Check out a brand new video from Pinto for the song "Iron and rust": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCT_VZgQCuc
The Sunday Times declares "Dizzy kiss" from Norwegian act/"Reader's companion" alums Lionheart Brothers to be the pop CD of the week: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article3127350.ece
The new Caesars double-album "Strawberry weed" will be released on March 5. Look for the new single "Boo boo goo goo" soon. In semi-related news, look for a new 7" from Caesars/Peter Bjorn and John sideproject Smile on Dolores. Hear samples of that one here: http://www.myspace.com/cleangloves
German tourdates for Swedish indiepop act Blind Terry:
01/19 - Café Glocksee, Hannover
01/20 - Café Panam, Leipzig
01/22 - Zum Teufel, Heidelberg
01/23 - D:qliq, Luxemburg
01/24 - Bangbang Club, Berlin
01/25 - Altes Wettbüro, Dresden
01/26 - Schaubude, Kiel
Hear samples from their Cloudberry Records single: http://www.myspace.com/blindterry
Pitchfork reviews the Jazkammer + Smegma collaboration "Endless coast": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/47693-endless-coast
MP3: Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - The war
Elin Ruth Sigvardsson desperately wants to be the next Sophie Zelmani. Trouble is, she lacks the gravitas to pull it off. She's got the trapping of the genre down with that haunted guitar and vocal and those despondent lyrics, but I don't buy it. Elin is far too nice sounding to be convincing. I don't want to be completely disparaging though - Elin does fine as a pop artist and I really do like the new single "Antidote", but the further she reaches, the more she falls short. What makes "Antidote" work is the unexpected irony of such a sweet girl singing about revenge and murder. The music gets darker to match and my attention wanes. Know your strengths!
Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - The war
Royal Downfall
These means have no end
Luftslott
"These means have no end" sounds like one of those records from the late 1990s that was given such significance when Fugazi and Refused were suddenly revisited and proclaimed the "new black" as the whole hardcore/indie/emo scene exploded in the early 00s. And, while complementary in many ways, this dated element works both ways - instilling a sense of nostalgia, but also a sense of missed progression. All the components are here: the meandering assault of At the Drive-In paired alongside the more spacey approach of Sparta, the Fugazi bass lines wrapped with Promise Ring-esque guitar lines, and, just like many of those records, "These means have no end" grows on your more and more with each listen, but the overall punch is lacking force. That being said, Royal Downfall have made a record that deserves to be placed alongside many of the bands' works that I've noted here, faults and all. "A backlash is here" is anthemic, title track "These means have no end" has an ending that puts many electro-indie tracks to shame, and "March of the musicians" seems to take stock of the contemporary Swedish indie scene, incorporating some its more easily noticed elements (glockenspiels and all) into the band's regimen. My money's on the next album, but "These means have no end" has a welcome place in my record collection for the foreseeable future.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
The Lost Patrol Band, the all-star Norrland powerpop outfit fronted by Dennis Lyxzén (Int'l Noise Conspiracy, ex-Refused) is working on new material including both an English-language and a Swedish language album. The band is also contemplating a name change seeing as how NYC act Lost Patrol owns the US rights for the name, thus stifling all efforts to make inroads in America. More details when I get it.
Norwegian noiserockers Ungdomskulen on tour in the US:
01/15 - The Werehouse, Winston Salem, NC
01/16 - Nightlight, Chapel Hill, NC
01/17 - The Spazzatorium Galleria!, Greenville, NC
01/18 - The Red & Black, Washington DC
01/20 - Cake Shop, New York, NY
01/22 - O'Briens Pub, Allston, MA
01/23 - AS220, Providence, RI
01/24 - TBA, Ithaca, NY
01/25 - Lee's Palace, Toronto ONT
01/26 - The Pike Room, Pontiac, MI
01/27 - Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, OH
01/28 - Jammin Java, Vienna, VA
01/29 - The M Room, Philadelphia, PA
01/31 - The EARL, Atlanta, GA
02/01 - Tasty World, Athens, GA
02/06 - Club NME @ Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
Swedish emo-rockers Kid Down will be releasing a new digital EP for their new single "Red lights" featuring three acoustic versions of album tracks plus one exclusive new tune entitled "Good shituations". Read more: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=10958428&blogID=345281753
Swedish experimental/drone act Tape will see their first two albums "Opera" and "Milieu" reissued in the near future with new bonus material. Also look for the group's fourth album this spring.
Burning Heart chief Peter Ahlqvist is reportedly leaving to start a new label: http://sirling.blogg.se/1199653886_babs_goes_20.html
As to the future of BHR under the "leadership" of Epitaph? I am not optimistic and have been under the impression the label has been dying a slow death these past few years. Get off while you can, eh?
Swedish label Oscillatone (Majessic Dreams, Kompjotr Eplektrika) has a nice new website: http://www.oscillatone.com/
MNW has finally posted details for the newest editions in their ever-expanding Klassiker series: http://www.mnwmusic.com/
I'm not familiar with Dan Hylander, but will be getting a few copies of the others (Freddie Wadling, "Proggen", "Punkklassiker vol. 2" in for review/resale soon.