MTVe is launching four new Nordic channels for the countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, each one specifically targeted to the local audience. Read more: http://www.mtve.com/article.php?ArticleId=5253
Dagens Nyheter's take on the year's best albums: http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1058&a=355441&previousRenderType=6 (in Swedish)
Pitchfork reviews Efterklang: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/e/efterklang/tripper.shtml
Aftonbladet's music critics offers up their picks for the year's best albums, starting with Per Bjurman: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,575639,00.html (in Swedish)
Some of the number ones include Marit Bergman, Koma and Mattias Alkberg.
Finntroll and Graveworm will be teaming up for a European tour next spring. Tentative dates:
04/07 - F House, Jena (GER)
04/08 - K17, Berlin (GER)
04/09 - Turnhalle, Giebelstadt (GER)
04/10 - Lokschuppen, Rosenheim (GER)
04/11 - Black Pess, Praha (CZ)
04/12 - Stara Peraken, Nitra (SLO)
04/13 - Mega Club, Budapest (HUN)
04/14 - Arena, Vienna (AUS)
04/15 - Posthof, Linz (AUS)
04/16 - tba (ITA)
04/17 - Alpheus, Roma (ITA)
04/18 - Kiff Arrau (SWI)
04/19 - Rockstore, Montpellier (FRA)
04/20 - Mephisto, Barcelona (SPA)
04/21 - Ritmo Compas, Madrid (SPA)
04/22 - El Tren, Granada (SPA)
04/23 - tba (POR)
04/24 - tba (SPA)
04/25 - Tunk, Irun (SPA)
04/27 - Effenaar, Eindhofen (NL)
04/28 - Melkweg Amsterdam (NL)
04/29 - Vera, Groningen (NL)
04/30 - tba (NL)
05/01 - tba (BL)
05/02 - tba (UK)
05/03 - tba (UK)
05/04 - Underworld, London (UK)
05/05 - The Pitz, Milton Keyns (UK)
The Knife on their new 10" EP "Gender bender":
"We think it's very exciting to create a vocal from which you can't tell the gender. For us it's a way to loosen up and play with the gender roles, a way to work with our feminist ideas and the the problem with specifying gender roles. Sometimes the voice sounds really male but still there is something very different about it. And sometimes, when the voicetransformer works as its best, the voice sounds really androgynous. To maximise the expression of the song we also like to go into different characters. The voicetransformer makes this easier and the result gets stronger and more clear".
As mentioned before, the record contains three previously released tracks ("Handy-Man", "You Make Me Like Charity" and "Hangin' Out") along with the new song "Manhood". It's out now.
Thirdimension has added a couple mp3s and some silly flash animations to their site: http://www.thirdimension.nu/
Norway's Kite has parted ways with guitarist Reiten and is currently seeking a replacement. Read more: http://www.kiteweb.net/kiteweb/iFrontpage.php?ID=34
Download a demo version of the brand new Abduktio song "Tämä kaupunki" ("This city") right here: http://www.fullsteamrecords.com/popupikkunat/mp3/Abduktio/Abduktio%20-%20tama%20kaupunki.mp3
The band will start recording a new album in February.
This would probably never happen in the US: the city of Oslo has decided to bail out internationally renown jazz club Blå in light of their recent financial hardships. Even better, the action sets a precedent for continued support in the future. Read more: http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article930630.ece