007 Best of
16. The Margarets - Twenty Years Erased
17. Kurt Nilsen - Push push
18. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2008
19. Animal Alpha - You Pay For The Whole Seat...
20. CC Cowboys - På Svalbard uten strøm
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Carola - Främling 25 år
02. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
03. Jill Johnson - Music Row
04. Hellsongs - Hymns in the key of 666
05. The Cardigans - Best of
06. Lykke Li - Youth novels
07. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
08. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
09. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
10. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
11. Marie Picasso - The secret
12. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
14. Takida - Bury the lies
15. Säkert! - Säkert!
16. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
17. Andra Generationen - Extra allt
18. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
19. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
20. Hoffmaestro & Chraa - The storm
The new Meshuggah album "obZen" (see yesterday's mp3 post) is now streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/meshuggah
Paper's excellent album "An object" will get a digital release on March 11, a few days before the physical CD version is available. If you dig minimalist postpunk, you need this.
Karin Ström has a new single out today called "Silent night" which is being released as part of Absolut Vodka's new web campaign "In an Absolut World" which includes other artists such as Kanye West and Pablo Francisco. Read more here: http://www.absolutads.com/
As for Karin's piece, the video can be found right here and the song plus a Pacific! remix can be downloaded from her website. Definitely recommended.
MP3: High Hats - Bitterswede
I love love love self-depreciating/self-referential songs like this. Isolation Years' "Yellow cross on blue" edges it out ever so slightly in the end, but hey- there's no shame in being #2. My favorite couplet: "I feel good when I am pissed / I don't think that god exists" You can't go wrong when tossing in an acknowledgment of Sweden's status as a secular state as far as I'm concerned. I know it's goofy, but as a former religious studies student, I'm all about it. And the tacked on "P-I-G is the police" line that doesn't quite fit? It's so dumb, it's brilliant! If you don't like this, I don't like you.
High Hats - Bitterswede
Pitchfork has added Tobias Fröberg's single "Just behind a brick wall" (ft. Peter Morén) and the new Familjen video for "Huvudet i sanden" to their Forkcast section. Also: Hybridism? Is getting the Hybris name correct really all that difficult?
The new Hellacopters single "In the sign of the octopus", their first from final album "Head off", will be released on March 19.
Sorry, no new review today because I'm swamped with work and my writers are too (or so I assume). Which brings me to my next point: It's a Trap! needs more contributors! To apply, please send in either a sample review or examples of you work along with a list of some of your favorite artists.
Sounds Like Violence will tour Europe in April:
04/10 - White Trash, Berlin (GER)
04/11 - Headcrash, Hamburg (GER)
04/12 - Out of the crowd festival, Luxembourg (LUX)
04/13 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
04/14 - Zwölfzehn, Stuttgart (GER)
04/15 - Abart, Zurich (CH)
04/16 - Fri-Son, Fribourg (CH)
04/17 - Garage, Milano (ITA)
04/18 - Circolo Degli Artisti, Roma (ITA)
04/19 - Unwound, Padova (ITA)
04/21 - Ampere, Munich (GER)
As discussed before, Umeå-based all-star powerpop act The Lost Patrol Band has been forced to change their name. The new moniker: Invasionen. In semi-related news, frontman Dennis Lyxzén's other band The (International) Noise Conspiracy) is finishing up their new record. It's called "The cross of my calling" and will be out later this year via American Recordings.
Swedish modern jazz combo Oddjob (ft. renown trumper player Goran Kajfes) has recorded a new album for release this fall via ACT Music. Hear samples of older stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/oddjobsweden
Vapnet's new single "Plötsligt händer det inte" is streaming on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vapnet