The new album from Finnish noiserockers Echo Is Your Love will be out on May 3, just in time for their US tour.
New videos from both Soviac and Jenny Wilson now up for streaming at the Musikbyrån site: http://svt.se/musikbyran
That live show from Robyn is now available for on-demand viewing as well.
Finnish organ-driven garage-pop duo Tigerbombs have posted the video for "Punch me up" on their website: http://www.tigerbombs.com/
Fireside will play a one-off date in Japan at the Independence-D Festival in Tokyo on March 4, co-headlining the second stage with Akaline Trio. Japanese label Howling Bull recently released Fireside's back-catalogue over there to an enormous response, hence the special show. In other news, Fireside is currently working on new material for a brand new record due out this fall.
The concept of the NONS "Jävla kritiker!" compilation is intriguing: gather up a number of renown critics and have them all write reviews for songs yet to be made. Then have the artists create the song to fit the review. Even though I knew the results would be mixed, I still was incredibly excited to hear it because the idea is just too good. The downside however, is that my Swedish language skills are just not good enough to understand all of the critical essays that are the foundation of the project. Oh well, at least I still have the music, right? Well, the results are uneven, just as I predicted. There are a few diamonds in the rough though - both Andreas Tilliander and Sophie Rimheden contribute nice dancey electronic numbers and Nicolai Dunger's instrumental track is quite good, as is Silverbullit's song. The highlight for me though, is Isolation Years. It's not all that surprising since they have long been one of my favorite bands, but what can I say? The truth is what it is. Read the review and go download the song.
Heads-up: Less than 25 tickets left for next week's Tack! Tack! Tack! show with Tiger Lou and Jeniferever. When they're gone, they're gone for good so get on it if you want in. The support slot for March will be confirmed shortly.
Totalt Jävla Mörker has signed with Regain Records and will be entering the famed Tonteknik Studios in Umeå to begin recording their next album on February 16.
The latest (International) Noise Conspiracy album "Armed love" will finally get an official Australian release on March 3.
Swedish melancholy roots act Tarantula will record their debut album in March at Roth-Händle with producer/engineer Mattias Olsson.
Richard Reagh has decided to call his next album "Is this the blues I'm singing?" after the line from an Echo and the Bunnymen song.
Updated US dates for Magnet:
02/22 - Paradise, Boston, MA w/Stars
02/23 - Beyond, Philadelphia, PA w/Stars
02/24 - Black Cat, Washington DC w/Stars
02/25 - Webster Hall, New York, NY w/Stars
03/07 - Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA w/Isobel Campbell
03/08 - Café Du Nord, San Francisco, CA w/Isobel Campbell
03/09 - Triple Door, Seattle, WA w/Isobel Campbell
03/14 - Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
Sublime Exile has signed Danish "experimental crazy rockers" Plök and will be releasing their debut album later this year. Look for the first single "StatuesTheyWereHollowSoWeFilledThemUpWithPeople" to be released in late March/early April.
José González will play the Swedish American Hall in SF on March 19 and dammit, I'm extending my Bay Area vacation trip an extra day to make sure I can attend.
Swedish thrashers The Haunted will be keeping a studio diary while they record their next album: http://cyklode.se/haunted/doc/diary.htm