Bear Quartet on tour in Europe!
03/30 - Kreuz, Fulda
03/31 - Atomic Cafe, Munchen
04/02 - Underground, Köln
04/04 - tba, Zurich
04/06 - tba, Bern
04/07 - Live club, Bamberg
04/08 - Magnet, Berlin
04/09 - Prinzenbar, Hamburg
04/13 - Moritzbastei, Leipzig
Aversionline goes over three new records from Finnish label Firebox Recordings, including new stuff from Swallow the Sun and Fall of the Leafe: http://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2006/02/three-quick-shots-from-firebox.html
Sir Eric Beyond has a new website: http://sirericbeyond.com/
The new album is amazing, btw. Look for the a full review and mp3 post next week (most likely).
Pitchfork reviews Swedish ambient/drone artists Tape: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/t/tape/rideau.shtml
This week's It's a trap! Last.fm/Audioscrobbler listening group most-played artist chart:
01. The Knife
02. Death Cab for Cutie
03. Belle and Sebastian
04. The Flaming Lips
05. Radiohead
06. Sufjan Stevens
07. Bloc Party
08. Jens Lekman
09. The Arcade Fire
10. Johnny Cash
And the top 10 tracks for the week? Still all about The Knife:
01. The Knife - Silent shout
02. The Knife - Still light
03. The Knife - Na na na
04. The Knife - We share our mother's health
05. The Knife - Marble house
06. The Knife - Neverland
07. The Knife - One hit
08. The Knife - Like a pen
09. The Knife - Forest families
10. The Knife - From off to on
Want to see your favorites listed here? Please join us! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/
Labrador is promoting Don Lennon's contribution to the "Everyone sings along with Acid House Kings" EP as a free mp3 single: http://www.labrador.se/newsletter/
The Fat Planet mp3 blog on The Knife: http://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/2006/02/27/the-knife-sweden/
Upcoming tourdates for Norwegian rockers WE:
02/28 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
03/01 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
03/02 - Kl. Backstage, Munchen (GER)
03/04 - Mudd Club, Berlin (GER)
03/06 - NRK 1, Store Studio, Oslo (NOR) No Limits Tour w/Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
03/09 - Samfunnet, Bodø (NOR) No Limits Tour w/RMatJHB
03/10 - Studentersamfundet, Trondheim (NOR) No Limits Tour w/RMatJHB
03/11 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR) No Limits Tour w/RMatJHB
03/12 - Aulaen, UKEN 06 Bergen (NOR) No Limits Tour w/RMatJHB
03/18 - Emos (SXSW), Austin, TX w/Turbonegro, Hellacopters, more
03/19 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA w/Serena Maneesh
03/20 - Echo Lounge, Los Angeles, CA w/Serena Maneesh
03/28 - Columbiahalle, Berlin (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
03/30 - Club X, Herford (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
03/31 - Schlachthof, Wiesbaden (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/01 - Werk 2, Leipzig (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/03 - Soundgarden, Dortmund (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/04 - Live Music Hall, Cologne (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/05 - Longhorn, Stuttgart (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/07 - Tonhalle, Munich (GER) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/08 - Linz Posthof (AUS) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/09 - Vienna Arena (AUS) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/11 - Xtra, Zurich (CH) w/Monster Magnet, Witchcraft
04/15 - AOL Arena, Sea Devils NFL Game, Hamburg (GER)
05/16 - Debaser, Stockholm (SWE)
06/03 - Rock Am Ring Festival (GER)
04/04 - Rock Im Park Festival (GER)
04/03 - Wacken Open Air, Dörpstedt (GER)
Updated SXSW appearance details for Nicolai Dunger plus a new US tour supporting Rhett Miller:
03/17 - tba, Cornerstone/Fader Magazine showcase 3:45 PM, Austin, TX (SXSW)
03/17 - 18th Floor at Crowne Plaza, No Depression showcase 9 PM, Austin, TX (SXSW)
03/18 - tba, Livenation showcase, Austin, TX (SXSW)
03/20 - Gothic, Denver, CO
03/21 - Suede, Park City, UT
03/23 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
03/25 - Doug Fir , Portland, OR
03/27 - Independent, San Francisco, CA
03/28 - Galaxy, Anaheim, CA
03/29 - Fonda, Los Angeles, CA
04/01 - Sons of Hermann, Dallas, TX
04/02 - Sons of Hermann, Dallas, TX
04/05 - Variety, Atlanta, GA
04/06 - Black Cat, Washington, DC
04/07 - ToLA, Philadelphia, PA
04/11 - tba, New Haven, CT
04/12 - Paradise, Boston, MA
04/13 - Webster Hall, New York, NY
04/14 - tba, Pittsburgh, PA
04/15 - Headliners, Louisville, KY
04/18 - Gargoyle, St Louis, MO
04/19 - Music Mill, Indianapolis, IN
04/20 - Park West, Chicago, IL
04/21 - First Ave, Minneapolis, MN
04/22 - Barrymore, Madison, WI
Deep Water Acres interviews the excellent Det Gamla Landet: http://www.dwacres.com/?q=node/85
San Antonio-based radio program Music For Listeners on KRTU 91.7 FM will be doing a special Swedish music special on March 4 at midnight including three exclusive tracks from Jens Lekman. Details: http://blog.myspace.com/musicforlisteners
Danish rockers The Royal Highness have posted a brand new track on their myspace blog for free download: http://blog.myspace.com/theroyalhighness
New Nordic music reviews in the latest High Bias update:
Backyard Babies - Live live in Paris
José González - Stay in the shade
Magnet - The tourniquet
Truckfighters - Gravity X
Atomic Swing are back and working with producer/engineer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Fireside, etc.) on a new album to be released on National later this year.
Okay, I'm back after spending some 20+ hours in a car with my four dogs this past weekend. That's probably the last time I'll be doing that for a loooong time, god willing. New mp3 today from Montys Loco off their new album "Man overboard", out now on NONS. I posted the first single "Wasteland" awhile ago and was pretty darn stoked on it, but the full record is even better than I expected. I love the stripped-down arrangements and Björn Yttling's superb production. Take today's track "Give me more" for instance - the rhythm section is barely more than a floor tom, some percussion and a dirty fuzz bass. It shouldn't sound so complete, but it does. That's the just the tip of the iceberg, too: The whole record is full of unexpected moments of brilliance, one right after another. A definite gem of a disc - proof positive that less is often more.
Montys Loco - Give me more