Swedish indiepop duo Gemene Man has posted some new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gemeneman
Kinda reminds me of Bob Hund, but with more of Bear Quartet's willingness to experiment. I dig it.
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Håkan Hellström - Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
02. Björn Skifs - Decennier sånger från en annan tid
03. Agnes - Agnes
04. Laleh - Laleh
05. Son of a Plumber - Son of a Plumber
06. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
07. Lena Philipsson - Jag ångrar ingenting
08. Sven-Ingvars - Livet är nu - 50 år det bästa med sven-ingvars
09. Monica Zetterlund - Z - det bästa med monica zetterlund
10. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
11. Björn Afzelius - Björn Afzelius bästa
12. Amy Diamond - This Is Me Now
13. Robyn - Robyn
14. Bodies Without Organs - Prototype
15. Darin - Darin
16. Peps Blodsband - Äntligen!
17. Nanne - Alltid på väg
18. Sophie Zelmani - A decade of dreams 1995-2005
19. Moneybrother - To die alone
20. Eva Dahlgren - Snö
Aversionline on Crimes Against Humanity Records and Finnish black-metal act Gaurithoth: http://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2006/01/if-this-is-life-of-crime-sign-me-up.html
pHinnWeb interviews the excellent Boys of Scandinavia: http://www.phinnweb.org/5HT/interviews/bos/
Keep a lookout for these guys to tour the UK later this year.
Sara Culler thanks her favorite bloggers: http://saraculler.webblogg.se/120106131545_something_about_the_year_of_2005.html
To which I say thank you. Writing about is made so much easier when the music is good.
Swedish dreamy melancholy pop act Talking to Drake recorded a couple new tracks recently and has posted them online for free download:
01. It won't take forever
02. Say my name
03. It won't take forever (remix)
Really nice stuff. Listen to more at their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/talkingtodrake
Swedish indiepop act Trucker Cleavage had such a strong response to an old outtake they posted on their myspace page that they've made it available as an mp3 download: http://www.truckercleavage.se/media/03-In%20Tonight,%20Out%20Tomorrow-Trucker%20Cleavage.mp3
Håkan Hellström
Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
Dolores
This isn't a new album as such from Håkan, but a compilation of unreleased, live and cover songs. Like most of these things, it's mostly for fans and it would be a stupid place to start if you're thinking of checking out Håkan Hellström for the first time, since any of his three other 'proper' albums are better. That aside, if you're indeed a fan already, then I think this album is a must. There are twelve songs on here: two superb (the first two), three very good, three good, one ok, and three that are quite terrible. Six of the songs are covers and half of them work, the others are the previously mentioned terrible songs (I won't complain if Håkan decides to never sing in English ever again). Perhaps you've already calculated this, but this means that there are nine songs here for you to discover and cherish. Now, I regret to say this but I've read somewhere that Håkan's taking a break for a little while (fair enough, he just became a dad). I'm very glad he decided to release this album before he stops making music temporarily so that all of us Håkan fiends got something to calm our hunger with until the next fix. With these songs and some upcoming Håkan clones (it's inevitable, so bring them forth!) I think we might just be able to survive.
- Simon Tagestam
Christian Kjellvander
Faya
Startracks
I've been a fan of Christian Kjellvander for a long time, I really like his old band Loosegoats, and I adored his last solo album and the Songs of Soil record that he did with his brother was better than butter. So for a long time now I've been a bit baffled that I haven't listened to "Faya" more than I have. I've only put it on with the intention of 'checking it out', or for me being able to review it. The songs on the album give a bit of more 'refined' impression than on his earlier releases (a bit more mature, I guess), but they also lack something that has been the key to Kjellvander's songs previously. Sure, the songs are pretty good, but I expect something more than standard alt. country numbers from someone like Christian Kjellvander and I try to tell myself that "Faya" is just nothing but a singular half-good album in a great career which will surely be followed by much greater things. Yeah, this is what I think will happen and in the future it will make perfect sense when you think of how "Faya" was such an obvious stepping stone for the greatness that came afterwards (just like how Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, for example, have released some dubious stuff throughout their careers). These are not just mere fantasies! Oh well, they are, but soon they'll be facts! FACTS!
- Simon Tagestam
Pet Politics
In my head
Catbird Records
I have been reliably informed that Pet Politics is a name of a song by Silver Jews. Pet Politics is from Sweden and doesn't really sound anything like Silver Jews at all. He sounds a lot like Lou Reed. This is a good thing as Lou really isn't that great anymore. The 4 tracks on this EP are pretty flawless. Magnus Larsson, the one man band behind Pet Politics, has a similar observational lyrical style to Lou Reed too. This is best demonstrated on "Provence" which is an ode to Southern France in which Larsson narrates a nostalgic tale that zips along at a frenetic pace akin to a speed rain. Can't fault this at all really.
- Nick Levine
Sci-fi Skåne
Känslan av att jorden krymper växer
Silence
Sci-fi Skåne consists of Thomas Öberg and Jonas Jonasson, both of Bob Hund/Bergman Rock fame. I used to be a very big fan of Bob Hund when I was younger, but lost interest in them about 7 years ago. Sci-fi Skåne has been described as 'synth blues', and that term alone makes me shiver. But it's in fact a fair description since this whole album is as horrible as those two ill-fitting words make me feel. It could have been better though. Last year Sci-fi Skåne released the single "Jag har aldrig bott vid en landsväg" which sounded like Bob Hund in the good old days, and that song alone is the reason why I decided to give this album a listen. But there's nothing to match that song on this album, what we get instead is just a bunch of dreary songs that makes me feel like I'm trapped in a hole full of old mustard while listening to them. I would gladly recommend Bob Hund's "Omslag: Martin Kann" for anyone who's interested in some fine Pere Ubu-like indierock sung in Swedish, but don't bother with this release, it's just a complete waste of time.
- Simon Tagestam
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
A present from the past
Universal
TSOOL are famously prolific, so no one's surprised that this b-sides/rarities compilation is a two-disc set (or that it was nominated for a Swedish Grammy). TSOOL are also famously talented, so there are songs here that other bands would love to have as a-sides or at least album tracks. B-sides often sound like afterthoughts, thrown together at the last minute. There are a few in that category on this release, like the sitar-noodling instrumentals "Playstation bordello" and "Cleaning session raga". But happily they're the exception, not the rule. Drawn-out rockers "Dow Jones syndrome" and "Galaxy gramophone" showcase frontman Ebbot Lundberg's ability to shift from a world-weary voice to a defiant yell and back as the songs dictate. I'm baffled as to how the brass-tinged epic "We're gonna get it right" wasn't/isn't a single, and the previously unreleased "Side effects" is a good softer, acoustic song with dreamlike synth playing from Martin Hederos. What's next from the group? "Origin, vol. 2", as originally intended? Hopefully something sooner rather than later.
- Matthew W. Smith
The White Birch
Come up for air
Racing Junior/Glitterhouse
This record is so fragile it makes you want to walk around on tiptoes while listening to it, lest you disturb the mood. And that mood is Nordic--not the sunny daydream of Århus or Stockholm in July, but the frigid calm of Norway (or Iceland, or Finnish Lapland) in the dead of winter. Everything revolves around Ola Fløttum, whose delicate guitar and piano parts blend into his lilting voice, which drifts in and out of falsetto. Bassist/keyboardist Ulf Rodge and percussionist H.C. Almendingen add elements impressive in their subtlety, because they blend in seamlessly. Tracks like "The white birds" and "June" are experimental, dreamy and seemingly in slow motion, which have made Sigur Rós comparisons come fast and furious (though, to be fair, the Oslo trio has been around longer). There are plenty of differences between the two, especially in Fløttum's use of English lyrics. Those expecting a fast song every now and then will be frustrated; "Come up for air" never breaks from its wintertime pace, which adds even more fragility and beauty to this impressive release.
- Matthew W. Smith
I went and saw the band Smalltown play here in Olympia a little over a month ago at the beginning of December. Despite a less-than-ideal show situation, the band delivered a great set of impassioned, melodic punk-rock. They reminded me a lot of the way Rancid used to be before they started believing their own hype, but with less Clash influence and more of a classic mod-rock feel ala The Jam. I don't consider myself much of a punk-rocker anymore, but I still really enjoy this sort of stuff when it's done well. Smalltown gets it right. Check out the newly posted mp3.
A West Side Fabrication has announced the signing of Rusty Flores. Check out a clip of the first single "Bomb the cabaret": http://shop.textalk.se/shop/395/art20/18920-mul-f865af.mp3
The self-titled debut album should be out in February.
Check out the video for "Accokeek" from Robert Johnson and the Punchdrunks: http://www.robertjohnsonandpunchdrunks.com/video/accokeek.wmv
The clip was directed by Tommy Ledberg/Indeed.