They've been around a few years already, but Swedish act Tony Clifton has never released a full-length album and that's about to change on November 5 when their debut "White elephant" finally drops via Bodily Beats/Sony ATV. Hear their new single "Deliverance" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tonyclifton11
Danish shoegazers Slaraffenland will release their new "Sunshine EP" on October 6 via Rumraket and will also be heading out on some European dates around that time as well:
10/07 - Astra Stube, Hamburg (GER)
10/08 - Steinbruch, Duisburg (GER)
10/09 - Schokoladen, Berlin (GER) w/Handsome Furs, Jacob Faurholt
10/11 - Gleis 22, Münster (GER) w/Ef
10/12 - Ut Connewitz, Leipzig (GER)
10/14 - Jadlodajnia Filozoficzna, Warsaw (POL)
10/15 - De Kreun, Kortrijk (BEL)
10/16 - Cul de Sac, Tilburg (NL)
10/17 - Platformtheater, Groningen (NL)
10/25 - Spot on Denmark @ TIVOLI for the Nordic Blizzard Festival, Utrecht (NL)
10/31 - La Fléche D'or, Paris (FRA)
11/01 - Novosonic Festival, Dijon (FRA)
11/02 - Dqliq, Luxembourg (LUX)
11/07 - De Nachten Festival, Antwerp (BEL)
11/14 - Spot on Denmark @ AB, Brussels (BEL)
As promised, there's a new Death By Kite track up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deathbykite
A Kid Hereafter's new album "Yo!" is currently streaming in its entirety at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/akidhereafter
Norwegian act Simon Says No! has three new songs on myspace from their forthcoming EP: http://www.myspace.com/nosayssimon
Swedish indie act Marching Band have an exclusive track called "Trust your stomach" included on the soundtrack to the new movie "Nick and Noras Infinite Playlist" which will be out in theaters this coming weekend.
Here's a new, decent-quality video of The Fine Arts Showcase performing the song "Friday on my knees" live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQdmmDPDX5I
Norwegian powerpop artist Vibeke Saugestad will be recording a Christmas EP for release this holiday season via Sprettball and Popdetective Records.
Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:
01. Hello Saferide
02. Vapnet
03. Laakso
04. Those Dancing Days
05. Tiger Lou
06. Juvelen
07. The Tough Alliance
08. Anna Ternheim
09. The Legends
10. Detektivbyrån
Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/
MP3: Nitad - Klimatförändring
I spent the last five days or so hanging out in SF, working at the corporate HQ for my dayjob and seeing friends and family. I know it's not ordinary for my demographic, but I almost never listen to music on headphones when I travel, so I barely heard any music at all these past five days. All I bothered to load into my mp3 player were those four Sods/Sort Sol albums I mentioned on Friday and the new Nitad disc "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig själv". And y'know what? It was plenty. Nitad, especially - it's a total ripper and the inclusion of all their earlier 7" EP tracks on the disc only makes it better. The review in the new MRR compares the band to Fucked Up which I guess was true once upon a time, but FU's new album "The chemistry of common life" takes the band into entirely new, uncharted territory (it's highly recommended - I'll def be picking up the vinyl next week when it's officially released) and Nitad keeps things raw and to the point. You get picks of the same progressiveness such as that very first opening riff here on "Klimatförändring", but most of the song is killer hardcore punk, some of the best I've heard in awhile. It also helps that despite my limited Swedish skills, I can easily pick out the last line of the chorus: "Jag är ingen jävla hippie!" So yeah, very recommended and be sure to order direct from the source so you can score one of those limited one-sided 7"s.
Nitad - Klimatförändring
This month's free Dmitry Fyodorov track from Adrian Recordings is called "Leisure" and is described as "deepest, darkest, moldiest piece up to date.": http://www.adrianrecordings.com/leisure.mp3
Check out the new Daniel "Fagge" Fagerström-directed video for "Sexual tension" by Knife and Ape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCj_5z4QR7s
Dominique Leone interviews Norwegian "space-disco" producer Lindstrøm for Pitchfork: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/145662-interview-lindstrm
Pitchfork reviews the new Dungen album "4": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/145697-dungen-4
Billie the Vision & the Dancers
I used to wander these streets
Love Will Pay The Bills
After last year's uneven "Where the ocean meets my hand", Billie and his band of twee warriors have returned with what is easily their most consistent album, and also their best. Most notably, the band has added a proper drumkit this time around, and the time was ripe for such a maneuver, as bongos can only take you so far (even Guster realized this one). The drums, therefore allow their songs to groove like they haven't done before, thus "Lily From the Middleway Street" and "Swedish sin" are great, driving songs. And with "I miss you" and "Relay race", the band has given us their most affecting work since "Ghost". After a bit of a lull, it's great to see Billie the Vision and the Dancers back on their game.
- Matt Giordano
