Reunited Swedish hardcore act Face Down, featuring ex-The Haunted vocalist Marco Aro, will be filming their April 1 gig at Kolingsborg in Stockholm for a possible DVD release.
The Ark
State of the Ark
Virgin
My Swedish friends may make fun of me for having the musical taste of a 14 year-old girl, but I can't help it: I like The Ark. But jeez guys, when did you get so angry? There's really an overwhelming air of hositility on this album that I just did not expect. Ola's cursing like a sailor! Not that it's a bad thing, it's just a far departure from what I expected. Perhaps they are trying to keep up with their aging demographic? Or is it to show they the edge needed to break into the fickle US market? Anyhow, there's still plenty of the usual flamboyant glam-pop here to satisfy my needs, I don't care what anyone else says.
- Avi Roig
Det Gamla Landet
s/t
AA/Nosordo
The beauty of this record made me rewrite this review three times because I couldn't quite capture what I felt. This record is what I would like people play as funeral march once I pass away. As creepy as that sounds, it really isn't. The music is full of mourning but yet you remember all the beautiful times you had. This folk, with somewhat military percussion, banjo, acoustic guitars and melodica, is superbly written and played. Despite the simplicity of the music, and the lack of vocals, the songs flow with an incredible ease. This review still sucks but I guess that's the best I can do.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Thomas Dybdahl
One day you'll dance for me, New York City
EMI
This is 24 year old Norwegian Dybdahl's third long player. Taking hints from Ed Harcourt and Bright Eyes, the palette from which he paints from is both fragile and weary. "It's always been you" is a heartfelt weepie that features whispered breathy vocals and a gorgeous piano refrain, all drenched in subtle strings. Title track "One day you'll dance for me, New York City" has an underlying country feel to it with a gently picked banjo, whilst Dybdahl's lyrics are concerned with typical outsiderdom. The young Norwegian doesn't anything new or different on this record, he's just a great songwriter.
- Nick Levine
Echo Is Your Love
Paper cut eye
If Society
As some of you might know, Echo Is Your Love record almost completely without rehearsals, trying to keep thing as spontaneous as possible. Other bands have done similar things, most notably Spazz who never rehearsed a note, and others would like to sound like they did. EIYL somehow keep it relatively together despite their self-imposed limitations (but nowhere as tight as Spazz have been, by the way). Of course, they keep the music as wisely focusing on one area of rock music as possible not drifting away from their Sonic Youth-ish dirty rock direction. Surprising results.
- Simon Thibaudeau
Jeniferever
Iris
Big Scary Monsters
Like Appleseed Cast, these guys play dreamy pop that often stretches into epic post-rock territory. They've certainly got a lot of good ideas and the right instincts and I especially like the bits where they incorporate extra instrumentation such as strings and trumpet, but are a bit lacking when it comes to songwriting and arrangements and subsequently lose me in the big picture. I think if they worked on doing better transitions and added a bit more dynamics, they'd do okay.
- Avi Roig
September Malevolence
Tomorrow we'll wonder where this generation gets its priorities from
A Tenderversion Recording
September Malevolence's previous EP, my introduction to their music, left me more than a little cold. Post-rock in its current GY!BE/Mogwai/Sigur Rós mold is left with little in terms of innovation because everybody uses the same structures and the basic premise. That's where songwriting comes in. Good songwriters, whether or not their genre has been explored in every little corner, will create good music. September Malevolence aren't quite there yet, but considering the progression between the EP and this one, they could very well have something very special soon.
- Simon Thibaudeau
New mp3 today from Det Gamla Landet (The Old Country). I'm really surprised that I haven't been seeing a ton of hype about these guys as they play the kind of evocative, mysterious instrumental folk music that people from Aquarius Records and The Wire seem to love. And really, how could anyone not enjoy this? Like fellow Swedish instrumentalist Björn Olsson, these guys make soundtrack music that summons the spirit of the great Ennio Morricone, but with a far more rustic edge. Their chosen sonic palette of wheezy organs, plucked banjos, elegant classical guitar picking and simple percussion is limiting, but it's also part of their charm as it lends them a unique sonic identity. It doesn't hurt that they've chosen the perfect name for the group as well. This featured track comes from the self-titled debut full-length out now via Aa Records and I've selected it because I just love the way it builds into an epic and fades out with church bells ringing off in the distance. Check it out and also note that you can now order the CD directly from IAT.
Check out some mp3s from half-Swedish/half-Norwegian electronic lofi pop duo Trumpet: http://trumpet.org.uk/
Norwegian singer/songwriter St. Thomas has confirmed that his new album "Children Of The New Brigade" will be released on August 29 with an EP coming out sometime earlier, sometime before summer. Read more here: http://www.stthomas1976.net/thomas/
Denmark's Pony Records has a new website online: http://www.ponyrec.dk/
The label recently signed Gravy, the new project of ex-The Defectors guitarist Nikolaj Grummesgård. Look for their debut album to be released on May 2. In the meantime, download some demo tracks at the band's website: http://www.gravyband.dk/
Timbuktu on tour with Chords and DJ Amato:
03/02 - Debaser, Stockholm
03/03 - Platens, Linköping
03/04 - Cozmoz, Borlänge
03/05 - Klubb Kaliber, Mariestad
03/10 - Kåren, Västerås
03/12 - Gisleparken, Gislaved
03/18 - Facefront, Piteå
03/19 - Stadt, Hudiksvall
03/24 - Bygget, Åre
03/25 - Scharinska Villan, Umeå
03/29 - Arctic Challenge, Tromsö (NOR)
04/01 - The Tivoli, Helsingborg
04/02 - Kårhuset, Luleå
04/08 - Katalin, Uppsala w/Damn!
04/15 - Trädgår'n, Göteborg w/Damn!
04/16 - Mejeriet, Lund w/Damn!
04/21 - Vega, Köpenhamn (DK)
04/22 - KB, Malmö w/Damn!
04/30 - B&B, Halmstad w/Damn!
Norway's Don Juan Dracula will release their new album "Young debutantes II" on March 7. Download the Remington Super 60 remix of the first single "Take me home" right here: http://home.no.net/henkran/donjuandracula/jukebox.html