The latest Scandinavian reviews from Sellfish:
Meshuggah - Catch thirty-three
Evergrey - A night to remember (live) 2-DVD
Sweatmaster - Tom tom bullet
Check out the video for the new Turbonegro single "High on the crime": http://www.burningheart.com/_lib/util/streamvideo.php?id=2517&s=hi
Moneybrother guitarist Henrik Svensson injured himself in a motorcycle accident: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,644976,00.html (in Swedish)
The NY Times discusses Snorre Ruch's (Thorns) collaboration with NY-based artist Banks Violette whose latest installation is being shown at the Whitney Museum: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/arts/design/15kenn.html?8hpib (free registration req'd)
Be sure to check out the multimedia slideshow.
The winner of the SAMA/Swedish Alternative Music Awards were announced over the weekend:
Best Newcomer: Lowe
Best Club/Festival: Arvikafestivalen
Best Song: Slagsmålsklubben - His morning promenade
Best Album: Universal Poplab - Universal Poplab
Best Artist: Slagsmålsklubben
Download the new free track "My revolution" from Swedish DJ/producer Dibaba: http://www.dibaba.com/
The Coloursound Revolution
When everybody is out, is everybody in
Noiz/EMI
Imagine Mark Lanegan with a band that is slightly depressed, wonderfully melancholic and subtly rock more than Screaming Trees. Sounds like later day QotSA? Well, yes, but different. Coloursound Revolution are very similar to QotSA but remain themselves somehow and this album is certainly a lot better than "Lullabies to paralyze".
- Simon Thibaudeau
Sharif
Lost causes, causes lost
Adrian Recordings
Sharif, the first band ever signed to Adrian Recordings, has just released its second album--six years after its first. The Malmö group has clearly had its ups and downs, something reflected in the fragility of its compositions. The blend of mid-tempo and slower songs on "Lost causes, causes lost" benefit from simple, stark arrangements that allow world-weary vocals to make the biggest impression. For example, the spare acoustic guitar part on "E.A.A. (Eagerly awaiting anytime)" heightens the melancholy of lyrics like, "Could it be you're afraid/of the words you think I'll say?" The distorted vocals and bells on the woozy "Ordinary" bear a resemblance to Sparklehorse, while the jazzy instrumental "Glow in the dark" shows versatility, but strays too far from the album's mournful simplicity. That's the nearest thing I can find to a low point on this album because its well-constructed songs are more impressive with each listen. With understated melodies wrapped around lines like, "there's no such thing as personal freedom/it's all just part of a game," the second effort by Sharif comes highly recommended. John, Rikard, Magnus and Johan deserve a lot of praise for this record--and hopefully it won't be six more years before they make another.
- Matthew W. Smith
Sonny Crocket
Demo
self-released
My first impression of Mr. Crocket's music was Elvis Costello, the more rocking of his personas, with his deceptively powerful voice and quirky melodies that seem to float and yet never quite grab you and a more modern indie rock. You see I am not a Costello fan and to me Crocket has much of the same flaws. Credit where it is due, "12 inches" is an outstanding song.
- Simon Thibaudeau
The Spacious Mind
Rotvälta
Goddamn I'm a Countryman Records
I like psychedelic jams. I like post rock. I like Spacious Mind. Simple as that. If I were to explain it a bit more I would say that if Mike Oldfield would have gone to sleep after the first Tubular Bells and woke up after 1999 and listened exclusively to post-rock he would have founded Spacious Mind. Great.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Springfactory
s/t
Bedroom Records
This is Peter Gunnarson from the magnificent Suburban Kids With Biblical Names and his (girl?)friend Lina Cullemark making some pleasant and melodic songs together. It's all nice and summery, and of course, very twee. I'm looking forward to see Springfactory perform their jolly songs live, preferably outdoors in the afternoon with the sun out, and my girl on one side and some cool raspberry beers on the other side.
- Simon Tagestam
Turbonegro
Party animals
Burning Heart Records
This is a bit better than "Scandinavian leather", but nowhere near as perfect as "Apocalypse dudes". There are some kick ass songs here though, like "All my friends are dead", "Blow me (Like the wind)", and "If you see Kaye (Tell her I L-O-V-E her)", and they almost make the album worth buying. There's an uncomfortable aspect of this album though, and that's how Turbonegro look as if they're about to evolve into a travesty of themselves, something that I really hope won't ever happen.
- Simon Tagestam
Wan Light
That grim reality
Labrador
In the press release for this EP, Wan Light are compared to such bands as The Postal Service and Galaxie 500, and although there are hints of those bands within Wan Light's music, the title track on this EP sounds like it comes directly from The Flaming Lips' "The soft bulletin" (an album I was totally obsessed with when it came out). The other 5 songs are not as fantastic as "That grim reality" (how could they?), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy this EP (and with its 6 tracks, you'll get your money's worth).
- Simon Tagestam
Wan Light
Live @ Camden Barfly, London, 05/10/05
Wan Light started their set at the ridiculously early time of 8:15, to a mostly empty Barfly. This band is the perfect hybrid of Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips. I hate to use clichés but it's true, and such a comparison is not a bad thing at all. The singer has a voice made out of a combination of sandpaper and glue, whilst the samples the band use are like a slightly more toned down version of modern day Flaming Lips, using the sound of hands clapping in place of Japanese robots. Tonight, just two members of the band play, with the singer back backed by an acoustic guitar player and some sparse samples. The effect of this is that greater emphasis is put on the actual performance of the songs. Momus, half-jokingly coined the genre "folk-tronica" back in 2001 but the live performance from Wan Light proves that the genre is in existence and rude health.
- Nick Levine