Swedish/Glaswegian trio The Social Services impressed me from the moment I first heard them and now that their debut album "It's nothing personal, it's national security" is finally out, it's time for me to heap on more praise. Seriously, they're a great band and if you still haven't checked them out by now, it's time you got on it. Today's track is "Seven dwarves", a jaunty little pop song with an uplifting, esteem-boosting message. As the band themselves describe it:
An American indie blog once wrote a few lines about us and their interpretation of this particular song was that it was about 'jerks'. We're not entirely sure where they got that from.
To set the record straight, the song was lovingly written for and about Lucy's [Lucy Cathcart] five nieces and two nephews, aged 2-12. It's also especially designed for Lucy's mum who once put in a plaintive request for us to write 'some happy songs'. She finds our oeuvre somewhat depressing.
Depressing? Hardly! Okay, so maybe their version of "You are my sunshine" is a total downer, but it's well-balanced by pieces like this. And even tracks like "The Baltic Sea" have their silver lining if you're actually paying attention. Anyhow, I'm getting off point, but my message remains the same: The Social Services are a great band. Pay attention!
The Social Services - Seven dwarves
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Newly confirmed 2009 tourdates for Swedish postrockers Pg.lost:
01/09 - Lokal, Berlin (GER)
01/11 - tba, Budapest (HUN)
01/12 - MDK Batory, Chorzow (POL)
01/13 - W Srarym Kinie, Poznan (POL)
01/14 - Elfer Music Club, Frankfurt (GER)
01/16 - Cobra, Solingen (GER)
01/17 - Steinbruch, Duisburg (GER)
The video for Division of Laura Lee's latest single "LAX" (just released today) is viewable here: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44669675
Also be sure to check out their latest guest-directed video for the song "3 guitars" as done by Jason Lytle (Grandaddy): http://www.vimeo.com/1955174
There's a new Timo Räisänen album on the way called "...And then there was Timo". It comes out November 26 and will be preceded by the single "About you now" b/w "December 63 (oh what a night)" on November 5.
Plastic Strip Press will be releasing a 3CD/1DVD boxset from Norwegian avant-jazz pioneers Svein Finnerud Trio on November 3. This collection compiles all of the band's various releases over the years as well as two previously unreleased TV show appearances, two radio interviews, a slideshow, a 40-page booklet with multiple essays and a bonus mp3 of an entire previously unreleased live show from 1971. For more details, go here: http://www.plasticstrip.no/Svein%20Finnerud%20Trio%20Boxset.html
The new Ulf Lundell album "Omaha" will be released on November 19 with the first single "Hitza hitz" preceding it November 3.
New reviews at The Silent Ballet of new albums from both Detektivbyrån and Library Tapes
Danish metalcore act As We Fight has a new track on myspace called "Join the killing spree": http://www.myspace.com/aswefight
The band's new album will be called "Meet your maker".
New Raveonettes dates set for January:
01/15 - Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
01/16 - Webster Hall, New York, NY
01/17 - Black Cat, Washington, DC
01/23 - Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco, CA
01/24 - Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Confirmed for the It's a Trap! Clubnight on December 19 at Debaser Malmö: David Sandström Overdrive! Luger should have details for the full Swedish tour in promotion of the new album "Pigs lose" (due out October 22 via Razzia Records), but this is one date we can already look forward to.
Tiger Lou is now streaming new tracks at myspace, including "Crushed by a crowd", the lead single off the new album "A partial print": http://www.myspace.com/tigerlou
The Hellacopters' final shows at Debaser Medis in Stockholm will be streamed live in HD at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hellacopters
Showtimes are Saturday at 12:30 and 21:00 and Sunday at 15:00 and 21:00 (that's local time).
Love Is All is the secret guest at tonight's show at the Secret Project Robot Art Space in Brooklyn along with Abe Vigoda, Woods and Knyfe Hyts. That's 9pm at 210 Kent Ave. Cost is $7 and the show is all-ages.