Danish rockers The Royal Highness are calling it quits and will be posted a swan song acoustic album for free download: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=21243973&blogID=345004781
Swedish duo Piroth on tour in Germany:
02/01 - Kino Central, Magdeburg (GER)
02/02 - Dresden (GER)
02/03 - Cafe Panam, Leipzig (GER)
02/04 - Tschau- Tschüssi, Leipzig (GER)
02/06 - Ä, Berlin (GER)
02/07 - Schokoladen, Berlin (GER)
European tourdates for Swedish post-rockers Immanu El:
02/05 - Johnny Rocker, Poznan (POL)
02/06 - Insomnia Club / Bezsennosc, Wroclaw (POL)
02/07 - Jadlodajnia Filozoficza, Warszawa (POL)
02/08 - tba, Haidt bei Hof (GER)
02/09 - Cafe Panam, Leipzig (GER)
02/10 - NBI, Berlin (GER)
02/11 - help needed! (GER)
02/12 - tba, Hamburg (GER)
02/13 - Feuerwache, Mannheim (GER)
02/14 - D:qliq, Luxembourg (LUX)
02/15 - tba, Karlsruhe (GER)
02/16 - Rockhouse, Salzburg (GER)
02/17 - help needed! (GER)
02/18 - Steinburch, Duisburg (GER)
02/19 - tba, Lieden (GER)
02/20 - Lades Keller, Copenhagen (DK)
Antenna talks to Gehenna bassist Dolgar about the band's current lineup, label situation, new album and more: http://www.antenna.nu/newsstories/41.php
Swedish indie act Asaka has posted six new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/asakamusic
Paper has posted a new ambient version of "My life is going under" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/paperstockholm
The band's new album "An object" is one of my most anticipated new releases this year.
IAT.MP3 artist Winter Took His Life has made a couple tracks on myspace available for free download: http://www.myspace.com/wintertookhislife
Renown Norwegian avant-metal act Fleurety has completed two new tracks, their first newly recorded material since 1998. The two songs are called "The animal of the city" and "Summon the beasts" and are set to be released on 7" vinyl via a yet-to-be-determined label. Read more: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=102125736&blogID=344401890
Pitchfork reviews Club 8's latest album "The boy who couldn't stop dreaming": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/47687-the-boy-who-couldnt-stop-dreaming
MP3: Don Juan Dracula - Take me home
It's been awhile since we've heard anything new from Norway's Don Juan Dracula. I was super excited that they agreed to contribute a track to my "Reader's companion volume two" and subsequently a bit disappointed that they went on hiatus immediately after, but it's all good in the end because they're back together now, working on fresh material (three tracks 100% complete, more on the way plus a single sometime around February/March). As for today's mp3, this is a nice little treat that showed up in my inbox this past weekend. It's not as exciting as a brand new single, but why look a gift horse in the mouth? A Johan Agebjørn/Sally Shapiro remix is still plenty nice, especially considering the way they've revamped the track. Sally's breathy vocals and softer synth tones give the song an even better end-of-the-night vibe. Removing the guitars was a good idea too, not that they were very loud in the original, mind you. DJD has always skated on the edge of 80s synthrock cheesiness (the right side IMO), but once you get rid of the guitars, that feeling is gone. Well done.
Look for an international release of Don Juan Dracula's full-length "Young debutantes II" this coming spring with a proper new album expected closer to summer.
Don Juan Dracula - Take me home (Johan Agebjørn remix feat. Sally Shapiro)
Bahnhof
Reverse
Strange Ears
The press release tries to talk things up for this Danish band. The big drum is beaten on when Bahnhof is compared to internationally acknowledged Danish bands like The Raveonettes, Mew and Figurines and the comparison is correct when it comes to their nationalities. It's not correct musically. The band dresses well in the so typically Danish rock costume of today, where the influences are the 80's, Interpol and OMD. And that kind of gives me a feeling of saturation. Fed up with the lack of originality and fed up with the lack of songs. Ah yes, the songs. Sure, there are highlights in "The eyes of Ruby" and the single "Call the police" where the music is highly dominated by synthesizers which give the band a push forward and a reminiscence of Duran Duran! If they had the guts to head that direction, a lot more would have been won. Connecting with the beginning, a comparison with fellow countrymen in Kashmir is a tad more in its place. It's as equally transparent and boring. And anonymous.
- Jonas Appelqvist
The playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Jan Johansson - Visa från Utanmyra
02. TALK 1
03. Annika Norlin/Säkert! - Generalens visa
04. Don't Be a Stranger - Mon-chi-chi
05. Audionom - In the streets
06. TALK 2
07. Elias and the Wizzkids - Fourth of July
08. C.Aarmé - Golden retriever
09. Kasper Bjørke - Humming song
10. The Carny - Bestseller
11. TALK 3
12. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
13. Flyphonic - The truth is
14. Universal Poplab - Heart apart (Timo Räisänen acoustic remix)
15. TALK 4
16. E.S.T. - Tuesday wonderland (live)
17. Rigas - Dead like you
18. TALK 5
19. Bröderna Lindgren - En hund som jag
20. Springfactory - Swedish folk highschool
21. Loud Pipes - Don't you ever
22. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
23. TALK 6
24. The State of Floral Beings - Man you owe me
25. Caitlyn - Oh no!
26. The Bombhappies - And at Belle Bed Inn, I told you
27. TALK 7
28. Brick - Call Batman
29. Smalltown - What's going on?
30. Desert Planet - Return of the ninja droids
31. TALK 8
32. Hedningarna - Neidon laulu
33. Dreamboy - What have I done
34. Captain Murphy - Sailor behaviour
35. TALK 9
36. Lemonator - Heart burns
37. The Kissaway Trail - Smother + evil = hurt
38. Johndoe - Rastløs rock'n'roll
39. Lukestar - Shade you hide
40. TALK 10
41. The Fine Arts Showcase - Teenage poetry
The Tarantula Waltz
s/t
National
A garment woven from fraying, lonely threads, "The tarantula waltz" is an exploration to be placed alongside Vetiver's "To find me gone" or a strange collaboration of Songs:Ohia and Nick Drake. Instead of exploring the emptiness at the heart of many of their songs, The Tarantula Waltz survey emptiness slowly filled by guitars and voices, by strings and melodies. Far from a cheery record, it isn't terribly depressing either, merely contemplative and pregnant with pauses and silences - very much a canvas that can be painted by the world of the listener. I can imagine "The tarantula waltz" being a dark indulgence during this cold, dark, nearly claustrophobic winter season, and a warm, thoughtful recess during summer's lengthy, sun soaked days. All in all, there's as much honesty as there is twang in this record, like Johnny Cash held to the building pace of Sigur Rós. Definitely worth looking into.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
MP3: Björn Kleinhenz - Better company
Saturdays in 2007 were dedicated to the music of The Bear Quartet and now, in 2008, we're opening things up beyond a single band to explore the music of Göteborg, Sweden. Past, present and future, we'll do our best to examine it all and make some sense of it over these next 52 weeks. First up, we start nice and easy with my good friend Björn Kleinhenz:
How long have you lived in GBG?
6 years
Where did you move from and why?
Sölvesborg. It's way down south. You'd understand the move had you been there. It's just a small small town.
Favorite part about the city?
Having being able to make it mine. My friends and the few little spots I like to think of as my own. Small things you do that have a meaning to you.
Least favorite?
I guess any city gets a bit too small for you no matter what the size. Sometimes you just wanna flee 'cos it seems as if everyone knows everyone and it's quite stressful at times. It's like a Dallas episode.
Do you think that there's a particular GBG sound?
No I don't.
Lastly, how has the city inspired you?
I've written the songs for my new album here. I don't think they could have been written anywhere else. For good and bad.
Unfortunately, Björn's new record is not quite ready for primetime just yet, so here's a track from 2004's "Trans pony". Enjoy!
Björn Kleinhenz - Better company
DHG/Dødheimsgard has parted ways with vocalist Kvohst. Read his statement: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=52188240&blogID=344381093