The Village Voice on the new wave of Scandinavian ethereal weirdness, ie Ólafur Arnalds, Es, Ville Leinonen, and Paavoharju: http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-07-29/music/five-founts-of-ethereal-weirdness-lafur-arnalds-es-ville-leinonen-and-paavoharju/
PopMatters reviews Swedish artist Boy Omega: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/61111/boy-omega-hope-on-the-horizon/
Download the new Otur single "Sweetness", including remixes from Sophie Rimheden, Håkan Lidbo and more: http://pepperbox.se/2008/07/30/ny-singel/
Norwegian indie act Hypertext has recruited new drummer Joachim Amundsen and also report that they will be putting out a two-song 7" in late August/early September. Listen to both tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hypertextband
Check out Pistol Disco's new video for "Beat of the tune": http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=39582881
Suburban Kids with Biblical Name have cancelled their scheduled appearance at the "A Day at the Races" fest in Manchester, England on August 2. Read more: http://skwbn2008.blogspot.com/2008/07/why.html
Bummer: long-running international music blog Fat Planet is calling it a day: http://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/?p=738
It's a shame that the crowded, cluttered BS of the so-called blogosphere contributed to its demise, but I can't say I don't understand completely. Burnout is inevitable.
MP3: Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend
I love big, 90s-style indie guitarrock and I am unashamed. I enjoy plenty of other genres as well of course, but that's the stuff I grew up so it remains my top-tier favorite. Too bad there's not too many bands out there embracing the style though, it's like all that "rockism" talk scared people off of making music with guitar, bass and drums. What's wrong with the old formula? It's not broken, it still sounds just as fresh to me as it always did. And there's still plenty of room to grow, just listen to contemporaries like Culkin (remember?) or today's featured artist Voices Break the Silence. I posted a track from these guys way back in 2006 and nothing has really changed since then - the band remains totally awesome and pitifully unsigned. It makes no sense, but so goes the fashion I suppose. This is classic indie rock, emphasis on the rock. I don't see how anyone who loves stuff like Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr. couldn't be way into this as well. It's got the monster riffs of Chavez, but it's also got the romantic melodicism of Midwest mainstays like The Promise Ring. 90s, 00s - whatever. This is not nostalgia, this sound never went away as far as I'm concerned. As I always say, good music is good music, now and forever.
Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend
Swedish techno act Tiedye makes it to the Pitchfork Forkcast with their cover of Metallica's "Nothing else matters": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/142118-new-music-tiedye-nothing-else-matters-metallica-cover-mp3-stream
Bergen, Norway-based act Real One will release their debut UK album "Home with the girls in the morning" on August 11 via Breaking Records. Said album was originally released in Scandinavia back in 2005. Samples: http://www.myspace.com/realonesmusic
Norwegian label Spoon Train Audio is putting out a split 12" on white vinyl featuring EPs from both Einar Stray and Moddi. Expect it to be ready in time for Øyafestivalen.
Is Parker Lewis on the prowl for a new label? Read the Mad For It blog: http://www.madforit.se/
Swedish singer/songwriter Lars Winnerbäck is selling a new live collection called "Vi var där blixten hittade ner" while on tour and on tour only, so if you want a copy you better go see him before August 24.