Check out the opening track "Pitiful" from the new Penniless album "All Good Things Come To Those Who Wait": http://www.cabal.se/westside/audio/penniless/penniless_pitiful.rm
UK label Heliotone has put out a 8" vinyl EP from The Bear Quartet and if you're interested in a copy, you should email heliotone@onoffonoff.org. The tracklist:
01. Suits On For Sandi
02. Bad On The Halo
03. Load It
04. All Your Life
A West Side Fabrication will release the new album "Soul Love" from Vega on March 24. Check out the first single "Shake Up Your Love": http://www.cabal.se/westside/audio/vega/vega_shakeupyoursoul.rm
Also out from West Side is the new album "Kings & Queens" from Swedish Rundunk. Listen to the track "The Pupeteers": http://www.cabal.se/westside/audio/rundfunk/rundfunk_%20puppeteers.rm
Check out the cover art for the new Eskobar album "A Thousand Last Chances": http://www.eskobar.nu/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=12072
The End Records reports that Norway's Frantic Bleep has completed recording basic tracks for their debut album and should have most of the instrumentals finished shortly. They are working with a new singer and should have the whole thing wrapped up in a couple months.
A number of huge English-language music websites are doing features on Sondre Lerche right now. Read more: http://www.sondrelerche.com/news.asp?id=46
Smalltown Supersound in-house designer Rune Mortensen has a new website with his portfolio online and more: http://www.runemortensen.no
New live dates in Sweden for Mattias Alkberg BD:
03/27 - Umeå Open
04/13 - Debaser, Stockholm
04/14 - Smålands Nation, Lund
04/15 - Herrgår'n, Linköping
04/16 - Pustervik, Göteborg
04/17 - KB, Malmö
The full schedule has been confirmed for Norway's Ole Blues Festival in late April and the lineup is pretty much a complete who's who of Norwegian music. Some of names listed include Fenrik Lane (feat. World Idol champ Kurt Nilsen), Magnet, Sondre Lerche, Thomas Dybdahl, Gluecifer, Datarock, Evil Tordivel, Jaga Jazzist, Kaizers Orchestra and tons more. Full details: http://www.oleblues.net/
Parasol Mailorder in-house label Hidden Agenda will be reissuing the first self-titled Hederos & Hellberg album. It's already available for preorder and the official streetdate is April 6.
Oslo, Norway's reknown nightclub Blå will be exporting their unique take on music programming to a host of international locations as part of the country's centennial anniversary in 2005. The club has been a lauchpad for a number of important Norwegian groups over recent years, one very notable group being Jaga Jazzist. The list of artists who are participating in the exchange are still yet to be determined, but the venue list includes Nefertiti in Gothenburg (Sweden), The Spitz in London (UK), Empty Bottle in Chicago (USA), Copenhagen Jazzhouse in Copenhagen (Denmark), WMF in Berlin (Germany), Sonár Festival in Barcelona (Spain), Tings an Times in Pretoria (South Africa), and maybe Chinese Pilot or Art Garage in Moscow (Russia). Read more: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004030510392425617303
Pics of Filled and Satirnine from their show in Latvia: http://sergeja.valsts.lv/svlv/photo/preview.php?gallery_id=38
Splendid reviews Edson: http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1077379670120755