Pitchfork reviews Icelandic artist Mugison and the new album "Mugiboogie": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/145349-mugison-mugiboogie
MP3: Shredhead - Dork
For as much as I love to extol the virtues of 90s-era indierock, truth be told, it wasn't always golden. I should know, having grown up in the SF Bay Area, the epicenter of the thrash-funk scene. We had a lot of the big names, from Primus, Mr. Bungle and Faith No More to less well-known acts like Fungo Mungo, Psychefunkapus and so on. Slap-bass was everywhere, it permeated every genre, every scene. Sweden was of course, not immune. Before there was KVLR, there was Shredhead. Before there was Ray Wonder, there was Shredhead (but after Step Forward). Yep, top-secret Umeå all-stars playing thrash-funk. Or maybe not so secret? I'll mention no names myself, after all, I have my own thrash-funk past to keep buried. And honestly, this stuff really isn't all that embarrassing. It's merely a product of its time, a relic of an age since passed. Just wait until the inevitable revival, it's bound to happen someday.
Shredhead - Dork
Now in stock, just in time for the September 11 release date: Various Artists - Har du hört den förut? 29 Svenska artister tolkar Förmögenhet
Yep, an all-star tribute to a band you've probably never heard of. But y'know what? It's doesn't even matter because the source material is twisted into so many different forms on this diverse compilation, there's bound the be something you'll like.
Kingsize is previewing a new track from Umeå-based hip-hop crew Trainspotters: http://www.kingsizemagazine.se/read.php?id=2837
Killing the Legacy on the demo from mid-90s Finnish hardcore act Morning After: http://killingthelegacy.blogspot.com/2008/09/business-city-hardcore-early-years.html
Lambgoat reports that Swedish metal act Scar Symmetry has parted ways with vocalist Christian Alvestam: http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=11426
Here is this week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Øystein Sunde - Meget i Sløyd
02. Jarle Bernhoft - Ceramik City Chronicles
03. Kurt Nilsen - Rise To The Occasion
04. Diverse artister - Mgp Jr 2008
05. Espen Lind - Army of one
06. Vassendgutane - Xo
07. Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Dum og deilig -beste
08. Malin - Pang
09. Bare Egil Band - Jeg er helt rå
10. Ingenting - Kjempegreier
11. Madrugada - Madrugada
12. Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
13. Celine - Bæstevænna
14. Helge Trio Lien - Hello Troll
15. Real Ones - All For The Neighbourhood
16. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri
17. Lindstrom - Where you go I go to
18. Åge Aleksandersen - Katalysator
19. Kathrine Moholt - Sweethearts
20. Return - Best Of Both Worlds
El Perro Del Mar's new video for "Glory to the world" is now online: http://embed.mtvu.com/el-perro-del-mar-glory-to-the-world/
Swedish progg act Gösta Berlings Saga will begin recording their sophomore album this fall and will be keeping a blog as they go along: http://www.gostaberlingssaga.se/gbs2/
Ovi Magazine interviews Finnish act Underwater Sleeping Society: http://www.ovimagazine.com/art/3490
The excellent Swedish pop-punk act Smalltown has two brand new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden
Note the UK tourdates in late November as well.
Medeia have made a very entertaining video for the track "Cold embrace": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPNMPwIDLaU
As I've said before, these guys are a bit too "core" for my tastes, but they do it well.
Norwegian indie/electronica act Lama will release their debut album in November. More details to come.
The new album "Capitalism hates The Fine Arts Showcase" from who else but The Fine Arts Showcase will finally be out this coming spring.
Anders Teglund (Convoj, Cult of Luna) and his father Sven Teglund have created a short film called "Waves" as a dedication to dearly departed musician Esbjörn Svensson: http://promenaderochutflykter.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_4463.html