You Are Awesome! has a new mixtape posted for free download featuring a whole bunch of up-and-coming Swedish indie artists: http://www.youareawesome.se/
Look for the red button in the center of the page and keep following the links.
MP3: Hello Saferide - Anna
I wasn't completely lying yesterday, when I said I had no good new music to share. I have plenty, I just don't necessarily have permission to share it. However, lucky for you, Razzia Records has just given me the okay to post the new Hello Saferide single "Anna" and I have to say, I am grateful to do so. If you've seen HS live in the past year or two this song might sound familiar -- I remember hearing it at Way Out West last year and I would imagine that's not the only time it's been performed. Anyhow, it's an amazing tune and it emphasizes the HS I love dearly: the darker, more reserved side, the storyteller. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Annika's upbeat numbers too, but it's these slower tunes that give her depth and show her range and that's something that wasn't always apparent before her sideproject Säkert! came out. Had I heard "Anna" before "that lesbian song," all skepticism would have been erased immediately. Likewise, I think that other skeptics might be pleasantly surprised by this if they give it a chance. Hello Saferide has always been more than mere indiepop if you actually paid attention.
Look for the new Andreas Mattson-produced album "More modern short stories from..." to be released on September 24. Hot Stuff will be handling the vinyl this time, with a 7" version of "Anna" (+ an exclusive b-side) on the way as well.
Hello Saferide - Anna
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Pascal - Längtar efter dig
02. TALK 1
03. Division of Laura Lee - Central Park
04. New Decade - While tonight still is
05. Abduktio - Uutisia rintamalta
06. TALK 2
07. Echo Is Your Love - Lion tamer vs tigers
08. Fireside - Silver muscle car
09. Him Kerosene - Ladybugs
10. TALK 3
11. NEI - New morning
12. The Bear Quartet - All your life
13. Park Hotell - Dead ringers
14. KVLR - Spit
15. Electric Retard - Skate girl
16. TALK 4
17. Samuraj Cities - Ugly kids are alright
18. Barra Head - Iron to skin
19. Death By Kite - Himmelfahrtskommando
20. TALK 5
21. Blithe - Haven
22. Starmarket - You can't come
23. Lukestar - White shade
24. Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away
25. TALK 6
26. Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend
Reminder: My show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday at the same time.
Shout Out Louds
Live @ Dingwalls, London 08/06/08
Has a stage invasion at a gig ever been an enjoyable experience? The ones I've witnessed have been nothing but annoying. Yesterday's sad affair was no exception. For some reason lots of kids decided that it was a great idea to get on stage during the first song of the encore ("Tonight I have to leave it"), and high-five each other (as well as trying to high-five the band members to various success) and taking photos with their phones. I can understand why a stage invasion at a big venue could be fun for the invaders, but Dingwalls is a small place that holds about 500 people - hence a stage invasion just looks silly. Shout Out Louds' singer Adam Olenius didn't seem too impressed either and it was all rather awkward after the song's finished when he had to repeatedly tell all the grinning fans that were shuffling about to "Get the fuck off the stage" so they could play their last song. Charming! I don't blame him though, it wasn't exactly as the band invited anyone and it really messed up the flow of the gig. Despite this little boring incident, Shout Out Louds played a blinding set. They played nine out of the twelve songs from their latest "Ill wills" and even though I'm not a massive fan of their new album, I thought the songs sounded fantastic live. The venue was packed, the sound was good and the band were great – what more can you ask for? (except no fans on stage, that is)
- Simon Tagestam
IAT favorite Tobias Hellkvist is the artist of the week over at The Silent Ballet: http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Articles/tabid/55/ctl/Details/mid/412/ItemID/1692/Default.aspx
Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm and Daniel Nyström of Svenska Grammofon Studios recorded Broder Daniel's final show at Way Out West this past weekend. I have no idea if it will be released, but I assume so.
Norwegian drone artists Huntsville will unveil their new double-disc album "Eco, arches & eras" on September 22. I assume they are still working with Rune Grammofon, so unless I hear otherwise I'd presume that's the label. The group also says there will be "three visitors" on the album, but provide no further details at this time.
Emiliana Torrini's new album "Me And Armini" will be released on September 9. Preview a few tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/emilianatorrini
Norwegian pop artist Maria Mena will release her new album "Cause and effect" in September. Hear the first single "Belly up" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mariamena
Paper Thin Walls talks with Lykke Li and goes over every song on her album "Youth novels": http://www.paperthinwalls.com/listeningparty/index?id=89
Kira Skov (ex-Kira and the Kindred Spirits) has re-confirmed her debut solo album "The rail train, the meadow, the freeway and the shadows" for release on September 15.
Danish alt-country act Southern Gothic Tales will release their debut album "In every seaport town" on September 8 via Cope Records. They've got quite a few guests on the record too, including illustrious names such as Lise Westzynthious, Camilla Munck (Munck//Johnson) and Kim Mentzer. Samples: http://www.myspace.com/southerngothictales
Danish label Speed of Sound has signed The Bronson Brothers and will be releasing their new album early next year. Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thebronsonbrothers
Watch Norwegian artist Marit Larsen perform her new single "If a song could get me you" in three different locales: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=71387372&blogID=422826688
Check out Kasper Bjørke's new video for "Filur": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSkJeQ_QKGE