Let's start this review with a confession: When I first heard this album I was absolutely blown away with it - the glockenspiel, the Elvis Presley-balladry and the girl-group sounds just knocked me off my feet (note: I LOVE The Ronettes). I ended up writing a review calling this album a "classic". Now after having listened to it a bit more, I've realized that half of the songs are very good, the rest of them are just... good. So there you have it, sorry for the confusion.
- Simon Tagestam
Today's Friday classic tune comes from Fireside, one of my long-time favorite bands. They're one of the main reasons I got excited about Scandinavian rock in the first place - I knew from the very first time I heard them that I needed to track down their entire discography and have been following them ever since. I bought all of Kristofer's solo albums. I started tracking down all of the albums that guitarist PMA recorded that I could find and got introduced to even more great stuff. And so on and so forth, right? My level of infatuation has calmed down quite a bit since then, but I still love the music. I even adore the much-maligned "Elite" record, but I'll save that for a different post some later day. Today's track first appeared on the 1996 EP "Left rustle" which I believe is long out of print, but it can still be found on the "Hello kids" EP and b-sides comp. Check it out.
Preview the new single "No fear" from The Rasmus at their website: http://www.therasmus.com/
Sondre Lerche posts his first web diary entry as a newly married man: http://www.sondrelerche.com/diary.asp?id=70
The video for "Bomben" from Mandorla can be downloaded here: http://www.kiterecordings.com/pages/mandorla.html
Hello Saferide aka Annika Norlin guest-blogs on Said the Gramophone today: http://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/said_the_guests_hell.php
NME is streaming the new Magnet video "Hold me": http://www.nme.com/features/113091.htm
Finnish hardcore act Down My Throat will record their second album in August to be released sometime around mid-October via Combat Rock.
The 8bitpeoples netlabel has reissued the "A new fragrance" 3" CD EP from Role Model as a free mp3 download: http://www.8bitpeoples.com/discography_gfx.php#8BP047
It's been reported that the new Solefald album "Red for Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey" will actually be split into two parts, with part one arriving sometime before the end of the year and part two following in early 2006.
Germany's Rockstar Records has announced that the new album "Maximum S&M" from Swedish punks The Pricks is finally done and ready for release. Download a track here: http://www.rockstarrecords.de/mp3/THE_PRICKS_Roadkill.mp3
Look for the band to tour in September. Dates soon.
Uncritical has a special post today in memory of Danny Copacetic that feautres a track from the Shout Out Louds: http://extr.aneo.us/uncritical/2005/07/remembrance.html
Håkon Gebhardt (HGH, ex-Motorpsycho) and Andreas Mjøs (Jaga Jazzist) collaborated on a soundtrack for the TV series and movie "Too much Norway" which will finally be released in the near future via Apache Records. Read the full press release at the JJ website: http://www.jagajazzist.com/v2/news.php
The Magnet website has some more details concerning the new single "Hold on": http://www.homeofmagnet.com/
Pitchfork reviews Annie's live show in Chicago from June 30: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/live/a/annie-05/