The latest Music Export Finland newsletter is now online: http://musex.fi/mxf/news?articleId=93
Check out the new video for the song "Chosen one" from The Concretes: http://www.independ.net/pop.php?url=CONCRETE.mov
PopMatters reviews the new In Flames: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/in_flames_come_clarity/
Playlouder chats a bit with Serena Maneesh: http://www.playlouder.com/feature/~playlouder-prese-2/ (scroll down about halfway)
Vijaya has posted the video for the song "Reflections" on her website: http://www.vijaya.se/ (under "Se")
The clip was directed by Ola Fredholm.
Metropolis has licensed Delaware's new album "Lost in the beauty of innocence" for release in the US. Details tbc.
This week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:
01. (ÅT) Martha Wainright - "Bloody Mother F***ing A**hole"
02. (03) Timo Räisänen - "Fear No Darkness Promised Child"
03. (04) Arctic Monkey - "When the Sun Goes Down"
04. (01) Dub Sweden - "We're so Loud"
05. (NY) We Are Scientists - "The Great Escape"
06. (NY) Youngblood Brass Band - "Nuclear Summer"
07. (NY) Mylo - "Muscle Car (Sander Kleinenberg remix)"
08. (02) Alf - "Manchester Man"
09. (20) Sandy Mouche - "Spiderweb suit"
10. (07) Architectures in Helsinki - "lt'5"
11. (NY) Cat Power - "The Greatest"
12. (NY) Tim Neu - "If U Let Me Go"
13. (10) Stars - "Your Ex-lover is Dead"
14. (ÅT) SwingFly - "Something Got Me Started"
15. (NY) The Bravery - "Fearless"
16. (NY) Firefox AK - "Madame, Madame!"
17. (ÅT) Irene - "Baby I Love Your Way"
18. (NY) Loney Dear - "The City, the Airport"
19. (NY) Hello Saferide - "Long Lost Pen Pal"
20. (NY) Sway - "Little Derek"
Leaving the chart: Christian Kjellvander w/Nina Persson, Whyte Seeds, Belle & Sebastian, Damian Marley w/NAS, The Go Team!, Dilated Peoples, Matiyashu, Novastar, Håkan Hellström, The Sounds, Death Cab For Cutie, Mattafix and Monastir.
Speaking of Blake (see today's reviews), the band has just signed with 456 Enterprises for the Americas. Release dates and tour info coming soon.
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. In Flames - Come clarity
02. Laleh - Laleh
03. Lisa Ekdahl - Pärlor av glas
04. Björn Skifs - Decennier sånger från en annan tid
05. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
06. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
07. Mia Marianna & Per Filip - Våra mest älskade sånger
08. Agnes - Agnes
09. Bodies Without Organs - Prototype
10. Sven-Ingvars - Livet är nu - 50 år det bästa med sven-ingvars
11. Monica Zetterlund - Z - det bästa med monica zetterlund
12. Torgny Melins - Dansbander
13. Björn Afzelius - Björn Afzelius bästa
14. Darin - Darin
15. Kent - Du & jag döden
16. Son of a Plumber - Son of a Plumber
17. Lena Philipsson - Jag ångrar ingenting
18. Håkan Hellström - Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
19. Jenny Wilson - Love and youth
20. Christian Kjellvander - Faya
Swedish noiserockers Gemene Man have posted a couple new tunes on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gemeneman
Pics from the Cold Meat Industry festival in Australia: http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/photos2/060204-cmi
Gustav and the Seasick Sailors have posted three new songs on their myspace page: http://myspace.com/GATSS
The new album "Sirkus" comes out March 9.
The Skull Defekts
Open the gates of Mimer
AA/Nosordo
The Skull Defekts seem to have one goal in mind: pound you into submission in one never ending blow. Honestly, this is amazingly efficient in doing so. In a sort of drone that is very minimalist but at the same time uses mostly analog instruments and very little electronics, they sound like a softer, more contemplative Sunn 0))) and a more active Pulse Emitter, but just as disturbing. Very interesting stuff, but not exactly the type of thing you want to be listening at work, believe me.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Pascal
Förbi fabriken
Novoton
I should really like this, you know – I should like it a lot –it's super charming, energetic, it has Swedish lyrics, attitude, and a dirty and raw sound that makes me blush and think of Jesus & the Mary Chain. I've tried and tried to like it, but I've come to the conclusion that Pascal are to me another band where style overshadows any real substance, "Förbi fabriken" lacks a key ingredient – good songs. I feel a bit sorry for Pascal, they've got their heart in the right place, but I can't help to think of them as way too puerile and – in places - plain embarrassing. They're the embodiment of the band that you go and see when you're a kid at the local youth club that put on a great show and who all the girls fall in love with, but then they never go anywhere and they'll loose the girls' attention, since their songs are all crap. Call me posh if you like, but I'm going to stick with Mattias Alkberg BD and pass on this one.
- Simon Tagestam
