This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Sebastian - Sebastian
02. Linda Bengtzing - Ingenting att förlora
03. Petter - P
04. Christer Sjögren - King creole
05. The Sounds - Dying to say this to you
06. Björn Skifs - Decennier sånger från en annan tid
07. Rigmore Gustafsson - On my way to you
08. The Knife - Silent shout
09. Ulf Lundell - När jag kysser havet - det bästa 75-84
10. Laleh - Laleh
11. Da Buzz - Last goodbye
12. In Flames - Come clarity
13. Ulf Lundell - Venus & jupiter - det bästa 94-05
14. Magnus Uggla - Ett bedårande barn av sin tid
15. Ulf Lundell - Danielas hus - det bästa 84-93
16. Son of a Plumber - Son of a Plumber
17. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
18. Bodies Without Organs - Prototype
19. The Concretes - In colour
20. Andreas Mattsson - The lawlessnes of the ruling classes
PopMatters gives high praise to the Envelopes: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/envelopes_demon/
Lupatarkastaja on Niko Skorpio's new album "Escape from heaven": http://lupatarkastaja.samizdat.info/2006/03/22/niko-skorpio-escape-from-heaven-album/
If you miss "Rabies"-era Skinny Puppy with a touch of Ministry and other industrial music from around the same time, you should definitely check this out. The more dark-ambient pieces he has up to sample are quite good, too.
Aversionline takes a look back at an old release from Dan Swanö's Nightingale: http://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2006/03/dan-swan-is-fucking-king.html
Longtime IAT favorites Desert Planet will be touring Germany in May and have posted a brand new mp3 to whet your appetite: http://personal.inet.fi/taide/junttila/desert/tourmay06/index.htm
Dates:
05/11 - Grüner Jäger, Hamburg w/Naomi Sample, The Go Go Ghosts
05/13 - Treibsand, Lübeck w/Räuberhöhle
05/14 - Asta-Wohnzimmer, Lüneburg w/Naomi Sample, The Go Go Ghosts
05/17 - Das Bett, Frankfurt/M
05/18 - K-19, Kassel
05/19 - Bastard Club, Berlin w/Slagsmålsklubben, Überraschungsact
05/20 - Popup Musikmesse, Leipzig
There's so much good music coming out right now, I don't even have time to listen to it all. Sad, right? I feel sorry for me too. One of the latest additions to my collection is the new album "Crooked life/Straight world" from Swedish hardcore act Trapdoor Fucking Exit. I know I've posted stuff from these guys before on numerous occasions (and even had an exclusive first-listen to the song "Ride your pig" from this new album), but I still don't feel like they're getting the attention they deserve. The sound of the new record is unmistakably TFE. Less bluesy than the last album "Be not content", but with way more intricate riffs and longer, more developed songs. I think it results in a way more satisfying listen, especially in terms of the album as a whole. Listen for yourself, you'll see. Now howabout a US tour?
Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Cardiac arrest
Contrary to what Simon Thibaudeau has to say about it, I actually dig the new Martin McFaul album "Pop mansion". It's got a great 60s psych/folk vibe which reminds me of The Soundtrack of Our Lives' second album "Extended revelation" - mellow, but with a touch of darkness. And besides, I'm a sucker for sweet, fingerpicked guitar. Lucky for you dear readers, you don't need to pick sides. Download today's mp3 and decide for yourself.
I am incredibly stoked to announce that I now have CDs and LPs from Denmark's Play/Rec in stock. If you're at all into the noisy, angular sounds of classic labels such as AmRep, Touch & Go or Dischord then you need to check these guys out. Seriously: one of the best, most consistent labels out there.
Updated tourdates for Dungen:
04/23 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
04/24 - Neumo's, Seattle, WA
04/25 - Doug Fir, Portland, OR
04/27 - Great American Music Hall, SF, CA
04/28 - Brewing Company, San Luis Obispo, CA
04/30 - Coachella Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA
05/01 - Casbah, San Diego, CA
05/06 - Loppen, Copenhagen (DK)
05/17 - Koko, London (UK) w/The Shins
05/18 - Koko, London (UK) w/The Shins
05/20 - All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands, East Sussex (UK)
05/21 - All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands, East Sussex (UK)
06/02 - Logan Sq., Chicago, IL
06/03 - Little Brothers, Columbus, OH
06/05 - Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
06/06 - Lees Palace 1H, Toronto, ONT
06/07 - La Salla Rossa, Montreal, QUE
06/08 - Middle East, Boston, MA
06/09 - Iron Horse, Northampton, MA
06/10 - Irving Plaza, New York, NY
06/11 - BAR Nightclub, New Haven, CT
06/12 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
06/14 - Black Cat, Washington, DC
06/15 - Satellite Ballroom, Charlottesville, VA
06/16 - Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
06/17 - Bonnaroo Arts & Music Festival, Manchester, TN
LullaByes posts live tracks from Magnet's SXSW performance: http://www.lullabyes.net/blog/2006/03/magnet-031606.html
Check out the video for Firefox AK's most recent single "Madame Madame!": http://spinn.svt.se/default.ns?lngItemID=1209&clearcache=1
I've been honored with a guest appearance on Hemstad's "H Deux Trois" list: http://suchgreatheights.se/hemstad/website/13.htm
Buy Hemstad CDs here: [click here]
Final confirmed dates for Amandine's upcoming US tour with Fruit Bats and Sam Jayne:
04/06 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
04/07 - Lola's (inside Crystal Ballroom), Portland, OR
04/08 - The Depot, Arcata, CA
04/10 - The Independent, San Francisco, CA
04/11 - The Attic, Santa Cruz, CA
04/12 - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
04/13 - The Casbah, San Diego, CA
04/14 - Solar Culture Gallery, Tucson, AZ
04/15 - Modified, Phoenix, AZ
04/18 - Emo's (Indoors), Austin, TX
04/19 - Walter's on Washington, Houston, TX
04/20 - Dan´s Silver Leaf, Denton, TX
04/21 - The Opolis, Norman, OK
04/22 - MOJO, Columbia, MO
04/23 - Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
04/24 - Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
04/25 - Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
04/26 - The Black Cat, Washington DC
04/27 - North Star, Philadelphia, PA
04/28 - Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
04/29 - Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
04/30 - TT The Bear's, Cambridge, MA
05/02 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
05/03 - Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH
05/04 - Kraftbrau, Kalamazoo, MI
05/05 - South Gate House, Newport, KY
05/06 - Open End Gallery, Chicago, IL
05/07 - Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL
MTVe is streaming Hets' self-titled debut album: http://www.mtve.com/article.php?ArticleId=6238