Here's this week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Daniel Lindström - Daniel Lindström
02. Magnus Uggla - Den tatuerade generationen
03. Lasse Stefanz - Röd Chevrolet
04. Björn Afzelius & Mikael Wiehe - 1993 - Malmöinspelningarna
05. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
06. Carola - Jul i Betlehem
07. Lars Winnerbäck - Vatten under broarna
08. Marie Fredriksson - The Change
09. Markoolio - Bäst off
10. Lasse Berghagen - Jul i vårt hus
11. Uno Svenningsson - Ett andetag från dig
12. Peter Jöback - Storybook
13. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
14. Stefan Nilsson - Så som i himmelen
15. Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
16. Arne Domnérus - Best of Dompan
17. Ulf Lundell - OK Baby OK
18. Totta Näslund - Totta 7: Soul!/På drift
19. Christian Walz - Paint by Numbers
20. Soundtrack of Our Lives - Origin vol. 1
Go here for a special Christas gift from Millencolin and the folks at Burning Heart: http://www.millencolin.com/mc-christmascard.htm
(hint: it's a sample from the forthcoming album "Kingwood")
pHinnMilk Records is currently assembling a Club Telex Noise Ensemble vs Various Artists remix compilation entitled "CTNERMX II" to be released in 2005. As with earlier "CNTNERMX" comps, the disc will contain remixes and interpretations of tracks from CTNE's "legendary" 2001 live album "Just To Disturb You A Little Bit" which featured members of Polytron, Nu Science, Nilly and Kompleksi along with special guests Chicks on Speed. Contributors confirmed so far for volume two include Citizen Omega (Finland), DJ Amsia (Spain), Gym In The Box (Finland), Rene Kita (Finland), Maxx Klaxon (USA), Anton Nikkilä (Finland) and Sonic Temple Assassins (Finland) and there's still much more to come.
The latest in the ongoing legal woes of Satyricon as their touring guitarists defend rape charges in Canada: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=30709
Download the new song "Mephitication" from Norwegian death-metal act Blood Red Throne: http://www.earache.com/bands/blood_red_throne/mp3/Mephitication.mp3
The track comes from the band's new album "Altered Genesis", due out February 21 via Earache Records.
C.Aarmé reports that they've got seven new songs committed to tape and are working on a tour for February/March next year. Details soon.
Today's top ten comes to us from Markus Persson of the booking agency Monstera and the band Leif Karate. Be sure to check it out.
New mp3 today from Finland's Cleaning Women. I can't possibly begin to do this band justice, so let's have their bio do the talking:
Three guys in drag, clinking away like monkeys in heat at their home-made instruments made out of clotheshorses and pickle jars, hollering vaguely nonsensical slogans about the importance of cleaning.
Sounds like a gimmick, right? Well, if you're a cynic like me, then you're probably feeling quite skeptical right now. Hopefully, you're also still a bit curious though because if you pass on these guys, you're missing out. In some ways, Cleaning Women are like the Finnish version of Doo Rag: they get your attention through contrivance, but you stick around because the music really is quite good. "Ricewestern", the song posted today, is the first track from the band's 2001 debut album "Pulsator" and the sound is a bastard mix of funky metal percussion and distorted bass, glazed with a vocal melody that almost sounds lifted from the Finnish folk tradition. Intriguing, no? Investigate!
The website for Wild Kingdom is back up and running with a bit of news from The Doits, Maryslim, Gemini Five and Wonderfools: http://www.wildkingdom.se/
New UK dates in 2005 for Sondre Lerche:
02/25 - Wheelans, Dublin
02/26 - King Tuts, Glasgow
02/28 - University, Newcastle
03/01 - Night And Day, Manchester
03/02 - Arts Centre, Norwich
03/03 - Komedia, Brighton
03/04 - Social, Nottingham
03/05 - Louisianna, Bristol
03/07 - Academy, Birmingham
03/08 - Zodiac, Oxford
03/09 - Islington Academy, London
Surrounded will begin recording a new album at Helikopter Studio in Göteborg in January.
Updated tourdates for Mando Diao:
01/15 - Mean Fiddler, London (UK)
01/17 - Marquee, London (UK)
01/18 - Buffalo Bar, London (UK)
01/19 - Deathdisco, London (UK)
01/25 - Mudd Club, Berlin (GER)
01/27 - Top of the Pops, Cologne (GER)
02/22 - Kalkscheune, Berlin (GER)
02/23 - Markthalle, Hamburg (GER)
02/24 - Prime Club, Cologne (GER)
02/25 - Backstage, Munich (GER)
02/26 - Flex, Vienna (AUS)
02/27 - Rote Fabrik, Zurich (SWI)
02/28 - Fri-son, Frieburg (SWI)
03/01 - Batschkapp, Frankfurt (GER)
03/02 - The Tivoli, Utrecht (HOL)
03/03 - Melkweg, Amsterdam (HOL)
03/04 - Vera, Groningen (HOL)
03/05 - Ringlockschupen, Bielefeld (GER)
Check out an e-card for the brand new Ark album "State of the Ark": http://www.emi.se/artists/theark/sota/juke/
Speaking of The Ark, the band's website has a new incredibly annoying, flash-based redesign: http://www.thearkworld.com/