Danish indie upstarts Annasaid have signed with Unity Sound and will be heading out on the road for a few UK and German dates this fall:
11/04 - The Redhouse, Sheffield (UK)
11/05 - Club NME, London (UK)
11/06 - Joseph´s Well, Leeds (UK)
11/07 - The Cross Kings, London (UK)
11/12 - NBI, Berlin (GER)
11/13 - Mensa Live Club, Freiburg (GER)
Can't say I'm all that thrilled by their myspaces samples, but we shall see...
Upcoming international dates for Moto Boy:
09/30 - Burundy Lion, Montreal (CAN)
10/02 - POP Montreal, Montreal (CAN)
10/15 - Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik (ICE)
10/16 - Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik (ICE)
10/19 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
10/21 - Moritzbastei, Leipzig (GER)
10/22 - Hasenschaukel, Hamburg (GER)
10/23 - Hafen2, Offenbach (GER)
10/24 - Subway, Cologne (GER)
10/25 - Fluc, Vienna (CH)
Swedish electropop act Name the Pet will release her self-titled full-length debut on October 14.
80s postpunk act Commando M Pigg will grace the stage once more at the MNW 40th anniversary party at Strand Hornstull on October 14.
Björn KleinhenzThe new album "B.U.R.M.A." by long time itsatrap-favorite Björn Kleinhenz has something ectoplasmic about it: Every time I think I've pinned down its "essence", it morphs into something else and oozes away through the speakers. At least three musical reincarnations of Björn roam these songs -- familiar Americana and indiepop-Björn, as well as short visits by altrock-Björn. First song "HAZ920" sets the tone: A muffled cymbal plays a straight beat for 30 seconds until loud postrock-guitars set in that, about 60 seconds later, give way to one of the most touching and sparse folk songs I've heard in a long time. Think Bright Eyes' "First day of my life" with less liquor, much less self-pity, and much more enjambment. The albums' other songs might at first glance seem straighter in their arrangements, but second looks often reveal hidden warpedness between notes and pauses. There's a certain charming quirkiness that defines this record and one is hard-pressed to guess where it comes from: Calculation, refusal, or simply the limitations of recording in a small room on a wintery Swedish island? I'd like to think it's all of the above: Here's a musician that knows not only his how-to's but also his why-not's, who has both stories and concepts to tell. That's probably why this record is sometimes so disarmingly close to one of the ideals of pop-music: Easy to listen to but hard to fully understand.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Here's the full tracklist for the upcoming Leonard Cohen tribute "Cohen - The Scandinavian report":
01. Cockies n Beans - First we take Manhattan
02. Rebecka Törnqvist - Here it is
03. Moto Boy - If it be your will
04. Jan Malmsjö - Dansa mig till kärlekens slut (Dance me to the end of love)
05. Ane Brun - Ain't no cure for love
06. Bo Sundström - Everybody knows
07. Sara Isaksson - Hey that's no way to say goodbye
08. Lars Halapi - Sisters of mercy
09. Mikael Wiehe - USA är redo för demokrati (Democracy)
10. Anders Widmark - Hallelujah
11. Eva Dahlgren - Bird on the wire
12. Vidar & Peter - In my secret life
13. Jenny Wilson - The partisan
14. Olle Ljungström - Chelsea Hotel #2
15. Sophie Zelmani - Waiting for the miracle to come
16. Christel Alsos - Suzanne
The official release date is September 30.
Still haven't had the time or inclination to dig deep into the new Astrid Swan record, but I'm feeling "2000 - 2010 (I'm not even 30)". Musically speaking, it's got a great heavy synth sound, complete with electronic toms, but it's the ld and grumpy lyrical content I love best. Personally, I'm on the wrong side of 30, but I commiserate fully, though my excuse was working east coast hours for years while living in the SF Bay Area. Let me tell you, there's nothing like waking up at 3:30 am to make you age prematurely. Anyhow, now that I'm old and bitter and no fun, I'm glad to hear music that speaks to me my ancient generation. Oh, youth! You'll inherit a world of shit when we're done with it, so live it up while you can.
Astrid Swan - 2000 - 2010 (I'm not even 30)
Pitchfork has the new video for Jónsi and Alex and the song "Sometimes I get scared": http://pitchfork.com/news/36433-new-video-from-sigur-ros-frontman-jonsis-side-project/
Watch Moto Boy perform "Sledgehammer" on the streets of Stockholm as a tribute to Polar Prize winner Peter Gabriel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KynGtYe_Cs
Stereogum has a new track from Swedish act Fredrik along with the news that their recent EP trilogy "Trilogi" (duh) will get a consolidated released on November 10 via The Kora Records: http://stereogum.com/archives/mp3/new-fredrik-locked-in-the-basement_088881.html
More here: http://www.thekorarecords.com/press-trilogi.html
Watch [ingenting] perform the song "Medan vi sov" live at The Tram Sessions: http://thetramsession.blogspot.com/2009/09/ingenting.html
I was actually just listening to this track when I stumbled across the link.
Check out Danish artist Lars and The Hands of Light and their new video "Me me me": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z17P6fpBi9k
Release the Bats reports that the forthcoming No Balls LP has been sent off for pressing and should be ready in mid-October. The label says: This is Drajan and Råberg from Brainbombs going nuts. Incredible stuff that sounds like mix of Ruins, Brainbombs and DNA." Having picked up a new 7" from them recently, I'd say that's not too far from the truth though the far simpler "instrumental Brainbombs" descriptor would probably suffice, at least for record I have. Anyhow, looking forward to it. 300 copies, preview a track here: http://www.myspace.com/releasethebatsrecords
PSL reports that Jonas Game has started work on his sophomore album and will be singing in Swedish: http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2009/09/09/extra-extra-jonas-game-spelar-in-skiva-pa-svenska-med-rasmus-hagg/
It's also worth noting that he will be recording with Rasmus Hägg (Studio) and his old Bad Cash Quartet bandmates Adam Bolméus och Martin Elisson will be joining him as well.
I don't normally post Swedish tourdates, but both The Bear Quartet and Mattias Alkberg are hitting the road this fall: http://www.mabd.se/?p=132
Also scroll down through the comments for a roundup of various reviews for the new album "89".
