Congrats to Jordi Balague for winning a copy of The Bell's debut album "Make some quiet". Thanks to everyone who entered and Jordi, your disc will be in the mail soon. Everyone else, keep an eye out for a new contest tomorrow.
MP3: The Tremolo Beer Gut - Nosy Parker
This is my "Nosy Parker" - a six year-old border collie. He's named after a street in Berkeley and was a last-minute rescue from the animal shelter in Sacramento. As is the nature with most BCs, Parker has his nose in everything and demands the be the center of attention.
Posted below is "Nosy Parker" from The Tremolo Beer Gut. They're a retro instumental act from Denmark with a new album called "Nous sommes The Tremolo Beer Gut. Qui le fuck êtes-vous?" out now on Crunchy Frog. Like many of their labelmates (Junior Senior, Powersolo, etc.), there's a definite kitsch-factor to what they do, but they do it well enough to deflect most criticism. However, as an instrumental act, I'd have to say that their crossover potential is severely diminished. This here is a fun little track with a hot guitar solo, but I'm gonna have to say that I prefer my own Parker overall.
The Tremolo Beer Gut - Nosy Parker
Disfear makes the Pitchfork Forkcast with "Get it off": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/48417-disfear-get-it-off-mp3stream
Pitchfork reviews the new Opeth live album "The Roundhouse tapes": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/48181-the-roundhouse-tapes
Petter
God damn it
Universal
There aren't that many Swedish rappers who have managed to achieve commercial success. Petter is an exception, he released his debut album in 1998 and even though his last two albums didn't sell as much as the previous ones (due to not being as good, I'd say), he's still the biggest hip-hop star in Sweden. Nowadays Petter lives in a Swedish ski resort and writes a popular blog (mainly about his kids). On his sixth album he tries very hard to come across as just a normal person who is like everyone else, though it feels a bit tired, like something a politician would do. His rhyming skills just aren't that great and the whole production is very unoriginal. However, his blog is actually a pretty good read, and much more interesting than his current musical output.
Even though Petter is very honest and open in his lyrics, he no longer has that drive that gave him such an appeal in the beginning of his career when he released tracks such as "Mikrofonkåt". The title track is ok, but the whole album is too much of a half-hearted effort, and sampling Säkert! on "Logiskt" feels shoddy and cheap.
- Simon Tagestam
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Annika Norlin/Säkert! - Generalens visa
02. TALK 1
03. Downstairs - Legs for arms
04. Dmitry Fyodorov - 1b-1
05. Northern Fields - Never take the beauty
06. TALK 2
07. Barra Head - Undermine
08. Fläskkvartetten - Som glas (ft. Nina Persson)
09. Benea Reach - New waters
10. TALK 3
11. Firefox AK - Winter rose (Tellevika remix)
12. Dansdepartementet - Svarta brev
13. Randy - Little toulouse
14. TALK 4
15. Britta Persson - At 7
16. M:40 - Brännmärkt
17. Mechanical Bird - Martha
18. TALK 5
19. Marvins Revolt - Multiple fractures
20. The Drawbacks - Straight lines & circles
21. Isolation Years - Say-nothing day
22. Christian Kjellvander - Poppies and peonies
23. TALK 6
24. Little Dragon - Recommendation
25. FAP - Sjömannen
26. Cortex - Animals (...looking at me)
27. TALK 7
28. Ulf Ljusberg - Whatever was
29. Mayhem - Deathcrush
30. Alog - St.Paul sessions II
31. TALK 8
32. Tigerbombs - 1000 sparks
33. Mainliners - Bourbon and ice
34. Mando Diao - San Francisco Bay
35. Madrugada - Look away Lucifer
36. TALK 9
37. Matts Katt - Refused was fucking murdered
Mikkel Metal
Brone and wait
Echocord/Kompakt
Dane Mikkel Metal released his first album on Kompakt, the German electronic label. The collection of songs feature beats so crisp you can bite into them and notes that live up to his metallic industrial name. Math-rock type of electronica makes it sound like it would be at home as the soundtrack for a David Lynch film. But even if he has achieved a great quality of sound, the songs don't have enough development to be enjoyed easily. This problem can be viewed in three different ways: innovative, experimental or just slow. If you like Aphex Twin or 65 days of static, try Mikkel Metal.
- Jennifer Ma
MP3: The Skull Defekts - The secret
Saturdays in 2008 are devoted to the music of Göteborg. This week's guest: Joachim Nordwall aka The Idealist, head of iDEAL Recordings, also a member of The Skull Defekts. When I think about the new sound of Gbg, iDEAL Recordings and their contemporaries such as Kning Disk are exactly what come to mind. This is where art and music intersect to create something bold and innovative, something that hasn't been done before.
So how long have you lived in Gbg?
I've had Gothenburg as my base since 1996, but lived in London for a while in 1998 and traveled a lot.
Where did you move from and why?
I had lived in Paris and Umeå in the north of Sweden. Paris was great and I still see it as home when I go there and Umeå was kind of a disaster, so after one year of studies up there I needed to go south again and somehow ended up here. I didn't intend to stay for long, but accidentaly got stuck. It's quite easy to fall in love with Gothenburg.
Do you think that there's a particular Gbg sound or feeling? How would you describe it?
Yeah sure. Gbg is friendly, rough sometimes and very democratic. It's a harbour town which and the second biggest in Sweden, similar in size to Oslo I guess.
What advantages does living in Gbg offer artists? Disadvantages?
The music scene has always been pretty good here, especially punk and rock, but also experimental stuff and dance. There's clubs to play, plenty of rehearsal space and we fool ourselves that we are close to Europe since we're only a few hours north from Copenhagen. Berlin is close too, you can drive there in ten hours if you're fast and sober. Disadvantages are that Gbg is small, not much new blood is coming in and the art scene sucks. We have very few good galleries here even though some known international visual artists live here. But then again, there's plenty of bars and illegal techno parties going down. Good ways to get loaded.
I know you work with a lot of scene veterans, but who do you think are the up-and-coming talents in Gbg right now?
Sure - there are a few of course. I like Pistol Disco - a duo doing Suicide-like dark electronic crack pop. The Extended Head seems to be doing some great stuff, his latest demo was a killer old skool dance punk thing. Other than that, some of my fav acts are from here. Like Studio, José González, Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words and Contemporary Punk Unit.
Lastly, how has the city inspired you? Are there are any particular pieces from The Skull Defekts/The Idealist/iDEAL that provide a good sonic reflection of the city?
I am finding inspiration in loads of places. I live here, but travel a lot so my inspiration is honestly coming more from other places. Home is where I rest and work. I rarely lift my head to actually enjoy the view if you know what I mean. Gbg is a good place to be left alone and I leave it alone too hahaha. The Skull Defekts are recording and rehearsing in a hidden part of the hospital here which is of course extremely inspirational. We're there at night time only and it's a rather weird atmosphere up there. It's hard to name something but if I would choose one GBG anthem on iDEAL I'd probably name Henrik Rylander's "Traditional arrangements of feedback" but maybe more that Henrik is very Gothenburg to me than an actual sound to the damn thing.
Unfortunately, you'll have to go elsewhere to hear that Rylander piece, as Joachim specifically requested that The Skull Defekts accompany this post. And really, who am I to argue? Especially when the selected track is so good.
The Skull Defekts - The secret
Here's the tracklist for that forthcoming Sally Shapiro "Remix romance" album:
01. I'll be by your side (Tensnake remix)
02. I know you're my love (Juan MacLean remix)
03. Find my soul (Holy Fuck remix)
04. Anorak Christmas (Woodhands remix)
05. He keeps me alive (Skatebård remix)
06. Hold me so tight (The Cansecos remix)
07. Skating in the moonshine (Jon Brooks remix)
08. Jackie junior (Junior Boys remix)
09. Time to let go (Lindstrøm remix)
10. Sleep in my arms (Between Interval remix)
It gets a North American release on April 15 via Paper Bag Records.
Check out Tigerbombs sideproject King of All the Animals: http://www.myspace.com/kingofalltheanimals
Time Out New York interviews Robyn: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/music/26015/swede-relief
Supposedly there might be a Refused live album in the works: http://www.refusedfan.com/news2008.html
Kinda pathetic at this point if you ask me, but whatever. Take the money and run! In semi-related news, look for details concerning a new David Sandström Overdrive single + album to be revealed soon.
Swedish indie act Kusowsky has posted the new video for the track "Själv" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYhT7dKKzbY