Digfi has a new live studio session posted with Stockholm-based act Top Sound: http://www.digfi.com/default.aspx?id=11960
Pitchfork reviews the new Ida Maria album "Fortress round my heart": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/141944-ida-maria-fortress-round-my-heart
MP3: Anna Maria Espinosa - Everyday
Who doesn't love a kazoo refrain? You've got to be one cold, heartless bastard to resist. Anna Maria Espinosa has been kicking around the Stockholm scene for a long time now, performing with bands such as Morder Jords Massiva, Club Killers and tons more, as well as popping up as a guest vocalist on numerous releases from a vast variety of artists. And this fall she's breaking free with her very own solo release (due out October 8, I believe) and here now is her debut single "Everyday", a great little upbeat pop number that has me super excited for what's to come. It's produced by the always-reliable Jari Haapalainen and written with Theodor Jensen (The Plan), but it's her voice that carries the day, along with that lovely, buzzing refrain I referred to back in sentence #1. Pure joyful exuberance, pure summer bliss! I'm glad Anna Maria is finally stepping out to do her own thing, it's time she had a chance for the spotlight. Not that she's going at alone though, she does have a lot of help: besides Jari and Theodor, she's also recruited Ellekari Larsson (The Tiny), Mattias Hellberg, Andreas Mattson, The Concretes, Nicolai Dunger and others to help out. I guess it was time to call in some favors, eh? Like I said, 'bout time.
Anna Maria Espinosa - Everyday
Upcoming releases on the way this fall from Swedish DIY imprint Hockey Rawk:
"Treepony Island" drawing book, screen printed, 44 pages
Manlig Kärlek - "Lusselelleland" CS
Christopher Cantillo & Daniel Karlsson - "States one through nine" CDR, screen printed cover
Mole Says Hi CDR
"Hembryggt" Comp. CS, found recordings
The Bridal Shop
In violation 7"
Cloudberry Records
I typically prefer my tweepop with female vocals since I could really care less about yet another dude trying out his best Morrissey impression, but this one breaks the mold by pairing a male and female vocalist on opposite sides with the man coming out far superior. Her pitch and timbre is good enough for this sort of C86 pop revival, but she's constantly pushing ahead of the beat and I simply can't hang at all. The song ("Coming real") isn't all that interesting either, but hey - it is a b-side, so I suppose I can't be that disappointed. As for the main attraction ("Violation"), it sounds like something Jens Lekman might do if he was spaced out on quaaludes with its soaring strings and soft synth tones, all swirling together in a dazed, shoegazey soup. And yes, he does try his best to channel everyone's favorite English fop, but at least it's buried in the mix. I can hang with that.
- Avi Roig
Swedish rockers Wired For Mono have one last free track posted for download before the release of their new album: http://www.wiredformono.com/
RIYL The Soundtrack of Our Lives or other retro-ish rawk'n'roll. Actually, it's just plain recommended as I've been digging all the tracks they've posted so far.
Startracks has confirmed the release of the new Tiger Lou album "A partial print" for October 22 (October 24 in Germany). I, for one, am very excited to hear it!
The prolific C-J Larsgården (IAT.MP3 act Pacta Sunt Servanda aka Pacta, Ondo, A Perfect Friend, Misto, etc.) has a new rock band project called Morgan Kane. Check it: http://www.myspace.com/themorgankanes
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Laakso - Worst case scenario
02. TALK 1
03. The Kid - Mayhem troopers
04. We Live In Trenches - Autonomy clinic
05. Detektivbyrån - Om du möter varg
06. TALK 2
07. I'm From Barcelona - Paper planes
08. Wired for Mono - The man behind the wall
09. The Amazing - Dragon
10. TALK 3
11. Pugh Rogefeldt - Surabaya Johnny
12. Opeth - The lotus eater
13. The Knife - Silent shout
14. TALK 4
15. Culkin - Allegiance
16. Haust - Desperate living
17. Lack - Behead
18. Nitad - Ge mig ge mig
19. TALK 5
20. Kamraterna - Det här är ditt land
Reminder: my show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday.
Jeppe "Senior" Laursen of Junior Senior is looking for LA-based musicians to hire as the backing band of his new solo act: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=10780903&blogID=416050142
Paper Thin Walls on the Tape track "Moth wings": http://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=1755
Avantgarde Metal talks to Norwegian act Det Är Jag Som Är Döden, a band that isn't really metal, but is appropriate for the site because of their ex-Bogus Blimp affiliation: http://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=68
Swedish act Television Keep Us Apart has signed with Nebraska-based label Series Two Records and will be releasing their debut full-length later this year. Hear a sample tune: http://www.myspace.com/televisionkeepsusapart
Danish indie act Choir of Young Believers have a new song up at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/choirofyoungbelievers