Abir's Clog has audio, video and pics from Nicolai Dunger's performance in SF this weekend opening for Joanna Newsom: http://www.shundor.com/clog/archives/2005/02/nicolai_dunger.html#more (via)
Splendid has quite a few Scandinavian titles reviewed today:
1999 - Legends b/w Midnight people
Mother Goose - Autumn masochism
Racingpaperplanes - Self sleep service
Check out a track from Enter My Silence, an unsigned Finnish melodic metal band: http://www.entermysilence.com/mp3/EnterMySilence-TheParadoxOfTwo.mp3
There's strong elements of Katatonia-style dark-pop melodicism, but these guys are way more tech and more straight-up death-metal.
Jim from Parasol goes in-depth with what's so awful about Pitchfork's review of Logh: http://www.parasol.com/blog/archives/00000478.htm
My sentiments exactly.
The winners of this year's Spellemannsprisen - the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy - have been announced. Here's a few of the highlights:
Spellemann of the year: Odd Nordstoga
Male artist: Odd Nordstoga - "Luring"
Female artist: Sissy Wish - "You May Breathe..."
Newcomer: Annie - "Anniemal"
Video: Margaret Berger - "Lifetime Guarantee"
Pop group: The National Bank - "The National Bank"
Jazz: Solveig Slettahjell - "Silver"
Electronica/contemporary: Lars Horntvedt "Pooka"
Rock: WE - "Smugglers"
Metal: Enslaved - "Isa"
Open class: Frode Fjellheim - "Aejlies gaaltije - the sacred source"
Read more: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2005022813205467507438
If you're curious, you can also head over to Norwegian music blog Bates Motel for a play-by-play of the awards show as it unfolded: http://thelodger.blogspot.com/2005/02/direkte-spellemanns-blogging_26.html
The latest Scandinavian music reviews from German webzine Sellfish:
Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck - So much for staying alive
Communic - Conspiracy in mind
Diamond Dogs - Black river road
Minor Majority - Up for you & I
Updated European tourdates for Swedish hardcore act Misconduct:
03/04 - Thrillbeats, Dresden (GER)
03/05 - AJZ, Leisnig (GER)
03/06 - Le Tigre, Selestat (FRA)
03/09 - Café Chabron, Nevers (FRA)
03/10 - Matsa, La Ferriere (FRA)
03/11 - Sala de Javu, Barcelona (SPA)
03/12 - Pub Charol, Burgos (SPA)
03/17 - Box , Davos (SWE)
03/19 - Alter Schlachthof, Hollabrunn (AUS)
03/23 - Café Zwischenfall, Bochum (GER)
03/24 - Waldschloß, Potsdam (GER)
03/25 - Mad & Crazy, Berlin (GER)
03/26 - Köhlerhalle, Nohfelden (GER)
03/27 - UJZ Korn, Hannover (GER)
Check out the videos for "Wie weit" and "How far" from Finnish cello-rockers Apocalyptica: http://www.apocalyptica.com/releases/index.php
The band Clown has changed their name to the more memorable White Soul. Check out the new website address here: http://www.whitesoul.cjb.net/
The Chrysler
Blue gold EP
Flora & Fauna
I like this three track single quite a lot. The Chrysler play very pleasant music, with lush melodies that lull along in a Beatles-esque way that serves as a perfect soundtrack while I'm sitting inside with a cold watching the snow falling outside (no hardcore punk for me today!). I wouldn't mind hearing more of this, and will definitely be on the lookout for their forthcoming album. Even the lyrics are pretty good, and not as contrived or as clichéd as their music invites you to think. The best song on the single is the second track, "Dear dad", and the main track "Blue gold" is oddly enough the weakest track here. Get it now before winter ends and all you want to hear is All Girl Summer Fun Band all the time.
- Simon Tagestam
Logh
A sunset panorama
Bad Taste Records
This is the kind of record that really takes a long time to sink in and make an impression. As with most every other review I've seen, I was considerably underwhelmed when I first heard the album, but I made myself go back and relisten numerous times before delivering a verdict. i'm glad I did because the more times I listen, the more I find to appreciate. Look, it's no secret that Logh is one of my favorite bands, but that doesn't mean I think they're beyond criticism. "A sunset panorama" is a noble experiment of live-in-the-studio recording, but it is most definitely not the band's best work when compared to the greatness of "The raging sun". Does that mean it's not worth getting? No, of course not - it's still better than most of the new stuff I've heard so far this year and a fine example of music that sounds unequivocally Nordic without being folk.
- Avi Roig
Moneybrother
They're building walls around us CDS
Burning Heart Records
I really want to like this, I would love to say that I'm crazy about it and that it's an even better song than "Reconsider me" (the first single from Moneybrother's last album - a song so good I would rank it as one of my top five songs from the last five years), but this up-tempo number just doesn't do the trick for me. Furthermore, there's something about it that unfortunately makes me think of nothing but crappy TV series from the 80s when I hear it. It's a bit of shame really, since I'm a massive Moneybrother fan, and really looking forward to his forthcoming album (out in March). Fortunately the second song on the single, "Bum fuxxed (For sure)" (great title, by the way), with its reliable Moneybrother sound that involves fine falsetto singing and great backing vocals, is good enough to stop me from thinking that Moneybrother has "lost it" and become a parody of themselves. But the single itself just tries too hard to be catchy and energetic. Frankly, it's just a bit too much and it gives me a sickly feeling similar to the one I get when I talk to crazy drunk people when I'm sober. That said, I bet I would really like the song when drunk (something that's not too hard to test, of course, but since I'm in no mood to get drunk right now you just have to stick with my assumption).
- Simon Tagestam
Punky's Dilemma
Scandinavia
self-released
Straight from the Simon & Garfunkel song comes Punky's Dilemma and their new-folk that is not much different from the originator of the name. Beautiful pop songs made with a couple of acoustic guitars, a voice that is similar to Paul Simon's, some female backing vocals and the occasional keyboard/electronic buried in the mix. Punky's Dilemma certainly won't make history but I am willing to guess that it wasn't their goal to begin with. Not bad, but it certainly gets old after the third or fourth song.
- Simon Thibaudeau
The Radio Dept.
This past week EP
Labrador
Better than Mando Diao, The Concretes and that Swedish guy from Placebo all mixed into one - here's The Radio Dept.! Not that it's too difficult to beat the previous mentioned trio, but what I'm trying to say is that Radio Dept. deserve to be famous, at least as famous as Abba were. This new EP once again proves how good Radio Dept. are, or actually, not only does it prove how good they are but it also shows how they amazingly enough have managed to become even better. I'm not the biggest shoegazing fan in the world, I admit, but Radio Dept. just makes my heart melt. This EP is a real treat and I pity the man who in 10 years time has to decide what songs to put on The Radio Dept. Greatest Hits album - will he choose all five songs on this EP? If not, what songs will he (sorry for my blatant sexism here) choose to discard? It's a shame though that every time I've seen Radio Dept. live they've always been a bit too shambolic and not really given their recorded material the proper treatment it deserves, but perhaps that has changed now.
- Simon Tagestam