The Je Ne Sais Quoi will return to Germany for a trio of shows on July 20-22. Details are still TBC, but the band promises to play lots of new material from their forthcoming full-length album.
Norwegian act Malice in Wonderland has recorded a cover of "Love cries" by the old Norse band Stage Dolls for release on a tribute album later this year. Silje Wergeland from doom act Octavia Sperati guest on the song as well.
Slottet is the name of a new label founded by the unlikely partnership of Maria Eriksson (The Concretes), journalist/promoter Conny C. Lindström and sax player/notorious band whore Mats Gustafsson (The Thing, Sonic Youth, etc.). The first releases from the new imprint include 13-year-old girl-punk duo Dräp En Hund and Strountes, a folk/noise act featuring Mats and Maria plus Anla Courtis from the Argentinian act Reynols, both of which come out June 12. Future release include records from Christian Marclay/Mats Gustafsson duo and Boots Brown, a combo featuring Mats again along with Johan Berthling, Magnus Broo and David Stackenäs. Both of those come out September 1 and you can listen to the latter at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bootsbrown
Visit Slottet's useless and horrible flash-only website here: http://www.slottet.eu/
MTVe is streaming the new album from Swedish hard-rockers The Doits: http://www.mtve.com/article.php?ArticleId=6344
Pitchfork reviews the new album from Vladislav Delay alter-ego Uusitalo: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/u/uusitalo/tulenkantaja.shtml
Danish act Sparkling has posted a brand new demo track on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sparklingworld
MP3: Fireside - Not in my palace
Having recently received a large box of Fireside classics for the distro (among other Startracks back-catalogue titles), I figure it's a good time to revisit the band. The band made a huge impression on me when I first heard "Elite" back in 2000 and I immediately went and devoured their entire discography. 1995's "Do not tailgate" was impressive enough that Rick Rubin signed the band to his American Recordings label and got them on the Lollapalooza tour. Unfortunately they never quite took off and were subsequently dropped, but that doesn't mean the album isn't worth listening to. Yeah, they were biting Quicksand's poppy post-hardcore sound pretty damn hard, but you know what? I think that Fireside did it better. They've also kept it up to this day, though sadly, to diminishing returns. This particular track I've posted today is the closer from "Do not tailgate" and is a perfect end-piece for the album. Utilizing recycled lyrics from earlier songs over droning waves of guitars, the song reflects back to the music that preceded it and forms it into something new and beautiful. It stands just fine on its own, even without hearing everything that's lead up to it.
Fireside - Not in my palace
Welcome to June! I've chosen Audrey's debut full-length as the album of the month and we've also got a brand new contest for you! Interested in attending this year's Peace & Love Festival in Borlänge, Sweden? I can't help with getting you there, but I can certainly help get you through the gate - click on the banner on the right for a chance to win a pair of tickets. I know that providing your phone number might seem weird and unnecessary, but rules are rules and the fest management is being strict about such things.
Danish melancholic rock act Port Largo has posted a nice new song on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/portlargo
Sudd is offering up a brand new EP from 50 Hertz for free download as part of their mp3 focus for June: http://www.sudd.org/focus.htm
Full dates for the upcoming Infidels West Coast tour:
06/15 - Tiki House, Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
06/16 - Zia Music Exchange, Las Vegas, NV
06/17 - Dive Bar, Las Vegas, NV
06/18 - BB Kings, Los Angeles, CA
06/19 - The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, CA
06/20 - Annie's, San Francisco, CA
06/21 - The Coliseum, Redding, CA
06/22 - Fritz's, Reno, NV
06/23 - The Gadfly, La Grande, OR
06/24 - The Comatorium, Medford, OR
06/25 - House show, Portland, OR
06/26 - Studio 7, Seattle, WA
06/28 - Jive N Java, Fallon, NV
06/29 - Epiphany Music, Santa Rosa, CA
Mesmer has posted their new single "Subutex Willer" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mesmer1
Denmark's Green Concorde has posted a new Twami remix of the track "This time" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/greenconcorde
HeavyMetal.no has some news regarding Norwegian thrashers Audiopain and their busy fall release schedule: http://www.heavymetal.no/show.article.asp?menuid=&artid=4464