Playback STL has launched a new monthly by Kevin Renick called "Norse Code" dedicated entirely to Scandinavian music. Check it out: http://www.playbackstl.com/Norse/
PopMatters gives high praise to the Shout Out Louds in their latest round-up of short take reviews: http://popmatters.com/shorttakes/index.shtml
Pitchfork reviews the new Datarock: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/d/datarock/datarock-datarock.shtml
All About Jazz reviews Norway's In the Country: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=17422
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Robyn - Robyn
02. Kent - Du & Jag Döden
03. Nanne - 20 år med Nanne
04. Looptroop - Fort Europa
05. Eldkvarn - Atlantis
06. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
07. Nordman - Anno 2005
08. Bo Sundström - Skåne
09. Shirley Clamp - Lever Mina Drömmar
10. Sofia Karlsson - Svarta ballader
11. Moneybrother - To Die Alone
12. The Tough Alliance - New School
13. Timbuktu - Alla vill till himmelen men ingen vill dö
14. Martin Stenmarck - Think Of Me (New Version)
15. Freddie Wadling - Jag är monstret
16. Jill Johnson - Being Who You Are
17. Laleh - Laleh
18. Totta Näslund - Totta 8: Greatest Hits!
19. Darin - The Anthem
20. Hammerfall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken
HIM reports that acclaimed engineer Andy Wallace will be mixing the band's forthcoming album. Some of Wallace's credits include work on albums from Slayer, Korn, Ben Folds Five, Helmet, Rage Against the Machine, Rollins Band and tons more.
Today's new mp3 is from Majessic Dreams, a promising new ambient glitch-pop duo who just released their debut EP "Listen to the moon" on oscillatone Recordings. This is one of the more straight-forward pop cuts from the record, but it's still lush with swirling backwards guitars and ghostly waves of tone. I've been mostly unimpressed with a lot of the so-called "indietronica" stuff I've been hearing, but these cats do it right. It's not just good songwriting, it also takes good sound production - neither of which are lacking here at all. It'll be interesting to see what they can do with a full-length release.
If you scroll down to the bottom-right, you can check out the new video "High on the crime" from Turbonegro: http://www.mtve.com/
The latest news from Smalltown Supersound/Superjazzz:
On the jazzz side of things we'll soon release The Thing with Joe McPhee & Cato Salsa Experience "Sounds Like A Sandwich" EP/mini album. Also out during the summer The Thing's first live album "Live at Blå" as well as new signing Free Fall which is the trio of Ken Vandermark, Ingebrigt Flaten and Håvard Wiik. On Smalltown Supersound we will release Martin Horntveth's 2 EPs on vinyl, the second 7" single from Toy will come as well as another vinyl release, Mental Overdrive's "Diskodans Remixes". In August we will also release Tussle's debut album here in Europe with bonus tracks and new artwork by Kim Hiorthøy. Mental Overdrive's seminal recordings for the R&S label will be released for the first time on CD, the album is titled "The Phuture That Never Happened". And much more to come in the autumn.
Damo Suzuki of Can has selected Silverbullit to be his backing band when he performs at Club Nefertiti in Göteborg on June 4. It should be interesting, as Damo is currently touring the world performing 100% improvised sets with different backing bands all over the world. Hopefully someone will be taping it.
Reverend Big O has signed to Realease after a short stint with A West Side Fabrication. Look for info about a new album and single to be confirmed soon.
Prime Sth has updated the media section of their website with a home movie from their trip to Hong Kong along with a live version of the song "Fishbowl": http://hem.passagen.se/loveisall8/liawebb/start.html
The upcoming Suburban Kids with Biblical Names full-length has been assigned an August 17 release date from Labrador Records.
JuJu Records has announced that the next Timbuktu single will be for the track "Det Löser Sej" which features guest appearances from Chords and Supreme (Looptroop). The disc will feature a radio version of the song as well as an instrumental version, an accapella version, a remix from Robin fka Ruup and a remix instrumental.