Listen to Norway runs down a few of this spring's most prominent releases, including new albums from Espen Eriksen Trio, Death By Unga Bunga and Susanna: http://www.listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2012022310153957986266
Refused cover Sick of It All with help from Lou Koller live in NYC.
Kleerup will be releasing his new soundtrack album "Aniara" -- a collaboration with musician Carl Bagge and vocalist Helen Sjöholm for the Stockholm City Theater production of the stage epic -- on May 9. Full press release here: http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/emi-music-sweden/pressrelease/view/kleerup-aniara-752936
From the new album of the same name, due out April 24 via . Leave it to the Finns to make techno this harsh; I'm into it.
New Swedish synthpop from The Blind. "A million miles" is the 2nd single from the band's forthcoming debut album "Rivers".
Peter Bjorn and John team up with fellow Stockholm locals Hell on Wheels for a split 7" to commemorate the 3031st anniversary of famed NZ label : http://peterbjornandjohn.com/blog/2012/04/gimme-some-chills-kiwis-part-2/
Each band contributes their own original song "The chills" with members providing cover artwork for their compatriots.
The excellent Norwegian experimental label is doing a very limited vinyl run of guitarist Stein Urheim's new LP "Kosmolodi" for Record Store Day, his third solo release overall I believe. White label, 150 copies, digital version coming in May.
Turboweekend have confirmed that their new single "On my side" will be officially released on April 30. The band will also be offering an early premiere of the track and two other new ones when they stream a live concert from their rehearsal space on the 25th.
Here's yet another thing I meant to post about ages ago and was only just reminded of: Tonight I am going to see In Solitude/The Devil's Blood/Watain in Seattle. Guitarist Henrik Palm currently plays with In Solitude and also (used to?) front Sonic Ritual. Sonic Ritual also features guitarist Linnéa Olsson whose new band is Crucifix in a Death Hand, together with Janne Jarvis (ex-Warrior Soul, Hate Gallery). "Do androids play electric guitars?" is the band's debut 3-song EP and it's a great example of heavy, hook-laden rock'n'roll. It's also now available for free download via Bandcamp, so hook it up! And to add an extra layer of spooky coincidence, I also just happened to sell my last distro copy of Sonic Ritual's debut 7" via Discogs as I was doing this writeup. Perhaps I need to talk up my dead stock more often?
Great powerpop bogged down by dreadful lyrical content. So close to actually being good!
reports that Henric de la Cour has recorded a new 7" for release in late May which will feature the new dark ballad "Granade" b/w a cover of "Harmony dies" by Venom (!!!).
Now that I'm no longer preoccupied with site development I hope to spend a lot more time writing up actual editorial content. Y'know, stuff that goes beyond the day-in/day-out newsfeed that already takes up way too much of my time. Besides, I've been hugely remiss in talking up an overwhelming majority of the stuff I've actually been listening to in my free time. A glaring example: Kite's latest (and greatest!) EP "IV" -- I've had this in steady rotation going on 6+ months now with no sign of slowing; it really truly is that good. And while they've certainly achieved greatness before, I could easily gush about any of the five songs here. So for no particular reason other than that it's the first track, here's "I just wanna feel". Listen to the rest via Spotify.
Kite - I just wanna feel
Katharina NuttallIt's a rare occasion that an album as strong as "Turn me on" comes along -- seemingly out of nowhere -- and presents itself as an almost perfect collection of tunes that showcases the work of a true songwriting genius. I say seemingly out of nowhere because for the sheer productivity of Katharina Nuttall as an artist, composer and producer the Swede has by and large flown under the musical radar in terms of global recognition of the level that she deserves. "Turn me on" is an album brimming with emotion, with Nuttall's beautiful-yet-uneasy vocals perfectly complimenting the haunting music that they accompany. With slight nods toward Neil Young, Mazzy Starr and U2 in places (for examples try "Falling down", "Bricks" and "Play" respectively), Nuttall manages to reference a variety of artists throughout the album, although all brought together in a style unique to herself. That said, "Turn me on" offers a distinct familiarity for those of you who have heard Sweden's Paatos or America's 27 (two sublime bands in their own right) sounding off like a darker amalgam of the two. That Nuttall has created a body of work reminiscent of the best of both of the aforementioned is testimony to just how moving "Turn me on" actually is. The great travesty in all of this is that it probably still won't get the level of recognition that it deserves.
- John Norby
Indiepop for the melancholy set. The connections to Magenta Skycode should be fairly obvious, though it must be said that Burning Hearts' sonic ambitions are a touch less grandiose. No matter really, I'm a big fan of both acts and BH's latest record "Extinctions" is getting lots of repeat plays 'round these parts in recent days. Dunno what took me so long to come around, but it finally clicked.
Burning Hearts - Into the wilderness
