Pascal now has three new tracks from their forthcoming album "Galgberget" up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/raukenroll
It comes out January 22 via Novoton.
Scandinavian artists on Pitchfork's top album list this year include Sally Shapiro (#32), The Tough Alliance (#25), Studio (#23), Jens Lekman (#11) and The Field (#9). Read more: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-staff-list-top-50-albums-of-2007
The Friend
Sports
Teosto
Boring, but competent indierock from Finland. Mines similar modern rock territory as New Decade (Interpol, et al.) except that The Friend keeps everything under strict control to the point of tedium. Every edge, every sharp word, sanded down to dull dull dullness. Practice makes perfect makes me lose interest. Big aspirations toward arenarock grandeur don't help either, as it only serves to highlight how long the road truly is. I suspect they do well within their own local Turku scene, but when it comes to the world stage, The Friend are small fish in a big, big pond.
- Avi Roig
Vapnet is cooking up something new: http://vapnet.blogspot.com/2007/12/hej-det-var-inte-igr.html (in Swedish)
Universal Poplab's next single "Fame & hate" is confirmed for February 8. Look for streaming previews soon.
It's not quite as cool as a proper Cortex reissue, but MNW is putting out a 2CD Freddie Wadling (Fläskkvartetten, Blue For Two, etc.) compilation on December 27 as part of their ever-expanding Klassiker series.
With the new album "Moonlight City" just around the corner (1/4 in GAS, 1/7 in Europe), Psychopunch has announced they have found a new drummer named Jocke and will be heading out on tour. Read more: http://www.psychopunch.com/
The new Aerial EP "The legion of dynamic dischord" is now streaming at Nomethod's website: http://www.nomethod.se/
Musikknyheter's favorite Norwegian albums of 2007:
01. Superfamily - Warszawa
02. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
03. The Grand - The Grand
04. The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy Kiss
05. The Moving Oos - Peace and Love
06. Monomen - Monomen LP
07. King Midas - Sorry
08. Skambankt - Eliksir
09. Shining - Grindstone
10. Truls and the Trees - Ailanthus
And their favorite Norwegian songs:
01. Superfamily - The Radio Has Expressed Concerns About What You Did Last Night
02. Moving Oos - Romancer
03. King Midas - West End Boys
04. Ida Maria - Oh My God
05. The Disciplines - Best Mistake
06. Monomen - Drum of glass
07. Raga Rockers - Aldri Mer
08. The Grand - Remedy
09. Lukas Kasha - Love Abuse
10. Susanne Sundfør - Walls
Norwegian rockers Jaqueline will begin recording their next album, tentatively titled "Black sails", this coming February at Hangaroundsounds in Oslo.
Norway's The Opium Cartel has posted yet another track on myspace, this time it's a cover of Brian Eno's "By this river": www.myspace.com/opiumcartel
The New York Times reviews a Rune Grammofon showcase in NYC featuring Opsvik & Jennings and Huntsville: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/arts/music/15opsv.html?ref=arts
Stream the new Paragon single "Känner min stil" from his forthcoming album "Glöd": http://www.hemmalaget.nu/paragon/