Sasha Frere-Jones on Robyn in The New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2010/07/05/100705crmu_music_frerejones
From the same issue, though slightly more off-topic, here is "The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut": http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2010/07/05/100705sh_shouts_ephron
Swedish cassette label ' next release will be "Funeral for a fuck" from Swedish act Funereality. Preview at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/reversefuck
The new Bob Hund EP "Stumfilm" is now available as a limited-edition 12": http://www.bob-hund.com/butik
Kenneth Ishak is the 2nd artist that I'm aware of (after The Animal Five) to cover Robyn's single "Dancing on my own" -- listen to an acoustic in-studio performance from NRK P3 (along with his single "You lived in a world of your own"): http://nrkp3.no/popsalongen/h%C3%B8r-kenneth-ihsak-spille-live/#more-1176
has posted the art for the upcoming Iron Lamb 7" "Peskycostal preaching": http://www.soulsellerrecords.com/
No word on a release date, but it was originally supposed to be out in June.
Swedish death metal act Mr. Death will unleash their new 6-song EP "Death suits you" on September 24 via and it will be available on both CD and 10" vinyl.
Finnish indie act Downstairs (or is it just DWNSTRS now?) have a new video for the last track off their recent self-titled album, "I'm done": http://vimeo.com/13110569
The band is currently preparing to go into the studio to record their third record.
Norway's Casiokids are coming to North America in August:
08/18 - Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA
08/19 - Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
08/20 - The Vera Project, Seattle, WA
08/21 - Media Club, Vancouver, BC
08/24 - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
08/25 - Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL
08/26 - Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
08/27 - Supermarket, Toronto, ON
08/28 - Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY
08/29 - Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
08/30 - DC9, Washington, DC
10/08 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
Kind of weird to watch this video without actually hearing Refused, but it does bridge the gap between Dyno and Closer. I dig it! Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UrEQGuOlSU
The new Dungen album "Skit i allt" will be out in September. Hear the new tune "Marken låg stilla" at the band's website: http://www.dungen-music.com/index_e.html
PopMatters reviews the long-overdue US release of Katzenjammer's excellent album "Le pop": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/127828-katzenjammer-le-pop/
Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:
01. CEO
02. Kent
03. Robyn
04. Familjen
05. Oskar Linnros
06. Håkan Hellström
07. Sambassadeur
08. Markus Krunegård
09. The National
10. Teenage Fanclub
Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/
The Bear Quartet's new album "Monty Python" is now available for preorder: http://www.adrianrecordings.com/default.asp?newsid=279
No word yet on a vinyl release, but hopefully someone will step up.
Check out this article in the New York Times on the Leipzig, Germany music scene which features a quote from esteemed Swedish artist Björn Kleinhenz: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/travel/04Next.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
Pg.lost will be heading to China in September. Exact details are not 100% confirmed yet, but preliminary dates are posted here: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=5441486&blogId=536770862