Danish "new-wave rockers" The Foreign Resort will collaborate with the record shop Smukstoj for the release of their debut album, due out in February. The digital version is already available I believe, but the physical incarnation will be vinyl-only. Samples and tourdates (incl. Germany) at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theforeignresort
The release of the new Serena Maneesh 7" "Montrose cadaveric (revevise)" on Bad Afro Records has been pushed back to January 19.
Jonna Lee wrote her first ever song på Svenska for the SVT series "Osynliga sar". Read more and see a clip of said track: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=41450093&blogID=450526464
Swedish piano-based indie trio Eskju Divine has broken up and frontman Gustaf Spetz is going solo. His debut album "Good night Mr Spetz" will be out on January 28 via his old label Imperial Recordings (José González, Promise and the Monster) with the first single "You and me" preceding it on December 29. Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gustafspetz
Fuck yeah! Go Team! has the new The Fine Arts Showcase single "Friday on my knees": http://fuckyeahgoteam.blogspot.com/2008/11/fine-arts-showcase.html
MP3: Spirits of the Dead - White lady/Black rave
It just occurred to me this morning that the opening track of the new Spirits of the Dead album sounds an awful lot like Crystal Antlers, 'cept without the annoying LA-ness that band puts off. I don't want scrubby indie dudes making my psych-rock, I want rock'n'roll dirtballs who look like they stepped out of a time machine. Not that I'm 100% sure I wouldn't be annoyed by Spirits of the Dead in person, but they do have a guy in the band named Deadly Nightshade and their sound is far cleaner, tighter and more controlled than Crystal Antlers could ever hope to me. Listen to the muscular rhythm section on that boogie-woogie bass riff - not a single extra note out of place, nor a poorly placed cymbal hit to be found. Compare and contrast. Deadly Nightshade vs. Sexual Chocolate? The songwriting is better too, even if just for the extended dynamic range the Spirits offer. "White lady/Black rave" does overstay its welcome past the 5-minute mark, but the positive outweighs the negative to my ears. Even when overindulging, they're too modest to totally freak out and lose it. Still, it's nice to hear someone holding back. Lessons can be learned here.
Spirits of the Dead - White lady/Black rave
Fredrik
Live @ Cakeshop, NYC, 11/07/08
I had been anticipating this show for a few weeks after I had seen it posted on this very website. Fredrik's debut "Na na ni" was released earlier this year and has proved to be a very enjoyable and soothing listen, and I was very interested in how it would translate to a live setting. Well, the evening was more a surprise than anything else, as the band opened with "Black fur" and closed with "Alina'a place", with the three songs played in between being instrumentals. I found it to be a bit odd, considering how much of a pop record they have released. I was rather disappointed not to hear the first single "1986" played too, but overall they performed well, it was just something I was not expecting.
- Matt Giordano
Stockholm Beat Connection has the new single "Shirt off" from Luleå-based electro act Blänk: http://stockholmbeatconnection.blogspot.com/2008/11/blnk-shirt-off.html
The Music Export Finland newsletter for November is online: http://musex.fi/mxf/news?articleId=172
Mr. Suitcase's gig at Klubb Rotor in Uppsala on December 12 might be the last you hear of him in a long while: http://www.mrsuitcase.se/site/2008/11/one-more-kickdrum-for-the-road/
Killing the Legacy talks to Finnish hardcore act Worth the Pain: http://killingthelegacy.blogspot.com/2008/11/interview-worth-pain.html
In addition to the Frak reissue I mentioned yesterday, Information also has a new release from Dan Lissvik of the group Studio on the way: http://www.inf000.com/
Delacroix has posted their new single "Midnight boy in the city of delights" as a free download: http://www.delacroixband.com/recordings.php
Swedish indie act Ram Di Dam has signed with Mock Turtle Records, the label run by Erik Londré of Bonnie & Clyde/The Spurts. A full-length album will be released in January/February, but the first single "Flashbacks" is already streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ramdidam
Danish electronic artist Rumpistol is doing a batch of live dates this fall:
11/21 - inSpiral Café, London (UK)
11/21 - Café Oto, London (UK)
11/22 - Luminopolis, London (UK)
11/30 - Golden Pudel, Hamburg (GER) w/Snöleoparden
12/06 - Dense Recordshop, Berlin (GER)
12/07 - Berghain Cantine, Berlin (GER) w/Bjørn Svin & Sofus Forsberg