Finnish act Medeia are keeping a tour diary: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=45782339&blogID=442939047
Finns always have the most ridiculous antics on the road it seems.
Danish act Sterling International (nee Sterling) has posted their new single "You only dance lonely" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sterlinginternational
Aversionline on Swedish black-metal act Svarti Loghin: http://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2008/10/22/svarti-loghin-empty-world-cd/
Spinner is streaming the new Raveonettes EP "Beauty dies": http://spinner.aol.com/artists/new-releases-full-cds?defaultTab=2
Pitchfork is running a two-part interview with Björk: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/146670-interview-bjrk-part-one
MP3: Passiv Dödshjälp - Exorcism i beslagtagen kropp
Look, I know that a majority of the readership here is all about the indierock and I know there's a lot of exciting new releases this fall, but honestly, all I've been jamming lately has been crustpunk and jazz. The indie coverage will return later; today I'm going to post something from Passiv Dödshjälp (not to be confused with the band Aktiv Dödshjälp). Guess which category that one falls into? The band's self-titled CDr demo came to me via Halvfabrikat offshoot Halvkass Produktion whose motto reads: "CD sucks shit. Vinyl is for rich fuckers. CD-R is future." Yup, punk as fuck and totally on the level. Musically, Passiv Dödshjälp doesn't offer a lot of surprises. This is straight-up brutal Swedish crust ala Skitsystem/Disfear/et al. with a bit of added heaviness in the form of death-metal tremolo breaks and hardcore breakdowns. Both are prone to abuse, but the band pulls off the former with ease. The latter, not so much -- all too often the results are way too generic and predictable, not to mention out of place. Leave the chugga-chugga breaks for the meathead hardcore. Regardless, the band's ferocity often makes up for it; they're young, they'll figure it out. They also overindulge in pre-song samples, another trait of youthful naivity, but again, it's all good as far as I'm concerned. Live and learn.
Here's the opening track from the disc - like I said, it's pretty damn straightforward aside from the extra metal goodness on the chorus (and the THX opening), but they do it well so I'm happy to recommend it.
Passiv Dödshjälp - Exorcism i beslagtagen kropp
Tonight!
CMJ HAPPY HOUR SWEDISH MUSIC SHOWCASE
October 22 @ Bowery Electric, NYC (326 Bowery @ 2nd)
Firefox AK (6pm)
Juvelen (7pm)
Hello Saferide (8pm)
FREE entry, $4 drink specials
MP3: Hello Saferide - Anna
MP3: Juvelen - Don't mess
MP3: Firefox AK vs Laid - Once I was like you
V. Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble
Do nothing 'til you hear from me
iDEAL Recordings
Viktor Sjöberg says about himself that he prefers putting pop into experimental music much more than trying it the other way around. And it's easy to hear why in his New Jazz Ensemble project's most recent release "Do nothing 'til you hear from me". Everything moves extremely slowly here in the usual experimental drone-ambient-soundscapes that we have come to expect from him. Yet so much is happening beneath and above these surfaces: Motifs appear, fade, and reappear as tiny melodies loop their way in and out of tracks -- little moments of joyful pop that can't help but draw tiny smiles on listeners' faces. And it's not because you got some hidden insider joke or reference, but just because this record, with all its cleverly-constructed yet never cerebral dramaturgy, lets you witness one of its conclusive moments where you can almost hear the musical penny drop. Still, it never actually does just that, drop. I think this lack of complete resolution, of open popness if you will, is what makes this record so interesting, engaging and charming. And maybe, just maybe, it's also the reason for the "you never will"-chanting in the closing track -- that you never will actually hear that penny drop.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Pelle Carlberg is spending the first week of November in London:
11/01 - Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough
11/02 - Head of Steam, Newcastle
11/03 - Deaf Institute, Manchester
11/04 - UWIC Howard Gardens, Cardiff
11/05 - Bristol Cooler, Bristol
11/06 - Brixton Windmill, London
Finnish experimental/folk act RinneRadio will release their 20th anniversary collection "20" (duh) on November 14.
Mustasch has officially added stand-in guitarist David Johannesson to their permanent lineup. Former guitarist Hannes Hansson left back in June in order to spend more time with his family.
Spin is streaming a new track from The (International) Noise Conspiracy off their upcoming album "The cross of my calling": http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-stream-international-noise-conspiracy-arm-yourself
Norwegian author Pål H Christiansen's cult novel "Drømmer om storhet" about A-ha has now been published in English for the very first time: http://www.norway.org.uk/culture/literature/a-ha+cultbook.htm
The new title of the translated work is "The Scoundrel Days of Hobo Highbrow".
Ninetone Records (Takida) has announced the signing of Stockholm-based punk act Norma Bates and will be releasing their debut album "Hey you! Get down!" " in November. Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/normabates