It's so nice to get an unsolicited CD in the mail where the one-sheet betrays nothing, yet the music astounds. Far From Tellus' self-titled debut is the first thing I've gotten in ages from a band I've never heard of that instantly won me over. Their happy, jangly folk-pop is a welcome tonic for the weary soul as we slowly drift towards summer and sunnier weather. If the considerably praise for the latest album from The Tallest Man on Earth has you convinced (I picked up the LP this weekend and am digging it), check these gents out as well because they're on a similar trip, albeit with a full band and a small dose of David Bowie/T. Rex glam to balance out any Dylan-esque troubadour vibes. Strongly recommended!
Nicke Andersson's new post-Hellacopters solo project Imperial State Electric will release its self-titled debut album on May 28 via /. A 7" single was just released via Spanish label and can be previewed at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/imperialstateelectric
To be completely honest, The Radio Dept. have never previously overwhelmed me, not in the way many friends and critics have been. This isn't to say I think they've been hyped into popularity, but their albums have often engaged me for a few weeks and then been shelved, only pulled out occasionally to listen to the two or three songs that really sunk in. "Clinging to a scheme", however, is a different beast -- for me, it is the album their previous efforts more than betrayed they were capable of: an amalgamation of the lively and charming tone of "Lesser matters" and the ambience of "Pet grief", yet surpassing them both. While this newest work finds the band in more explorative territory, it is a focused effort that maintains The Radio Dept.'s signature atmospherics despite the more adventurous tone of the record: "Domestic scene" is a near-perfect introduction to the album with its layers of languid guitars and synthesizers overlying a constant, driving beat, a tact subtly reminiscent of Doves; despite the spoken word opening (an irksome quirk that is used again a few minutes into "Never follow suit"), "Heaven's on fire" is one of the album's highlights, a strange union of The Radio Dept.'s talents with "Writer's block"-era Peter Bjorn and John's pop sensibility; and "Never follow suit" takes a few pages from The Tough Alliance's playbook, translating those mischievous tendencies and working them seamlessly into the track. While The Radio Dept. may have branched out and sped things up a little on this newest album, there is nothing that compromises the band's unique take on pop music; if anything, "Clinging to a scheme" acts as a tableau of where The Radio Dept. has been, all while elevating the band to this new peak. "The video dept." is wonderfully nostalgic of the finest lo-fi moments of "Lesser matters" and the already praised "Domestic scene" could almost have been on "Pet grief", were it a more somber affair. One of the finest qualities of the album is the fact that it isn't as solemn as much of The Radio Dept.'s catalogue, and yet remains just as personal and poignant. Suffice it to say, "Clinging to a scheme" isn't getting shelved anytime soon. - Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Theresa Andersson has just released a new live DVD "Live at Le Petit" and is throwing a contest to see who can get the most people to watch a shared version of the clip posted above. Read more about it here, but not before playing it on my page first!
Swedish noisy indierockers Culkin are streaming a new track at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/culkin
Recommended for anyone who's a fan of loud, swirling guitars.
Junip, José González' iterant full-band project, will release the new EP "Rope & summit" in May and are now offering the title track as a free download: http://www.junip.net/
/ will be handling things at home, will take care of them in the US. There will also be a new full-length coming later this year.
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. Masshysteri - Dom kan inte höra musiken
02. TALK 1
03. David Sandström Overdrive - How the story feels
04. Ludwig Bell - Jag är en idiot
05. Faster Katt - Strange candy
06. TALK 2
07. Zombiekrig - Döden
08. Vorum - Eyes burning red
09. Okkultokrati - No light for mass
10. TALK 3
11. Björn Kleinhenz - Dackes drabanter
12. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Transparent for you all
13. EL-SD - Sösjö
14. Robert Svensson - Beat
15. TALK 4
16. The Aches - Something to die for
17. Meleeh - Trauma
18. Grande Roses - Hell's own trial
19. Underachiever - Keep an eye
20. TALK 5
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
01. Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
02. Donkeyboy - Caught in a Life
03. Chand Torsvik - Kongeriket Norge
04. Jenny & Arne - From Our Hearts
05. Aleksander With - Still Awake
06. Raga Rockers - Shit Happens
07. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2010
08. Ingrid Olava - The Guest
09. Darkthrone - Circle The Wagons
10. Batteri - Batteri
11. WigWam - Non Stop Rock'N'Roll
12. Torbjørn Egner - Samlede CD-er
13. Navigators - The Straight And Narrow
14. Staut - Staut
15. Serena Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor
16. Thom Hell - All Good Things
17. Hanne Boel & Carsten Dahl - I Think It Is Going To Rain
18. Dum Dum Boys - Tidsmaskin
19. Audrey Horne - Audrey Horne
20. Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen - Never Ever Going Back
Junip, José González' full band project, will be touring this summer:
05/28 - Primavera Sound Festival, Barcelona (ESP)
06/08 - Great Scott, Boston, MA
06/09 - Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
06/10 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
06/12 - Turner Hall, Milwaukee, WI
06/13 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
06/16 - Eagle Rock Arts Center, Los Angeles, CA
06/18 - Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
06/19 - Vera Project, Seattle, WA
07/21 - De Affaire Festival, Nijmgen (NL)
07/23 - Boomtown Festival, Gent (BEL)
08/12 - Haldern Pop Festival, Rees-Haldern am Niederrhein (GER)
08/12 - Way Out West Festival, Gothenburg (SWE)
08/15 - Summer Sundae Festival, Leicester (UK)
It too me an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out that Makthaverskan were singing the title of the song as the chorus with a soft Swedish 'G', but I suppose that's all a matter of expectations and perspective. It's still a good song regardless, as I tend to find those sorts of naive foibles more endearing than not. Likewise, it also reinforces how close they are to early Broder Daniel, back when BD were anxious misfit teens as opposed to the elegant misanthropes they eventually grew into. Not that I expect or even desire a similar evolution for Makthaverskan; I'm fine with the status quo teen angst they've got going right now.
The Radio Dept.