Norwegian singer/songwriter Magnus Eliassen will be spending some time in LA for the next week or so and is playing a couple shows:
01/11 - Lave Lounge, Hollywood, CA
01/12 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
01/17 - The Mint, Los Angeles, CA
Listen to some songs on his myspace page, including the recently added "Butterfly". Now what I wanna know is if there's gonna be a repeat of Norwegian party taxi. I've heard rumors of Andrew WK getting involved.
Check out an e-card for the new Nicolai Dunger album "Nicolai Dunger sjunger Edith Södergran": http://www.emi.se/artists/nicolai/ndses/index.htm
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.
Smalltown - Friendly fire
Robert Post, the Norwegian singer/songwriter with a golden voice and a dreadfully dull name, is travelling to the US for a few shows this month:
01/19 - Temple Bar, LA
01/20 - ASCAP Music Cafe @ Star Bar, Sundance Film Festival, Park City, UT
01/23 - Sin-e, NYC
Upcoming tourdates for Norwegian noise duo Ryfylke:
01/19 - Fylkingen, Stockholm (SWE)
01/21 - Splab, Aarhus (DK)
01/23 - MS Stubnitz, Rostock (GER)
01/24 - Scherer 8, Berlin (GER)
01/25 - Minimatika, Berlin (GER)
01/26 - Staub Sauger, Leipzig (GER)
01/27 - Staub Sauger, Leipzig (GER)
01/28 - Lecurie, Brussels (BEL)
01/29 - Freaks End Future, Antwerp (BEL)
01/30 - Kraakgeluiden, Amsterdam (NL)
01/31 - The Frontline, Gent (BE)
02/02 - Tanzhaus West, Frankfurt (GER)
02/04 - Zakk, Bremen (GER)
Swedish industrial/EBM label Memento Materia is launching a new single series called Dynamo in which four artists contribute to a single limited edition CD, packaged in metal and sold at a special price. The inaugral release in the series will include tracks from Michigan, Code 64, Backlash and Z Prochek. More details: http://www.mementomateria.se/
Norwegian noise artist Lasse Marhaug lists his top picks of 2005 for Groove: http://www.groove.no/html/list/27673647.html
The poor Acid House Kings, always being compared to Belle and Sebastian even though they pre-date them by many years: http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,,1678542,00.html
Finnish noiserockers Fun (as heard on the "IAT reader's companion" CD) have posted a short tourdiary from their recent trip to Russia: http://www.noisecorewalze.com/text_template.php?text=russia_2005
In other news, the band will contribute the previously unreleased song "P-bone" to a compilation called "Hahmotushäiriö", due out soon from Kissankusi Records. Other bands on the record will include Sur-rur, Radiopuhelimet, Can Can Heads, Valse Triste and The Insult That Made a Man Out of Mac.
The Finnish band Lapko has a new website to mark the release of their new album "Scandal", out now on Fullsteam Records: http://www.lapko.com/
Finland's Ektro Records have updated their release schedule:
ektro-012 Motelli Skronkle - tba CD (??/2006)
ektro-036 Pharaoh Overlord - #4 CD (2/2006)
ektro-038 Kuusumun Profeetta - Hymyilevien laivojen satama CD (2/2006)
ektro-039 Circle - Arcades CD (3/2006)
Nominees for this year's Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative to the Grammy:
Hip-hop/r&b/soul:
Form One - Meet Johnny Rhino
Hearin´Aid - The Boom Lucy
Jaqee – Blaqalious
Looptroop - Fort Europa
Timbuktu – Alla vill till himlen men ingen vill dö
Electronica/post-rock/synth:
Folie – Eyepennies
Midaircondo – Shopping For Images
Ola Bergman – The satellite city
Tape – Rideau
Thermostatic – Joy-Toy
Pop/Rock:
Embassy – Tacking
Jenny Wilson – Love And Youth
Blood Music – Sing a Song Fighter
El Perro Del Mar - Look! It’s El Perro Del Mar!
Lucknow Pact – A Few Drinks- A Few Laughs
Jazz:
E.S.T. - Viaticum
Jeanette Lindström – In The Middle Of This Riddle
MUSICMUSICMUSIC – What´s a good boss anyway?
Bobo Stenson trio – Goodbye
Ulf Wakenius – Notes From The Heart
Singer/songwriter:
Lars Bygdén – Trading Happiness for Songs
Frida Hyvönen – Until Death comes
Hello Saferide – Introducing: Hello Saferide
Christian Kjellvander – Faya
Billie the vision and the Dancers – The world according to Pablo
Dance/techno:
Hundarna från Söder – Troika
DK7 – Disarmed
Skugge & Stavöstrand – Humla
John Dahlbäck – Man From the Fall
Dibaba – Songs For Good Lives
Hardrock/punk:
Randy – Randy the band
Disco Volante – Blood On The Walls
Witchcraft - Firewood
Regulations - s/t
Grand Magus - Wolf’s return
Folk/world-music:
Sofia Karlsson – Svarta Ballader
Harv – Polka Raggioso
Ellika och Solo – Abraka/Tack
Svenska Akademien – Resa sig opp
Simone Moreno – Samba Makossa
Best live act:
David Sandström Overdrive
Frida Hyvönen
Jenny Wilson
Robyn
Timbuktu
Best newcomer:
The Tough Alliance – New school
Timo Räisänen - Lovers are Lonely
Frida Hyvönen – Until Death Comes
Montt Mardié – Drama
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names – #3
Best unsinged act:
She
Insert Coin
Anagoes
Intohimo
Loney, Dear
Winners will be announced on February 9.
Stylus reviews the new Alog collection "Catch that totem!": http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3692