Norwegian indie band Accidents Never Happen will be going into Mmotor Museum Studio in Liverpool this weekend, July 5, to begin recording their new record.
Norwegian act Infidels Forever are vague about the details, but it appears they are going through some difficult times and are canceling all upcoming plans: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=3750183&blogID=410032513
Aftonbladet is running their annual Sommarplågor ("summer plague" aka that annoying single you can't get out of your head) poll: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/musik/article2779145.ab (in Swedish)
The new Deer Tracks album "Aurora", due out August 27 via Despotz Records, will be available in either a jakebox-style digipack or on 12" vinyl.
The Washington Post Express was completely won over by Norwegian act Datarock: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/29/AR2008062901983.html
Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 albums of the week:
01. MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
02. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
03. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
04. Feist – The Reminder
05. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
06. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
07. Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
08. Familjen – Det snurrar i min skalle
09. Håkan Hellström – För Sent För Edelweiss
10. Lykke Li – Youth Novels
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/
Is Swedish techno going crustpunk? Dmitry Fydorov follows up last month's "Warcollapse!" single with "Anti Cimex": http://www.adrianrecordings.com/Dmitry_Fyodorov-anti_cimex.mp3
Whether they're referring to the legendary käng/d-beat act or the Swedish pest removal company remains to be seen, but either way, it's a good track.
MP3: Jesper Norda - Tomorrow you'll be forgiven but tonight you will have your teeth knocked out
It's the quiet ones you gotta worry about. The louder, more blustery the threat, the less likely they'll follow through. At least that's my experience. Jesper Norda bristles with white-hot violence in this ballad and I don't doubt for a minute that he'll make good on it. In the same way that Tindersticks brings the darkness to their version of soul music, Norda does the same with his restrained piano ballads and I'm way into it. His deep voice seethes with darkness and brings danger to every line. Even the title track from his "Little ones" EP (free download here) is unnerving, despite the far tamer subject matter. Proof positive once again that less is more. Always. To quote Foetus: say what you mean and say it mean.
Jesper Norda - Tomorrow you'll be forgiven but tonight you will have your teeth knocked out
Danish shoegazers Rumskib on tour in the UK:
07/10 - The Social, London
07/11 - Louisiana , Bristol
07/12 - Tigga's Bar, Exeter, Devon, Southwest
C.Aarmé reports that seven new songs are now complete for their next album. More updates when I get 'em.
Various Artists
Live @ Accelerator Festival (Day 2), Stockholm, 06/25/08
First of all, Fuck festivals.
Anyway, Battles we're amazing. Just really amazing. I want to have John Stanier's kids. I want to be in gay porn with Ian Williams. And, uuh... I want to have coffee and hang out with Tyondai Braxton. But I digress (I think).
On record they come across as this perfectionist machine with every sound in place. The live experience is different in the way that you see a breathing, living rock n'roll machine. Not everything is in its exact place here, but who cares? I just see them having an amazing time and it's very contagious. The most amazing thing about Battles live is to see how hard John Stanier is working. Somewhere in his mind I bet he's kicking himself for making up probably the most strenuous drumriffs in history and having to play them every night.
It was just crazy. It's also incredible how disconnected it is from everything else that's happening in music. These guys are in their own stratosphere here. It's primal in a way. It's basically distorted percussion, fucked up punk rock croumata if you will. since it's devoid of musical reference it all connects directly into the reptile brain and creates a communal experience based on instinct. Like I'm in the stone age and some tall Italian is playing on rocks and blowing everyone's mind. I mean, how does it look on paper? The drummer from Helmet? Wtf? A guy from Styx? I want to stalk them in food stores.
Also, other bands played.
- Mathias Rask-Andersen
MP3: Broder Daniel - Love doesn't last
I had two very different Broder Daniel experiences while traveling in Sweden. The second is the one I will tell you about first because it was near-perfect: late night, at the party for Magnus Öberg's wedding, the song "Underground" came on the soundsystem and the crowd was instantly drawn to the dance floor. We had a similar moment earlier in the evening when The Pixies kicked things off, but it didn't compare. Maybe it was the booze or the joyous atmosphere, but it felt absolutely beautiful. "We are underground and we don't care, we don't care what you say about us" It's an anthem -- I couldn't help but sing along. For anyone who ever felt like the underdog, it's a revelation.
My other experience however, was far more downbeat, but just as moving. Gustaf Kjellvander (The Fine Arts Showcase) and I shared an afternoon when I was in Malmö discussing the importance of BD (among other things), especially the album "Broder Daniel Forever". It's the perfect soundtrack to the downtrodden and the fuckups/the fucked up -- the mood is far darker, but no less celebratory. It revels in the pain and ugliness of life in a way that no other band can do and Gustaf and I agreed that it's a beautiful thing. If your heart aches, if you've ever felt absolutely crushed by life, this is your soundtrack. It's more than teen angst, it's a struggle that continues every day for those who feel like they can't/don't/won't fit in. In other words, an album for everyone. Now just wait until you hear Gustaf's new record. Gbg's #1 antiheroes bow out one last time at Way Out West in August, but The Fine Arts Showcase carries the torch onward.
This one's for you Gustaf, take care of yourself man. I hope we meet again soon.
Broder Daniel - Love doesn't last
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Åge Aleksandersen - Katalysator
02. Kurt Nilsen - Rise To The Occasion
03. Vassendgutane - Xo
04. Too Far Gone - Livåt
05. Morten Harket - Letter From Egypt
06. Madrugada - Madrugada
07. Malin - Pang
08. Maria Haukaas Storeng - Hold On Be Strong
09. Real Ones - All For The Neighbourhood
10. Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
11. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri
12. Åsmund Åmli Band - Panorama
13. Harald Heide Steen jr. - Musikalske Minner
14. Songns - Det koster å vara kar
15. Nullskattesnylterne - Skrot
16. The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side
17. Gatas Parlament - Kidsa Har Alltid Rett
18. Ane Brun - Changing Of The Seasons
19. Emma Berit Forsmo - Den Første Dagen
20. Paal Flaata - Old Angel Midnight
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lasse Stefanz - Rallarsväng
02. The Refreshments - Jukebox - Refreshing classics
03. Sten & Stanley - Det känns när det svänger
04. Amanda Jenssen - Killing my darlings
05. Kleerup - Kleerup
06. Eric Gadd - Stockholm står kvar men jag ligger
07. E.M.D. - A state of mind
08. Takida - Bury the lies
09. Sanna Nielsen - Stronger
10. Rongedal - Rongedal
11. Nordman - Djävul eller gud
12. Robert Wells - The best of rhapsody 1998-2008
13. Evert Taube - Mästerverk!
14. Håkan Hellström - För sent för Edelweiss
15. Trazan & Banarne - Swingtajm! Trazan & Banarnes 30-årsskiva!
16. E.S.T. - E.S.T. live in Hamburg
17. Caroline Larsson - In the moment
18. Thore Skogman - Thore goes metal
19. Sabaton - The art of war
20. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me (new edition)
Sad to see that E.S.T. album back in there. We lost someone very special when Esbjörn passed away.