PopMatters reviews Susanna
PopMatters on the new Susanna album "Flower of evil": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/67208-susanna-flower-of-evil/
2fortheroad comes to the end
2fortheroad, a German booking agency that handled a large number of Scandinavian acts, has closed shop: http://www.2fortheroad.de/
Fever Ray - If I had a heart (video)
The Andreas Nilsson-directed video for the Fever Ray single "If I had a heart" is now online: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148276-pitchforktv-fever-ray-the-knifes-karin-dreijer-if-i-had-a-heart-video-premiere
Fever Ray is the solo act of Karin Dreijer Andersson from The Knife.
Spellemann 2008
The nominees for the Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy) have been announced: http://www.spellemann.no/
Here's a few of the categories:
Female artist:
Ane Brun - Changing Of The Seasons (Det Er Mine)
Ingrid Olava - Juliet's Wishes (EMI Music Norway)
Maria Mena - Cause And Effect (Sony Music)
Marit Larsen - The Chase (EMI/Virgin)
Male artist:
Bjørn Eidsvåg - Pust (Petroleum/Sony Music)
Julian Berntzen - Rocket Ship Love (Universal Music)
Thom Hell - God If I Saw Her Now (Voices Of Wonder)
Åge Aleksandersen og Sambandet - Katalysator (EMI Music Norway/Solregn)
Pop group:
Lester - This Village (Deaf Ear Records)
Real Ones - All For The Neighbourhood (Warner Music)
The Margarets - Twenty Years Erased (Division Records as)
Electronica:
Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too (Smalltown Supersound)
Mental Overdrive - You Are Being Manipulated (Smalltown Supersound)
Skatebård - Cosmos (Digitalo Enterprises)
Rock:
Grand Island - Boys & Brutes (Racing Junior)
Lukestar - Lake Toba (Phone Me)
Motorpsycho - Little Lucid Moments (Rune Grammofon)
Tommy Tokyo & Starving For My Gravy - Smear Your Smiles Back On (Warner Music)
Metal:
Benea Reach - Alleviat (Tabu Recordings)
Enslaved - Vertebrae (Indie Recordings)
Keep of Kalessin - Kolossus (Indie Recordings)
Jazz:
Helge Lien Trio - Hello Troll (Ozella/Musikklosen)
Mathias Eick - The Door (ECM/Grappa)
Moment - Paradiso (Schmell)
Radka Toneff - Butterfly (Curling Legs as)
Open class:
Annbjørg Lien - Waltz With Me (Heilo)
Farmers Market - Surfin' USSR (Ipecac)
H.K.H. Kronprinsesse Mette-Marits Utvalgte Salmer - Sorgen og Gleden (Kirkelig Kulturverksted)
Lars Horntveth - Kaleidoscopic (Smalltown Supersound)
Best newcomer:
Erlend Bratland - True Colors (Sony Music)
Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart (Nightliner/Universal)
Ingrid Olava - Juliet's Wishes (EMI Music Norway)
Katzenjammer - Le Pop (Propeller Recordings)
Best video:
Beady Belle - Self-Fulfilling (Jazzland Records/Sonet/Universal)
Madcon - Liar (Bonnier Amigo Music)
Madrugada - Look Away Lucifer (Malabar Recording Company)
Maria Mena - All This Time (Sony Music)
Thom Hell - My Heart Is Longing For A Soul (Voices Of Wonder)
Twiggy Frostbite live acoustic
Despotz Records is giving away a couple live acoustic tracks from Twiggy Frostbite: "Heroes" / "Messy star"
The band shares members with The Deer Tracks and Grizzly Twister and will be releasing their debut album "Through fire" in April.
MP3: Convoj - Knives and riptides
Had Convoj's new album "Exceptionnel" been released even a month earlier, there's a good chance it would have ended up on my year-end best-of list. That's the way it goes though -- there's way too much mediocre music out there for me to wade through and often the best stuff gets forced to wayside. Don't make the same mistake and let them pass you by! "Knives and riptides" is everything the best guitar-based indierock should be: driving and insistent, with melody and power. There's not as much cowbell abuse as "Songs that maybe won't be forgotten", but it's still plenty enough to qualify as awesome. And really, that's what matters.
Convoj - Knives and riptides
Björn Kleinhenz - XXX Mas
Better late than never: download a free Xmas track from the always-fantastic Björn Kleinhenz: http://aerotone.300l600.de/index.php?id=2,141,0,0,1,0
Friendly Noise tries new tact for 2009
Swedish label Friendly Noise has outlined their plans for 2009 which will include a new limited release every three months, should they receive enough pre-orders to make it worthwhile: http://www.friendlynoise.se/guide-to-friendly-noises-release-plan-for-2009-in-ten-points/
First up is the new album "Aquatint" from Testbild!. Click the above link for more info and preorder details.
The dark flower preview
Freddie Wadling (Cortex, Blue for Two, etc.) is streaming a few sample tunes from his forthcoming double album "Den mörka blomman/The dark flower" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/freddiewadling
Guests vocalists on said album include Stina Nordenstam, Peter LeMarc, Anna Ternheim and Tomas Andersson Wij and the song selection includes covers of "Jennifer" (Faust), "In heaven (Lady in the radiator song)" (David Lynch & Peter Ivers) and "Cafe Cosmopolite" (Imperiet). The official release date is January 28.
New Emil Jensen single in February
Emil Jensen will be releasing "Allt jag gillar upphör" as a single this coming February along with some undisclosed bonus material.
Despotz signs O'Spada
Despotz Records (The Deer Tracks, Kaka) has announced the signing of Swedish act O'Spada and will be releasing their debut album this coming fall. Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ospadamusic
CRI to reissue eight classic Finnish punk seven-inches in 2009, more
Combat Rock Industry will be doing a run of eight classic Finnish punk 7" reissues in 2009 starting off with two records from Ratsia in March. Look for more batches of two to come every two months or so thereafter. Also in the works from the label is a special 10th anniversary show planned for May 22, 2010. Obviously, that's still a loooong way off, but they've already confirmed that Endstand and Manifesto Jukebox will reunite for the occasion along with Wasted.
Alpine Those Myriads? give away album in exchange for email
Sign up for the Alpine Those Myriads? newsletter, get a free digital copy of their new album "Trance eloquent wings": http://www.alpinethosemyriads.com/
Auton
Any where out of the world
Structures Sonores
This first album by Swedish trio Auton, "Any where out of the world", had been in the works for several years before it finally got its proper release on Viktor Sjöberg's Structures Sonores label. All the time that went into its production really shows in the multi-faceted approach to music that is represented here. The three musicians shift from straight-out jazz to drone to postrock to Satie-like piano moments with such casualness and grace. All the while, tone colors remain uniformly warm and inviting with keyboard instruments and the occasional guitar dominating the picture. It all sounds very analog and "vintage" indeed, and there is even room for some humor along the way (say, a short handclap "solo", for example). Yet, despite its sometimes rampant diversity, the record is unified by countless repeating small melodies for the listener to hold onto. All in all, Auton have used their impressive, yet never overbearing virtuosity to create a dramatic journey through everything that contemporary music could and should be. My Scandinavian record of the year.
- Arnulf Köhncke
As In RebekkaMaria in NYC on Wednesday
Danish artist As In RebekkaMaria will be doing a one-off gig at Glasslands in Brooklyn, NY this Wednesday, January 7.