Download a brand new song from Finland's Viola: http://www.ifsociety.com/files/Viola-I_Dont_Know_How_To_Party.mp3
The track comes from the band's upcoming album "Anything can stop us" due out November 23 via If Society.
Renown Swedish musician/producer Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John, Caesars, etc.) recorded a jazz album this summer and will be releasing it on November 21 via Headspin Recordings. The music is said to take cues from other artists such as Charlie Mingus, Ennio Morricone and Joe Meek and judging from the samples I've heard, that's an accurate assessment.
This week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:
01. (01) Kristian Anttila - "Paul Weller"
02. (02) Tiga - "You Gonna Want Me"
03. (07) Hard Fi - "Hard to Beat"
04. (03) Death Cab for Cutie - "Soul Meets Body"
05. (04) Bloc Party - "Two More Years"
06. (NY) Tiger Lou - "The Loyal"
07. (06) Röyksopp - "What Else is There?"
08. (NY) CDOASS - "A Fair Resort"
09. (09) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "Loop Duplicate My Heart"
10. (NY) Princess Superstar - "My Machine"
11. (14) Pharrell - "Can I Have It Like That (med Gwen Stefani)"
12. (10) Kanye West - "Golddigger"
13. (11) Alf - "Sött/salt"
14. (12) Weeping Willows - "I'm Gonna Let Love Find Me"
15. (15) Audio Bullys - "I'm In Love"
16. (05) Acid House Kings - "Tonight is Forever"
17. (NY) System of a Down - "Question"
18. (NY) Paris - "Captain Morgan"
19. (NY) Lil' Kim - "Lighters Up"
20. (08) Svenska Akademien & Promoe - "En varning"
Leaving the chart: Franz Ferdinand, Jem, Panthers, Stars, Tegan and Sara and Turbonegro.
Here's another reminder that Kenneth Ishak of Norwegian power-pop act Beezewax is doing some solo shows in the US this week. He's playing with pick-up band of various folks including ex-members from Latebloomer, Cross My Heart and Trustfall. Dates:
10/17 - Charm City Art Space, Baltimore, MD w/Greasegun
10/18 - Lit Lounge, NYC w/Specimen, The Morrow
10/19 - College Perk Coffee House, College Park, MD (long set)
This week's top artists for the It's a trap! Last.fm/Audioscrobbler listening group:
01. The Cardigans
02. The Arcade Fire
03. Sigur Rós
04. Broken Social Scene
05. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names
06. Franz Ferdinand
07. Mew
08. Hello Saferide
09. Death Cab for Cutie
Again, I'd like to encourage all regular readers of this site to join up and participate. It's free and easy and fun - the only basic requirement is that you listen to music on your computer and can install the proper plugin. Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/
Head over to Christian Kjellvander's website to listen to samples from every track on his new album "Faya" and to see the video for the first single "Drunken hands": http://www.christiankjellvander.com/
Stuart from the excellent world music blog/radio show Fat Planet is launching a new netlabel to help promote some of the amazing music he's been championing for so long. If you are a musician or producer who is interested in contributing, you are encouraged to get in touch. Bear in mind that Fat Planet is only interested in music outside of the typical 'western rock tradition'. So if you're aping the latest indierock styles, he's not gonna be interested. Read more: http://www.fatplanet.com.au/
Check out an interesting interview with Swedish electronic artist Psilodump: http://www.ief.hr/draco/psilodump.html
MP3: The Bear Quartet - Birds are singing deep within the greenery
I don't think I've properly expressed just how amazing the new Bear Quartet album is. I posted the first single "I have an itch" a little over a month ago, but I hadn't heard the full album yet. Now that I've time to fully digest and process "Saturday night", I can sincerely attest to what an amazing piece of music it is. The band promised us a mindblowing experience and they delivered. I think a lot of twee indierockers will be scared off by how noisy, sinister and straight-up fucked this album is, but I'm here to assure you - it's worth the challenge. The most intellectually satisfying works of art usually are. So here's another song to pique your interest. Listen to those dense chords shift and build. The chittering vocals. The foreboding wash of reverb and flanger over the breaks. It shouldn't work, but somehow it does.
The Bear Quartet - Birds are singing deep within the greenery
This week's Friday pick comes from Beyond Dawn, one of my long-time absolute favorite Norwegian artists. I've posted tracks from them in the past, but I figure it's time to revisit them especially in light of the recent remaster/reissue of the very excellent "In reverie" EP, the release from which today's track originates. Besides, if I didn't post this today, I'm sure Dark Dose would get around to it soon enough. Beyond Dawn started out as a dirgeful black-metal/doom act, but there was always something different about them. Early on they distinguished themselves with the addition of a trombone player, but it was with this EP that they truly stepped up with the incorporation of electronics and more diverse, acoustic instrumentation. There's definitely echoes of neo-folk era Swans here, but I find that BD is in a league of their own. Their influences may be obvious, but there's no one that sounds quite the same. I do believe that Duplicate Records is offering a special deal to people who order now, so get on it.
Download a track from the new BikerBoy CDR out now on Hybris: http://www.hybrism.com/files/bikerboy-heart.mp3
Dagens Nyheter describes the act as "Morrissey on speed - with synthesizers", so if that sounds good to you, check it out.
The new Timbuktu DVD "Funken Styr Våra Steg" comes out on November 9. Footage includes a show from Mosebacke in August 2005 with backing band Damn! and special guests as well as tons of bonus material. See the cover art: http://www.timbuk.nu/
Swedish girl-rock act Satirnine has split up. Read the band's full statement: http://www.satirnine.com/index_eng.html
Members Hanna, Emma and Charlotte will continue on as a three-piece in the new band Hic Jacet.
The new EP from Swedish metalcore act Nine will be called "Death is glorious". It'll be out later this year via Finnish label Combat Rock Industry.