The next Ja Ja Ja Scandinavian music showcase has been set for January 26 at The Lexington in London and will feature a very strong lineup including Giana Factory, Philco Fiction and Mirel Wagner. Full details: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2011/12/new-show-ja-ja-ja-w-giana-factory-philco-fiction-mirel-wagner/
reports that they will be doing a number of reissues/represses in 2012 starting with Wasted's long OOP album "Down & out", originally released in cooperation with the now-defunct German label some 10 years ago. No official release date yet, but the band will be heading out on the road for some domestic shows this season and a European tour in May.
Livstid is the rare example of a band that is actually too raging, so much so that I can't make it through the album in one sitting. It's not just wall-to-wall noise either -- there's still plenty of melody and such -- but they are absolutely relentless in their arena-crust/d-beat attack. When a track comes up on shuffle at the gym, I'm stoked (in fact, I just did a set of 30 pushups while pondering this write-up), but there's no way I'm gonna fit this into my regular listening repertoire. So consider this a hesitant recommendation -- you'll know pretty quickly whether or not you need Livstid in your life from one short sample track.
Livstid - Gravøl
Jukka "Zuge" Laajakallio, guitarist for Finnish hardcore act Abduktio, passed away last week at the age of 29. Read the band's statement (in Finnish): http://www.abduktio.com/
The band has decided that they will not continue on without him.
The final cut from Astrid Swan's all-Pavement covers album "Hits (Pavement for girls)".
The Prince Formerly Known as an Artist (nee Andreas Magnusson of Pinto/Hanif) has a 2nd track up for free download: http://formerlyknownasanartist.blogspot.com/2011/12/kazakhstan.html
This week's Sunday Advent Mixtape comes courtesy of Simian Ghost: http://soundcloud.com/adrianrec/simian-ghost
A new tune from the forthcoming Coldworker album "The doomsayer's call", due out February 13 via .
Sea LionThis album comes like a pleasant surprise amid winter, and I'm astonished more haven't caught on. Two drop-dead gorgeous Swedish girls (one, pictured on the album) with the kind of child-like singing style that's popular amongst freak-folk hippies these days. Sweet harmonies and a faraway, easy-to-fall-for, down-tempo introversion -- what's not to love? [see: here] Has more of the popular appeal of Joan Baez than left-field Karen Dalton, though the most immediate comparison, at least vocally, is to CocoRosie, minus their quirky instrumentation. I'm quite attached to the stripped-down, acoustical nature of this album; the cowering suggestive, sparse tones. Moments, like "Queen of the Underground" remind me of walking through Loren Connors' Hell's Kitchen Park. The more I listen to it actually, the more I'm drawn to the guitar-sound. Despite deceivingly plain riffs, the production really glistens. First and last songs "Rebel gold" and "Visions of you" ring similar, but are haunting nonetheless. "Golden sea" is one of my favourites, whereas "Hurricane blues", which crosses into generic blues riffing, is probably my least. Anyway, I'd keep an eye on these girls. This album is a great cure for cold bones, endearing, easy on the soul --they're definitely talent in the making.
- Ann Sung-an Lee
The nominees for the 2012 Swedish Grammis have been announced:
Best Album:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Artist:
Deportees
Lykke Li
Melissa Horn
Swedish House Mafia
Veronica Maggio
Best Electronic/Dance:
Adrian Lux - Boy / Alive
Avicii - Levels/Fade Into Darkness
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World/Antidote
Best Hip-Hop/Soul:
Adam Tensta - Scared Of The Dark
Alexis Weak - Till Minne Av
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle
Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal:
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Hammerfall - Infected
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Opeth - Heritage
The Haunted - Unseen
Best Jazz:
Freddie Wadling - With A License To Kill
Georg Riedel, Sarah Riedel & Nicolai Dunger - Cornelis Vs Riedel
Magnus Öström - Thread Of Life
Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You
Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter:
Anna Järvinen - Anna Själv Tredje
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Lykke Li, Björn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song:
Avicii - Levels
Den Svenska Björnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder
Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?)
Eric Saade - Popular
Petter & September - Baksmälla
September - Mikrofonkåt
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World
Timbuktu - Resten Av Ditt Liv
Tove Styrke - White Light Moment
Veronica Maggio - Jag Kommer
Best Music Video:
Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Magnus Renfors - Peter Jöback, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, Kärleken Och Döden - La Vie, L'amour, La Mort"
Max Vitali - Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend"
Slobodan Zivic - Kriget "Submission"
Ted Malmros/Gustaf Von Arbin - Peter Bjorn And John "Gimme Some"
Best Newcomer:
Adrian Lux
Aleks
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Newkid
Rebecca & Fiona
Best Pop:
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Producer:
Christian Walz
Johan Eckeborn
Masse Salazar
Shellback
Tobias Fröberg
Best Rock:
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Eldkvarn - De Berömdas Aveny
Kebnekajse - Idioten
Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - När Mullret Dövar Våra Öron Blir Vi Rädda
Best International Success:
Avicii
Little Dragon
Lykke Li
Opeth
Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Mauro Scocco - Musik För Nyskilda
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator:
Avicii
Deportees
Erato
Looptroop Rockers
Veronica Maggio
More here: http://www.grammis.se/
Tour footage of The Psyke Project compiled into a video for the tune "Only I remain" off the recent "Ebola" split.
