Dusted reviews the new Ulver album: http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2295
The video for the new Stratovarius single "Maniac dance" has been posted online: http://www.streamingkit.de/player/sanctuary_records/maniacdance2.asx
Not that it really changes anything, but Opeth decided to close their Ultimate Metal web forum following the leak of the new album "Ghost of reveries". So while you may not be able to find direct links to mp3s on that site anymore, they are definitely out there floating around somewhere.
Finland's Swallow the Sun has confirmed "Ghosts of loss" as the title for their next album. It comes out August 24 via Firebox Records.
Also on the way from Service is a new album from Erik de Vahl. Look for it this fall, probably around September.
The German webzine Sellfish has relaunched with a new user-friendly GUI and plenty more of the usual Scandinavian music reviews and interviews. Recently added pieces include a review of the new Karl Larsson (Last Days of April) album "Pale as milk" and an interview with Anders Wendin of Moneybrother: http://www.sellfish.de/
Canarie Records, home of Grapefruit and Bodybuilding, Cyndee LeeHulko, Kirsten Bride and more, now have a proper website online: http://www.canarierecords.com/
After many delays, the new "Speed on future" 7" from Ikaros is out from Strange Fruit. Only 500 copies, so act fast if you want one.
The Blue Van
Live @ Metro, London, 07/12/05
First of all I'd like to recommend the Danish band The Blue Van to anyone who is really down with garage rock and just can't wait to hear a new band playing this type of music. Personally I think I've heard enough of new 60's sounding garage rock bands to make me wait another twenty years or so until I can start appreciating this genre all over again. I won't listen to The Blue Van ever again though, if I can help it, but I must admit that their music is a bit better than most of today's so called garage bands, and live they put on a great show. I just wish every second new band that I hear wouldn't play boring sleazy rock'n'roll.
- Simon Tagestam
Burek V
Make up
Rhythm Ace
Decent, but ultimately unremarkable indierock. I can't pinpoint anything about it that bothers me, but at the same time I'm having serious trouble finding anything to commend as well. It's just not very memorable. If we used a number-based rating system, this would be a solid 5 out of 10.
- Avi Roig
Dexter's Moon
Come rain
Combat Disc
Yet another female-fronted band from the wilds of Sweden, Dexter's Moon is a septet led by vocalist Jenny Maria Kellerman, along with Emilie Lindkvist, brothers Martin and Bjorn Insulander, Jennifer Pope and Simon Stalenhag. The 8 songs that make up their debut, "Come rain", create an admirably sustained mood of quiet introspection and acoustic guitar-based melancholy. Jenny sings in a very shy manner, as though she's a bit hesitant to reveal such personal things in a recording but can't help herself. This is closer to old-style folk than anything else; only a few songs have minimal percussion. "Every cloud has its silver lining/Now I'm about to cloud up and rain all over you," sings Jenny somberly in the title cut. The forecast definitely calls for overcast skies here. Although some evocative sax lends interest to "In the end" and piano adorns "Voodoo girl" and "Rock and roll lullabye", most of the music here is simple acoustic guitar and that sad little voice. The best song is "(Fucked up) Love story", which has already gotten the band a fair amount of attention; it offers a subtle waltz beat and real lyrical bite in its portrayal of a clearly less-than-inspiring relationship. "This kind of love we're making is like a spider's web/We're two flies caught in it until we're dead." Yessir, makes you wanna dive right into the ol' dating pool, doesn't it? Although the music here is pretty and I found it sometimes poignant, it doesn't really provide much in the way of cathartic release. It's kind of repetitious; in other words, and you can tell the group's still finding their way. But they have the talent to do so, and with a little more energy and diversity next time out, they should be quite capable of increasing the emotional reach and impact of their sound.
- Kevin Renick
Soul Supreme
Soul Supreme presents Double-O
Johnny Bråttom
I'm always intrigued when I get to listen to some new Scandinavian hip-hop, but most of the time I'm let down, and even though these five tracks are alright, they're nothing compared to the "proper" American commercial hip-hop it so cleverly emulates. It also, unfortunately, sound a little bit dated (like it came from the mid 90s). Solid vocal delivery and ok beats and samples though.
- Simon Tagestam
Melpo Mene
Jedi
Imperial Recordings
This is Melpo Mene's latest EP, and it's really good stuff. It can't be denied that it sounds sometimes too much like Elliot Smith, but I don't personally hold that against Melpo Mene, the songs are too good to take such petty details into account. Give this a listen and drink some wine, why don't you, and all of your problems will disappear (for at least 14 minutes), I promise.
- Simon Tagestam