Fluxblog on Röyskopp, PB&J
Fluxblog goes two for two with new music from Röyskopp (feat. Lykke Li) and Peter Bjorn and John: http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/03/turn-paper-into-rocks-into-plastic
Dusted on the new Whitest Boy Alive
Ddusted reviews The Whitest Boy Alive's new album "Rules": http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4894
Now streaming 'Sinkadus'
Kristofer Åström's entire new album "Sinkadus" is now streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kastrom
Susanna to support Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Norwegian artist Susanna will support Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (aka Will Oldham) on tour in Europe:
04/20 - Royal Festival Hall, London (UK)
04/21 - St. George's Church, Brighton (UK)
04/22 - AB, Brussels (BEL)
04/23 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
04/24 - Le Cigale, Paris (FRA)
04/25 - Le Printemps Bourges, Bourges (FRA)
04/26 - Le Poste á Galene, Marseille (FRA)
04/28 - Teatro Espace, Torino (ITA)
04/29 - Estragon, Bologna (ITA)
04/30 - Auditorium San Domenico, Foligno (ITA)
Frequent collaborators Helge Sten (Deathprod) will accompany her on guitar and Pål Hausken (In the Country) will handle the drums.
New releases from Adrian Recordings ready for order!
New in stock and ready to order from Adrian Recordings:
The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile (CD)
Andreas Tilliander - Show (CD)
Emil Jensen - 300 eMIL (DVD/CD)
The official release dates for all three are still a bit off in the distance, but if you order now, there's a very good chance they'll show up early.
MP3: Next Life - Sol blade
Videos games are no longer the niche domain of freaks and geeks, but I think it's safe to say that video game music still is. Sure, groups like Desert Planet have their crossover appeal, but you know that when fans are showing up wearing their Power Gloves, you're dealing with a limited audience. It's a shame too because there's actually a lot of good acts taking bitpop-inspired music in new directions, such as Norway's Next Life. They've got a lot of glitchy thrash that makes Single Unit so great 'cept not quite so ADD-addled. Songs play out as long as they need to, even if they max out at 2:40 at their most loquacious. "Sol blade" is median territory; a mere 1:19, but chock full of ideas and plenty epic. The tails-end lead-in to the next track ("Antartic blade", should you be wondering) is a total cliffhanger too. I don't fit the target audience of someone who can jam to this stuff daily, but it's way fun and always brings a smile to my face when I do put it on.
Next Life - Sol blade
Pfork reviews 'Living thing'
Pitchfork reviews the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Living thing": http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12874-living-thing/
Backyard Babies to support Mötley Crüe
Backyard Babies will do a run of dates supporting Mötley Crüe in June:
06/14 - Zenith, Münich (GER)
06/15 - Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart (GER)
06/16 - Funkpark, Berlin (GER)
06/17 - O2 Arena, Prague (CZ)
06/22 - Sportzentrum Tagerhard, Wettingen (CH)
06/23 - Palladium, Köln (GER)
A Camp
Colonia
Universal
If A Camp's female vocalist sounds familiar, it's because you've almost certainly heard her before. Nina Persson is also lead singer of The Cardigans, one of Sweden's biggest musical exports, and A Camp is her side project. Their first album gained wide critical acclaim in 2001, but, due to the continued commercial success of The Cardigans, only now have they had time to follow it up.
Having read that A Camp showed a darker side to Nina, I expected something much more serious, and perhaps even boring, than I actually found on "Colonia". In fact, it has more hooks than some of The Cardigans' recent albums. If I had been told it was their new release, I wouldn't have guessed otherwise.
The highlight for me is certainly "Golden teeth and silver medals", a charming duet with Nicolai Dunger with wonderfully poetic lyrics. Rousing lead single "Stronger than Jesus" is another favourite, along with tribal romp "Here are many wild animals". Contemplative ballads sit side by side with quirky pop songs on this album, which has already earned Nina the front cover of British broadsheet The Independent's Sunday supplement.
It seems an unfortunate irony that this side-project, intended to be a break from the limelight for Nina, is pushing her right back into it. Yet for fans of her work with The Cardigans, it's a lovely treat to find that the wait for their new album was not such a long one after all.
- Jessica Popper
Under Byen to Poland
Under Byen is doing a trio of shows in Poland next month:
04/22 - Klub Studio, Krakow
04/23 - Studio im Agnieszki Osieckiej, Polskie Radio Pr III, Warsaw
04/24 - Klub Powiekszenie, Warsaw
Label Kollektiv +2
Danish indie distro group Label Kollektiv has added ILK Records and Flat Ape Music to their roster. Read more: http://labelkollektiv.com/news/
Sugarplum Fairy - You can't kill rock 'n roll (video)
Sugarplum Fairy's new video for "You can't kill rock 'n roll" is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPuDXXJ35M4&fmt=18
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood from a stone
Paste is premiering the title track of Hanne Hukkelberg's forthcoming album "Blood from a stone": http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/paste_station?station_track=track_10662_1501&mode=normal
Domedag back from the dead
Nicklas Rudolfsson and Daniel Moilanen have resurrected their doom metal project Domedag and recorded a new 30-minute track entitled "Frost, rost och död" ("Frost, rust and death"). Expect some sort of official release later this year...