Nightwish frontwoman Tarja Turunen recently spent some time at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki with producer Esa Nieminen recording two tradition Finnish Christmas songs ("En Etsi Valtaa, Loistoa" and "Kun Joulu On") for what will be her first-ever solo CD single. It's due out in Finland sometime in December, for obvious reasons.
Online label Racewillbegin opens the fall release season with something new from indietronica act Mont Ventoux featuring guest appearances by Sophie Rimheden and Karin Filipsson and a cover of "Bus" by Radio Dept.: http://www.racewillbegin.com/
Tons of Scandinavian stuff at High Bias this week:
Kings of Convenience: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short1.html#KingsofConvenience
Laakso: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short1.html#Laakso
Singapore Sling: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short2.html#SingaporeSling
Carpathian Forest and Green Carnation on DVD: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_DVD.html
The Soundtrack of Our Lives at the Austin City Limits Music Festival: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_live.html (scroll to 9/18)
Download some new tracks from Swedish noise rockers Svenson: http://www.kneget.nu/svenson/
When are these guys gonna put out a new record dammit?
Emil Jensen's debut album "Kom hem som nån annan" will come out Adrian Recordings on October 27. Tracklist:
01. Kom hem som nån annan
02. Naken ner på knä
03. Längs hörnen
04. Hela vägen ner
05. Bud från april
06. Ond igen
07. Sönderblåst slätt
08. Telefonkiosk
09. Flod utan banker
10. Väck mig inte i morgon
Mp3 blog Fat Planet is updated with tracks from Jimi Tenor (FIN), Ugress (NOR), Girl with a Monkey (SWE) and more: http://www.fatplanet.com.au/
It shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but the upcoming Union Carbide Productions 'greatest hits' CD is being changed up once again. It now has the new title of "Remastered To Be Recycled" and a new tracklist:
01. Glad To Have You Back (single mix)
02. Chameleon Ride
03. Ring My Bell
04. San Francisco Boogie (alternative mix)
05. Golden Age
06. How Do You Feel Today
07. Maximum Dogbreath
08. Mr. Untitled
09. Financial Declaration
10. Anytime (unreleased demo from the "Swing" sessions)
11. Be Myself Again
12. Cartoon Animal
13. Baritone Street
14. High Speed Energy
15. Can't Slow Down
16. Future Now (MC5 cover)
17. Teenage Bankman
18. Coda
Look for it on September 29, the same day the new UCP website gets launched.
WE's latest album "Smugglers" went straight to #1 in Norway when it was released last week, selling more copies than their last two albums combined. Pretty amazing, eh? Of course, I'm stoked to have them on the "Reader's Companion" compilation which I was just informed should be ready and on it's way to me within the week. Great band, great album, totally worth checking out. Their success is well-deserved. Up next for the guys is a tour of Norway and here's what they've got booked so far:
10/01 - Hawk, Fredrikstad (NOR)
10/02 - Blå, Oslo (NOR)
10/08 - Scene 37, Horten u 18 (NOR)
10/14 - Blå Rock, Tromsø (NOR)
10/20 - tba (NOR)
10/21 - Flytten, Haugesund (NOR)
10/22 - Hulen, Bergen (NOR)
10/23 - Storebø Grendahus, Austevoll (NOR)
10/27 - Meieriet, Sogndal (NOR)
10/28 - Stud Samf, Volda (NOR)
10/29 - Studentenes Hus, Gjøvik (NOR)
10/30 - Felix, Lillehammer (NOR)
11/05 - Dolby, Tønsberg (NOR)
11/12 - Club 3, Asker u18 (NOR)
11/13 - Ridderspranget, Vågå (NOR)
11/19 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
11/25 - Martin's, Lillestrøm (NOR)
01/21 - Hydranten, Hamar (NOR)
Norwegian noir-rockers The Ricochets are touring Northern Europe in October:
09/30 - Hoxter, Tonenburg (GER)
10/01 - Flex, Vienna (AUS)
10/02 - Leipzig, Ilses Erika (GER)
10/03 - Exil, Singen (GER)
10/04 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt (Main) (GER)
10/05 - Ziegel Rote Fabrik, Zuruch (SWI)
10/06 - Harmonie/WDR Rockpalast Crossroads Festival (GER)
10/07 - ISC, Bern (SWI)
10/08 - Groovestation, Dresden (GER)
10/09 - Atomic Cafe, Munchen (GER)
10/10 - Fisherman's Café, Langenau (Ulm) (GER)
Ulf Lundell will release his new album "Ok baby ok" on November 11, his first since 2002's 2xCD "Club Zebra". The album was recorded at Decibel Studio in Stockholm with engineer Dag Lundqvist and features a backing band including Marcus Olsson on keyboards, Jan Bark and Jens Frithiof on guitar, Andreas Dahlbäck on drums and Surjo Benigh on bass. Tracklist:
01. Top hat
02. Kapten kidd
03. Skaka på dom
04. Alperna
05. Lazarus
06. OK OK
07. Blint förälskade igen
08. Smulorna i sängen
09. Den här himlen lite till
10. Blodröd zon
11. Hon måste va en kristen kommunist
12. En droppe vatten
13. Botten opp
14. Baby har en ring
The top Scandinavian videos streamed last week at on-demand video service Musicbrigade.com:
01. Ana - We Are
02. Annie - Chewing Gum
03. Gunther & Sunshine Girls - Teeny Weeny String Bikini
04. Nightwish - Nemo
05. Kings Of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You
Requested Videos: 257,722
Number of titles requested: 5,012 different titles
Total Streams: 367,068
Dagensskiva presents "Nordic Beat 101": http://dagensskiva.com/artiklar/nordikbeat/index.asp?cid=412 (in Swedish)
Swedish lo-fi synthpop act and all-around miscreants 50 Hertz have posted the brand new single "Happy new year! It's 1984!" for download on their website: http://www.50hertz.tk/