It's been a long time since I've had a contest, so what the hell -- let's give away some CDs! I've got two extra copies of the new Razzia Records comp "There's a razzia going on!" and all you gotta do for a chance to win one is email your name + address to razzia.contest@itsatrap.com. Winners will be selected at random on Friday!
Johnossi's video for their latest single "18 karat gold" is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sHlskkMp-U
Drowned in Sound talks to Sarah Assbring aka El Perro Del Mar: http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/3425162
The Guardian talks to Annie: http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2288719,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=39
Italians Do It Better has apparently signed Göteborg-based duo Tiedye. Hear them cover Metallica at Discobelle: http://www.discobelle.net/2008/07/05/tiedye/
Look for Swedish indiepop act Elias and the Wizzkids to tour Germany in late September/October. Preliminary dates up at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/eliasandthewizzkids
The new issue of Believer has a big article on American black-metal which includes a good primer on the original Norwegian scene and an interview with Snorre Ruch (Thorns): http://www.believermag.com/issues/200807/?read=article_stosuy
Sofia Talvik's duet partner this week: William Crafoord. Watch them perform the song "Clown" together: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=36282817
Mstation interviews Zweizz: http://mstation.org/zweizz.php
As is often the case, the conversation centers mostly on the old black-metal scene, but there is also some discussion of his current work in the noise/experimental world of music.
Swedish crustpunk act End of All has announced the addition of Rikard Häll as their new guitarist. Listen to a new track off "The art of decadence" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/endofallsweden
Swedish indie artist Pinto has two new songs posted for (as always) free download: http://www.pinto.se/
MP3: The Opium Cartel - Flicker girl
One of the perks of running this site that I enjoy most is developing relationships with artists I admire. It's not just interacting via email interviews, but moreso the conversations that go on off the record. Stuff like talking Broder Daniel with Gustaf Kjellvander or even shooting the shit with the dudes from The Swedish Model, discussing the future of physical products. Of course, it's always about the music in the end and so when I get a chance to peep in on the creative process, that's always the best. I'm not much a collector of b-sides and alternate mixes for the most part, but sometimes that really is the best way to get inside an artist's head to see how they work. Moonbabies are a great example -- their songs go through so many variations before arriving at the finished product and it's amazing to hear how many different ways a single piece of music can be expressed. Another great example is Jacob Holm-Lupo and his current project The Opium Cartel. Like Moonbabies' Ola Frick, I get the impression that Jacob labors endlessly in the studio, adding endless layers of instrumentation until he can finally realize the symphony in his head. Ah, the double-edged sword of modern technology! So naturally, when presented the opportunity to share a work-in-progress from him, I gotta jump on it.
If you remember the previous Opium Cartel track I posted last September, this one mines similar territory, though is a bit quieter/folksier. I still hear a bit of the same dark, atmospheric vibe that's in all of Jacob's work dating back to White Willow, however the guest vocals from Rachel Haden (currently on tour with Todd Rundgren, believe it or not) push it closer to Kate Bush avant-pop territory. It starts off twinkly, but slowly progresses into, well, progressive territory. This mix isn't even close to refined so I'm sure the finished version will be even bigger (Jabob: "None of the TOC tracks have actually been mixed yet, and this one suffers a bit from that, as it has like a million tracks"), but it's pretty damn good as-is, so listen up and let your mind fill in the blanks for its as-yet untapped potential. The song and the main melody are in place and that is what's most important.
Errata: the lineup for this recording is Jacob and Rachel plus frequent collaborator Mattias Olsson (Pineforest Crunch, Molesome, etc.) and flautist Ketil Einarsen (Jaga Jazzist). Expect a late 2008/early 2009 release.
The Opium Cartel - Flicker girl (ft. Rachel Haden)
Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 albums of the week:
01. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
02. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
03. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
04. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
05. Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
06. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala
07. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
08. Håkan Hellström – För Sent För Edelweiss
09. Radiohead – In Rainbows
10. Interpol – Our Love to Admire
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/
Annie
Live @ Mucha Marcha/Proud Gallery, London, 07/04/08
How times change. Almost three years ago to the day I saw Annie supporting Saint Etienne at the sparsely populated Koko venue. She was swamped by the size of the stage and was aided only by a DJ with decks and effects.
Fast forward three years and it seems Annie is being given a second bite of the pop cherry. She's back and this time she means it. The decadent surroundings of The Proud Gallery provide the fashionista crowd and Annie a feel akin to what I imagine a high school prom would be like. This time around she is complemented with a full band set up, which gives the songs a lot more room to breathe. Forthcoming single, "I know your girlfriend hates me", is transformed into an extended dancefloor filler, with Annie joined by a troupe of female dancers. They don't look too dissimilar to the girls featured Robert Palmer's iconic "Addicted to love" video. At the song's climax lollipops are handed out to the crowd, adding to her sugary sweet appeal. Annie is totally self-assured, a prom queen conducting her band and the crowd with her slightly pervy red gloves. The new songs are a bit of a mixed bag. "My love is better", with its choppy guitars, errs very slightly towards bland territory but "Songs remind me of you" could well be a monster hit in waiting. Starting out as a disco stomper and building up into an enormous four-by-four breakdown, it ticks all the boxes of a club banger. It's not rocket science. Just don't tell that to the heaving masses of gurning, grinning fools partying like it's 1999.
Tonight Annie passed the hipster test, but now she needs to prove she can cross over to the mainstream. Getting Xenomania on board (the production team behind Girls Aloud) signifies her intentions. However, whether she can throw down the gauntlet and challenge Robyn as the queen of Scandi pop is another matter entirely.
- Nick Levine
Upcoming tourdates for Icelandic artist Ólafur Arnalds:
07/08 - Cafe 939, Boston, MA
07/09 - Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
07/10 - The Deal With Pine Trees Festival, Westminster, MD
07/11 - Carroll Community College, Westminster, MD
07/12 - The Shelf, Columbus, OH
07/13 - The House Café (GER)Kalb, IL
07/14 - Secret Show (RSVP only), Chicago, IL
07/15 - Drake Hotel, Toronto, Ontario
07/16 - La Sala Rossa, Montréal, Quebec
07/18 - Joe’s Pub, New York, NY
07/19 - Garfield Artworks, Pittsburgh, PA
07/20 - DC9, Washington, Washington DC
07/21 - Pirate Cove, North Myrtle Beach, SC
07/22 - Night Light, Chapel Hill, NC
07/23 - 1st Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
07/27 - Secret Garden Party, East Anglian Countryside (UK)
07/30 - Holy Trinity Church, Leeds (UK)
08/02 - A Day at the Races Festival, Manchester (UK)
08/03 - Klangbad Festival, Scheer (GER)
08/09 - Haldern Pop Festival, Rees-Haldern (GER)
08/10 - E-Werk, Erlangen (GER)
08/11 - Palladium, Köln (GER) w/Sigur Rós
08/12 - Schlachthof, Weisbaden (GER) w/Sigur Rós
08/13 - Tempodrom, Berlin (GER) w/Sigur Rós
08/20 - Stodola Klub, Warsaw, PL w/Sigur Rós
08/24 - Kulturbunker Mülheim, Köln (GER)
08/25 - Feerieen Festival (Warandepark), Brussels (BEL)