This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Eriksen - De aller beste
02. Anita Skorgan - Hele veien - 47 utvalgte sanger
03. Tone Damli Aaberge - I Know
04. Röyksopp - Junior
05. Steff Nevers - Closest to My Heart
06. BigBang - Edendale
07. CC Cowboys - Morgen & kveld
08. Lene Marlin - Twist the Truth
09. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2009
10. Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone
11. Hovedøen Social Club - ¡Ai Caramba!
12. Marius Müllers Funhouse - Plugged 2 - Rett og slett
13. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham County Line - Brother Of Song
14. Silje Nergaard - A Thousand True Stories
15. Pegasus - Min første natt
16. Sigvart Dagsland - Hymns
17. Kari Bremnes - Ly
18. Noora Noor - Soul Deep
19. Karpe Diem - Fire vegger
20. deLillos - Huskeglemme
Check out members from legendary Swedish punk act Asta Kask playing Johnny Cash covers på Svenska: http://www.myspace.com/johnnykask
I don't know much about Kumla Prison, but I highly doubt it has anything on San Quentin...
Denmark's Choir of Young Believers in the Pitchfork Forkcast: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/12776-actionreaction/
Happy May Day comrades! PS, new Randy album in 2009? I wouldn't hold my breath, but it just might happen.
Randy - Karl Marx and history
Thåström has a new video for the song "Långtbort": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvWv8NFc7Qg&fmt=18
The Radio Dept.'s new single is called "David".
Terrorizer interviews Fenriz (Darkthrone) about his recently unearthed doom project Engangsgrill: http://www.terrorizer.com/content/fenriz-talks-about-his-unearthed-doom-rarities
Finnish electro-rockers Viola have their new single for May already available as a free download: http://www.violamusicclub.com/
Coming on September 7 via Fysisk Format: Nernes/Skagen - Ad Undas 2LP. Full details (in Norwegian) are here: http://fysiskformat.tigernet.no/?cmd=16
Also on the way from the label this fall:
10/05 - Dominic - Nord
10/19 - Årabrot - I rove
11/16 - Haust - tba
Tellé has posted some preliminary details for overrated Norwegian pop artist Annie's upcoming release schedule: http://www.houseoftelle.com/?p=90
Sad truth: Existensminimum are solely a critic's act. Perhaps he'll get his proper due sometime down the road (as often happens for similarly cursed artists), but for now I think that Magnus Henriksson is doomed to empty acclaim. A perfect 5/5 review in Dagens Nyheter? Sure! Popular support from hip young bloggerati? Naah, not gonna happen. His music is too different, too belabored, too lacking in immediate satisfaction. There are no easy shortcut reference points. "1993", my favorite track from the new album "Ok boys", has an obvious Krautrock feel, but it's much more than that. The phrasing of the vocals and the shouted asides amp up the immediacy while the drums and piano continue to pound on relentlessly. Drugs! Death! MTV! What's it all mean? Where's it going? New sounds sneak in, closing in the walls, creating claustrophobia and panic. It's not pop exactly -- I don't know what it is -- but it's good.
Existensminimum - 1993
Watch a full concert of Peter Bjorn and John performing live in France: http://www.grandcrew.com/videos/108