When getting to know Billie the Vision and the Dancers music for the first time it's easy to dismiss it as happy-go-lucky pop, similar to Håkan Hellström and the euphoria it brings. But underneath that facade lies a gloomy feeling that never leaves and that is what I really enjoy about this band. The seven piece band mixes head-turning singalong tunes with lyrics about insufficiency, family-issues, friends, unanswered love and, most of all, Pablo gets to you. According to the band, Pablo could be anyone out there, personifying those feelings we carry within each day. Billie the Vision and the Dancers let those feelings out with smart songwriting and some shoegaze influences. And in a really great way too! This is their second album (cunningly established on the song "One more full length record") and though I find the first one, "I was so unpopular in school and now they're giving me this beautiful bicycle", a bit more coherent and in your face, this one proves that Billie the Vision is here to stay.
- Jonas Appelqvist
Despite the fact that plenty of attempts at combining singer/songwriter folk and electronica have been done in the past few years, very few have been successful. Black Audio, despite having a more electric side to their music, fit in with many of those unsuccessful bands. There is a lot of influences in there but the dominant is Dylan, in his various forms, and combined with the uninteresting electronics they produce, it makes for a very painful listen. The idea is good, the execution just sucks.
- Simon Thibaudeau
If I had a dime for every time a new Swedish super-group forms, well, I'd had a lot of dimes, but this just goes to show the cooperative nature of Swedish musicians that wants to make them work together. Markus Krunegård has proven himself to be quite a songsmith with Laakso, and he continues the trend here, but with an vastly different sound. Hets are a different breed, drawing elements from the Ramones, Black Flag and Gorilla Biscuits. The music and raw and very uptempo and the vocal lines squeal in their hugging-the-mic delivery. The ballads on the album soften the feel, but the fast tracks such as"Napalm på Östermalm", "Trist javisst" and "Ulf" is where the band shines. A solid debut record where each member brings their best.
- Matt Giordano
Like the rest of you IAT! readers I first heard about this band last fall when a few shows of theirs were posted on the page (most notably the date with David & the Citizens really caught my attention) and I wanted to find out more about this band, but the web was empty with information. Fast forward to the very early part of 2006 when not only is it announced they have an EP coming out on Dolores, but a website with streamable audio! This got me excited. I anticipated this record in the mail and it does not disappoint. The only downside is that there are only four songs on here, but it makes you want a full-length immediately. These songs are some of the catchiest tracks you'll hear all year, and once spring hits, they'll sound even better in the sun. This debut is one of the most confident assurances of indierock I've heard in a long time, yet it still has elements or lilt and fun.
- Matt Giordano
Both Kevin and Avi are all over this album, and to be completely honest: they are right to be. Lampshade create some beautiful music with intelligent arrangement and memorable melodies. Singer RebekkaMaria Andersson does, as Kevin mentioned, have a similar tone to Björk, but she is much more natural and fluid, albeit less powerful, than the Icelandic goddess. This is lovely pop and clever songwriting all combined with a taste for melancholy that is very pleasing. But, for some reason, I just can't get into it. It all seems a bit stiff and deliberate. I just can't seem to put the finger on why I feel like that because I should like this. In the words of the legendary George Costanza: "It's not you, it's me."
- Simon Thibaudeau
I was not all that impressed with McFaul's previous EP and I said so. Everytime he stretched his range outside the singer/songwriter format, he failed to keep me interested. Well, it appears that nothing has changed. Differently than on the EP, it is not the electronic arrangements that bother me, simply his choices in terms of vocal and musical arrangements. Prime example of this is the opening track where he clearly pushes his voice way past any enjoyable mark and the music is just plain boring. When he does stay conservative and relies on the nice fingerstyle guitar without pushing his voice, he truly shines,. I just wish he would recognize his strengths and play accordingly.
- Simon Thibaudeau
I am not familiar at all with Motorpsycho's career but from what I understand they like to explore a lot of genres. Well "Black hole / Black canvas" certainly qualifies as a very diverse record, as diverse as I have heard. Once upon a time, it was an admired quality for band to be diverse. I mean, the Rolling Stones went from country to blues to rockabilly on a single record and nobody ever complained. Nowadays, bands that do that are accused of being "unfocused" or some other crap. Well Motorpsycho are Krautrock, stoner-rock, even a bit post-punk and I love every minute of it. What is even better is the fact that it all makes sense because they have a great sense of melody and they use it with consistency throughout their explorations. Great record.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Last year Acid House Kings did a nice little promotion when they launched their album "Sing along with..." by putting a karaoke spin on it. Now they've released an EP where five different artists interpret songs from the album. They got Magnus Carlsson (Weeping Willows) doing "Will you love me in the morning?" which isn't that different from the original. Les Trés Bien Ensemble render "My heart is a stone" in French and Lasse Lindh does a cool Swedish version of "That's because you drive me". Montt Mardié and Don Lennon with their own characteristic vocals both manage to make "Do what you wanna do" and "Tonight is forever" into their 'own' songs. Acid House Kings have managed to get a bunch of excellent artists to cover their songs, so if you like "Sing along..." and, like me, love cover versions, I think you have to buy this EP. Hopefully there'll be a volume two!
- Simon Tagestam
Warning: Do not download today's new song. It will haunt you. You will wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night with the lyrics of the chorus screaming in your brain. It's already too late for me, but you - you still have time. Beware!
I am leaving on vacation in a few hours and will be heading back to the SF Bay Area. No, I'm not going to SXSW like every damn other person in the music biz. This is a vacation after all. Updates might still happen, but I make no promises. And yes, I will still be checking my email religiously.
The Grand Opening is streaming their contribution to the "It's a trap! reader's companion volume two" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thegrandopening
A perfect closing tune, I must say.
Marilyn Records is offering up a stream of the entire brand new album "Sirkus" from Gustav and the Seasick Sailors: http://www.marilynrecords.se/marilyn/content/marilyncatalogue.htm
Buy it here: [click here]
New European tourdates for José González:
04/20 - Dome Concert Hall, Brighton (UK)
04/21 - Colston Hall, Bristol (UK)
04/22 - Apollo, Manchester (UK)
04/23 - Corn Exchange, Cambridge (UK)
04/24 - Hammersmith Apollo, London (UK)
04/25 - City Hall, Hull (UK)
04/26 - Alexander Theatre, Birmingham (UK)
04/27 - Moshulu, Aberdeen (UK)
04/28 - Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow (UK)
04/29 - City Hall, Newcastle (UK)
04/30 - City Hall, Sheffield (UK)
05/01 - Apollo, Oxford (UK)
05/03 - Les Nuits Botanique, Brussels (BEL)
05/04 - Point Ephemere, Paris (FRA)
05/05 - La Salumeria della musica, Milano (ITA)
05/06 - Haldern on tour @ Leo-Amann-Park, Cologne (GER)
05/07 - Rote Fabrik, Zürich (CH)
05/08 - Olympia Theatre, Dublin (IRL)
05/09 - Spring & Airbrake, Belfast (IRL)
05/10 - Radisson Hotel, Galway (IRL)
05/11 - B72, Vienna (AUS)
05/12 - Haldern on tour @ Ostbanhhof, Berlin (GER)
05/13 - Haldern on tour @ UT Connewitz, Leipzig (GER)
05/14 - Haldern on tour @ Deictorhallen, Hamburg (GER)
Lupatarkastaja is reporting that doom act From Now On has signed with US label Empyreal Records and will have their "Outlined shapes" demo remastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult Of Luna) at Tonteknik and rereleased as a vinyl EP. Pretty cool. Empyreal is apparently also working with Swedish act Lolita Stasi on their next release. Read a translated, unedited version of an interview that Lupatarkastaja did with FNO, originally published at Noise.fi: http://lupatarkastaja.samizdat.info/2006/03/15/from-now-on-deal-interview/#more-1631
Black Audio