Pitchfork interviews Robyn: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/48760-interview-robyn
It's Monday and reports from this past weekend's by:Larm festival in Oslo, Norway are pouring in. Our own Nancy Baym (herself a presenter for the seminar portion of said festival) has submitted her own first-hand account: [click here]
MP3: Anna Leong - Guillotine
The new Anna Leong single "Guillotine" is pure Umeå pedigree. The folkiness of Isolation Years, the melodic melancholy of The Perishers; it's all there amidst the pleading and prostration. And though the sound of the city is obvious, they make it their own by adding various subtle touches. For example, listen to that organ refrain - it's maddening, like something you'd expect to hear at an evil carnival ala "Something wicked this way comes". Compared to feeling conveyed by last Friday's Caesars Palace post, this is the polar opposite, despite the actual tone not being all that different. What I like best about the song though are all the little, unexpected melodic shifts that carry it along. Like the way the bridge sounds so uplifting before the triplet fill into the chorus. And those tossed off blue notes in the guitar solo - that seals it for me. They seem so ugly at first, but they really take the song to another level. Without them, the piece would be pleasant but forgettable. As-is, it's a great track which makes me excited to hear the rest of the album.
Watch the video here.
Anna Leong - Guillotine
Birds on Holiday
In foreign countries
Sandbox Tree Records
Sweden's Birds on Holiday play sweet indie pop that sounds like Saturday Llooks Good to Me and they also make me think of a latter-day Popsicle (former Swedish indie stalwarts). They've got two lead singers - a man and woman - a combination that I am particularly fond of. It would be nicer with more duets though, instead of just letting them take turns singing songs. It's a neat little album, with some pretty melodies and the songs are surprisingly well-written and performed. The lyrics aren't that special though; in fact, that's where this album falls short. Some of the songs are also a tad repetitive and annoying. Yes, Birds on Holiday could do with more of the better songs, less of the dull ones, and a bit more finesse lyric-wise (there's nothing better than subversive twee, right?). I still think some of these songs are amazing though, so I'd recommend it to lovers of fluffy indie pop (like Belle & Sebastian et al).
- Simon Tagestam
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Disfear - Deadweight
02. TALK 1
03. The Social Services - Up in arms
04. Kaka - The hotspurs (the less know the faster we go)
05. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Manic panic
06. TALK 2
07. Tiger Lou - Patterns
08. Paper - My life is going under
09. Dreamboy - Stars
10. TALK 3
11. Lack - Watchmen
12. Don't Be A Stranger - Mon chi-chi
13. Ea Philippa - Heslenes sang
14. TALK 4
15. Ef - Thrills
16. Isolation Years - Yellow cross on blue
17. Frivolvol - Satellite kids
18. TALK 5
19. Enslaved - Eld
20. The Grand Opening - Secrets revealed
21. Ultralyd - Comphonie V
22. TALK 8
23. Firefok AK - Techno tears
24. The Indecision Alarm - Alienation process
25. Looptroop Rockers - Marinate
26. TALK 7
27. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
28. The End Will Be Kicks - Exit ramps
29. Cadillac - Locomotive
30. TALK 8
31. Lukestar - Lake Toba
32. Commando M Pigg - Baby doll
33. Printer - Minds out
34. TALK 9
35. Seven Feet Four - Auto emotion
36. Tobias Hellkvist - Abomination
37. Barra Head - Undermine
38. TALK 10
39. Britta Persson - Happy hour
40. Anna Leong - Guillotine
41. Ted Gärdestad - Can't stop this train
42. TALK 11
Twig
Ciao ciao bomb b/w Wentworth 7"
Cloudberry Records
This is indiepop music for indiepop people. Chances are high that if you're in the target audience for this record, you probably already know about it and have made up your mind about whether or not it will become part of your collection. For the rest of us, here's the scoop: this is the first vinyl 7" released by prolific singles-only label Cloudberry Records out of Florida. They've been putting out a small, but successful run of twee/C86-focused 3" CDRs (and other stuff) for awhile now, so it's only natural that they try their hand at something bigger. Does it succeed? Well sure, I guess so. That is, if you like the idea of Swedish boys crooning like Morrissey over shimmering guitars and drum machine beats. As for me, let me just say that I prefer "Wentworth" over the flipside and leave it at that.
- Avi Roig
MP3: Dieter Schöön - I'll go there
It's Saturday again so that means it's time once again for our weekly series on the music of Göteborg. Our guest: Dieter Schöön.
How long have you lived in Gbg? Where did you move from and why?
Since 92, moved from smaller town called Alingsås about 30 minutes away by car. I moved to join a funkband based in Gbg called The Punk Funk Union.
Do you think that there's a particular Gbg sound?
I don't think there has ever been a particular Gbg-sound, I think it's more like an attitude and vibe around the very purpose of making music that could maybe be described as a Gbg thing, rather than sound.
In my opinion, the main Gbg purpose of making music has always been more about making great music rather than great money or success. This might be cause of the fact that there never really was a big record company operating in Gbg at all; the big ones have always been seated up in Stockholm.
Maybe people are just more serious about music here.
What advantages does living in Gbg offer artists? Disadvantages?
I think the lack of bigger record companies is both good and bad.
If you could pick up and move anywhere else in the world, where would you go?
Köln is a great town! Big river splicing the town up in two parts with four or five big bridges along the river, the terrifying dirty drome wich is covered by creepy sculptures of demons and devils on the surface... Köln is nice I think.
How has the city inspired you? Are there any particular songs of yours that you would say are a direct reflection upon the city?
I think the harbour is a very inspiring place at night with its orange lights and stillness and yes, I think "The harbour's cold" and "I'll go there", both of them are fairly reflective of the city.
Seeing as how I've previously posted "The harbour's cold", here's "I'll go there". Enjoy!
Dieter Schöön - I'll go there
NME is blogging from by:Larm: http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=15
There's nothing of any substance posted so far, but it might be worth a quick browse anyhow.
Tobias Fröberg will accompany Peter Bjorn and John frontman Peter Morén on his upcoming solo tour: http://www.tobiasfroberg.com/index_live.html
Swedish hip-hop/reggae site Skawars is taking a break... forever? See here: http://www.skawars.nu/
Opeth will do a few separate headline gigs while touring North America as part of the Progressive Nation tour:
05/04 - Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
05/08 - Big Easy, Spokane, WA
05/15 - Mr. Small's Theatre, Millvale, PA
05/23 - Le Medley, Montreal, OC
05/24 - Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
05/29 - House of Blues, N. Myrtle Beach, SC
New German dates for Motorpsycho:
05/17 - Postbahnhof, Berlin
05/18 - Live music hall, Cologne
05/20 - Backstage werk, Munich
05/30 - Schlachthof, Bremen
05/31 - Fabrik, Hamburg