Artist: ABBA
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This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lars Winnerbäck - Vi var där blixten hittade ner - Live hösten 2007
02. Nordman - Djävul eller gud
03. Takida - Bury the lies
04. Patrik Isaksson - 10 år en snäll mans bekännelser
05. Lasse Stefanz - Rallarsväng
06. The Refreshments - Jukebox - Refreshing classics
07. Amanda Jenssen - Killing my darlings
08. Lisa Miskovsky - Last year's songs - Greatest hits
09. Robert Wells - The best of Rhapsody 1998-2008
10. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
11. Abalone Dots - Traveler
12. E.M.D. - A state of mind
13. Brolle - Ett hjärta som glöder som en gång brann
14. Miss Li - Best of 061122-071122
15. ABBA - ABBA Gold - Greatest hits
16. Rongedal - Rongedal
17. The Poodles - Sweet trade - New edition
18. Kleerup - Kleerup
19. Evert Taube - Mästerverk!
20. Hammerfall - Rebels with a cause
Abba drummer Ola Brunkert found dead in gardening accident (I kid you not!): http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jQDb9JiHv4VpmH6D6jpOTzxNZ6YQD8VF6TE00
2
Bodies Without Organs are ex-Army Of Lovers man Alexander Bard, Marina Schiptjenko and Martin Rolinski (who shot to fame on Swedish reality television program Popstars). They're pretty big in Sweden and Eastern Europe and this is their third album. I like pop, and even though I was never a fan of Army of Lovers, I was indeed a very big fan of Page (a Swedish synthpop band that Schiptjenko used to be in) when I was younger. As far as cheap Euro dance music goes, I'd say that this is quite well executed, and there are a handful of infectious choruses on "Fabricator" (i.e. "Save my pride"). I won't spend too much time though trying to polish a turd, if you want some great Swedish pop music just go and buy pretty much any ABBA album you don't already own, instead of this tat.
- Simon Tagestam
Two White Horses, the brother/sister duo of Jakob and Lovisa Nyström (Isolation Years, Säkert!), have posted four new demo tracks on myspace including El Perro Del Mar and Abba covers: http://www.myspace.com/2whitehorses
My first introduction to the music of Ted Gärdestad came via Lukas Moodysson's film "Tillsammans" ("Together"). Not only are Ted's songs featured in the soundtrack, but one of his albums is featured prominently in a scene when it's given as a gift. My impression at the time was that Ted was a David Cassidy/Leif Garrett-type figure; a teen heartthrob, cute and harmless. However, now that I've actually spent some time with the new 3CD best-of collection "För kärlekens skull", I have to revise my opinion. Ted Gärdestad is more than a smiling boy with shaggy hair, he's a tremendous songwriter of near-perfect 70s pop. It's no surprise that ABBA manager Stig Anderson recognized his talent and signed him to Polar Music at the age of 15. My heart soars when I hear those opening chords. I can't help it. It's a terrible shame that he came to such an unfortunate end, especially after experiencing a brief revival. I might not be as much of a fan of his later work (disc 3 does not get much airtime in my house), but there's no denying his artistry. 100% classic.
Ted Gärdestad - Jag vill ha en egen måne
Check out a video doc on Swedish pop act Oh Laura: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid712135930/bctid1111441644
It's fairly telling that it's crap when they mention Ikea and Abba in the first two sentences.
This latest Poptimist column at Pitchfork dissects Abba's adult-oriented outlook: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/43621-column-poptimist-5
Definitely worth reading, especially if you've never thought too much about them beyond their hits.
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The opener "10,000 nights of thunder" is the kind of music that seems effortlessly conjured up. It's a healthy dose of ABBA, a touch of Scissor Sisters, some 60s pop and lots of enthusiasm mixed together while drenched in sass and fun. Add some delightful dueting between singers Anders and Stine, hooks that could capture a great white shark and we're looking at an instant spreader of joy, not to mention a song impossible to sit still to! But there is a problem. The album never again reaches the same dazzling heights. Instead of uplifting retropop, it sometimes loses its way with prolonged songs about rubber boots and Macintoshes. Or songs lacking energy and spark, songs that merely become hollow shells of retro fascination. However, when it works (and to be honest it work more than it doesn't), like the fabulously bouncy "Fascination", or the Stine-lead anthem "Boyfriend", then Alphabeat is an instant sunny cure to icy spring chills. A giddy party cocktail from the best of the 60s and 70s that may not change your world, but at least brighten it.
- Hanzan
8
On Sophie's sixth album, intimacy comes first. Her band could be playing right there in the room with you, as Sophie sits and whispers into the listener's ear. While her musical palette has basically been the same reflective songs for dusky autumn days since 98's "Precious burden", "Memory loves you" pours a bit of light and optimism into the melancholia. A light that gives the album an identity and feel of its own. A feel that Sophie finally seems comfortable in facing her audience, by baring herself in songs like the gorgeous stripped down "I got yours". Album highlight "Love on my mind" even dares to climax with a piano that's straight out of ABBA. A few times, the strings cross over from beautiful to saccharine, but mostly the songs wrap the listener up in a tender embrace. Letting us know that spring is on the way, and that there is a tender beauty even in the bleakest rooms.
- Hanzan
Music (for robots) invokes the tired "is it the water?" cliché in this post on Suburban Kids with Biblical Names: http://music.for-robots.com/archives/001838.html
Thank goodness they didn't go all out and mention Abba as well.
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
02. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
03. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
04. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
05. Musikal - Cabaret - Svenska uppsättningen
06. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
07. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
08. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
09. Laleh - Prinsessor
10. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart
11. Anna Ternheim - Separation road
12. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
14. Calaisa - Calaisa
15. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
16. Studio - Yearbook 1
17. Frida Hyvönen - Music from the dance performance Pudel
18. The Knife - Silent shout
19. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
20. Abba - Number ones
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
02. Laleh - Prinsessor
03. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
04. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart
05. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
06. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
07. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
08. Pernilla Andersson - Baby blue
09. Calaisa - Calaisa
10. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
11. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
12. Abba - Number ones
14. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
15. Orup - Faktiskt
16. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
17. Vikingarna - Bästa
18. Jay-Jay Johanson - The long term physical effects are not yet known
19. Koop - Koop islands
20. Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
02. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
03. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart
04. Laleh - Prinsessor
05. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
06. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
07. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
08. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
09. Abba - Number ones
10. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
11. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
12. Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
14. Orup - Faktiskt
15. Koop - Koop islands
16. The Refreshments - It's gotta be both rock & roll
17. Vikingarna - Bästa
18. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
19. Anna Ternheim - Separation road
20. Eric Gadd - Gaddamn - The ultimate collection
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
02. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart
03. Laleh - Prinsessor
04. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
05. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
06. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
07. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
08. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
09. Orup - Faktiskt
10. Abba - Number ones
11. Anders Ekborg - Äkta vara
12. Anna Ternheim - Separation road
14. Vikingarna - Bästa
15. Eric Gadd - Gaddamn - The ultimate collection
16. Koop - Koop islands
17. The Refreshments - It's gotta be both rock & roll
18. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
19. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
20. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
BWO