At the risk of losing whatever cred I've built up, I'm just gonna come right out and declare it: the new A-ha album "Analogue" is fantastic. It's exactly the kind of big, mature pop album that career bands of A-ha's status are supposed to make. Y'know, the kind of record that you'd expect from lifer acts such as REM or U2. The kind of record that bands like Kent so desperately want to make. Even if you haven't heard A-ha since "Take on me", their sound is instantly recognizable and oh-so catchy. It's also worth noting what it lacks - the pathetic pandering to younger audiences that so many older acts fall susceptible to. This is just A-ha doing what they do and doing it well. The darker-tinged melodies of the first track "Celice" are what hooked me in, but I'm finding that I'm loving the entire album the whole way through, moreso every time I listen anew. Along with Tiger Lou's "The loyal", this is one the best new records I've heard this fall.
A-ha - Celice
When I first heard that Nicke from Entombed had started a garage-rock sideproject, I was stoked. I was just starting to get into other dirty rock/garage bands like The Mummies and The Devil Dogs, so the first Hellacopters album "Supershitty to the max" fit right in with my collection. And while that record is pretty good, it's the second disc "Payin' the dues" that really got me going. That record is absolutely on fire and you can hear it with the very first track "You are nothin'". If that's not a ballsy statement of intent, I dunno what is. Unlike the band's more recent material, the recording is still buried in fuzz and dirt, perfectly emulating the style they were going for. Remember- this is garage rock, not the 70s-style arena rawk the band later evolved into. Both eras of the 'Copters are excellent (and in some ways, I prefer the latter), but it's always good to listen back at where they came from.
The Tiny are just about to mix their new album "Starring; someone like you". They aren't sure yet which of the twelve songs they recorded with esteemed producer Jari Haapalainen will make the final cut, but you can read the song titles at the band's website: http://www.thetiny.net/
Ane Brun has been selected to open for fellow Norwegians A-ha on a few select UK dates:
12/03 - NEC, Birmingham
12/04 - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow
12/06 - MEN, Manchester, England
12/07 - Wembley Arena, London
Music (for Robots) posts on Junip and gives IAT a shout-out: http://music.for-robots.com/archives/001249.html
The North American release of "Skeleton" from Danish act Figurines has been pushed back to April, but their label The Control Group will be releasing a 7" with the tracks "Silver ponds" and "The wonder" on January 24.
El Perro Del Mar has posted a brand new mp3 for download: http://www.hybrism.com/files/elperrodelmar-godknows.mp3
Look for a live DVD from Jaga Jazzist next spring.
Norway's Shining will tour the US next April. Dates soon. In other news, the band plans to enter the studio with producer Kåre Vestrheims in late January/early February to begin work on the follow-up to "In the kingdom of kitsch you will be a monster".
Check out the video for "Rosinante" from Aavikko: http://www.aavikko.net/video.php?file=rosinante