20 Questions: Sandy Mouche

Madonna has been bestowed with the honor of being the first person legally allowed to sample Abba. The song "Hung up" from the upcoming album "Confessions on a dancefloor" features a snippet from the Swedepop classic "Gimme gimme".

Aftonbladet reports on a new Abba boxset that's in the works: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,650016,00.html

Aftonbladet reports that Marit Bergman and Carola are working together on a cover of the Abba classic "Waterloo": http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,620281,00.html (in Swedish)
It's set to air on SVT on April 8 as part of the Melodifestival.

The Radio Dept.
This past week EP
Labrador

Better than Mando Diao, The Concretes and that Swedish guy from Placebo all mixed into one - here's The Radio Dept.! Not that it's too difficult to beat the previous mentioned trio, but what I'm trying to say is that Radio Dept. deserve to be famous, at least as famous as Abba were. This new EP once again proves how good Radio Dept. are, or actually, not only does it prove how good they are but it also shows how they amazingly enough have managed to become even better. I'm not the biggest shoegazing fan in the world, I admit, but Radio Dept. just makes my heart melt. This EP is a real treat and I pity the man who in 10 years time has to decide what songs to put on The Radio Dept. Greatest Hits album - will he choose all five songs on this EP? If not, what songs will he (sorry for my blatant sexism here) choose to discard? It's a shame though that every time I've seen Radio Dept. live they've always been a bit too shambolic and not really given their recorded material the proper treatment it deserves, but perhaps that has changed now.
- Simon Tagestam

Melody Club will release their brand-new single "Take me away" on June 30. A video is on the way and you can call either 08 52715195 (or +46 852715195 internationally) to hear a preview. Apparently it's just a regular phone line so no additional charges will apply besides standard long distance billing. In other news, the band got a favorable write-up in the UK mag Q. Check it:

With Duran Duran back in business and the Scissor Sisters leading the charge of the neo-'80s revivalists, Swedish dandies Melody Club arrive perfect timing. This debut, a Number 1 hit back home, is unashamedly cheesy, its electro power-pop tunes recalling A-ha and OMD, and carrying a sense of euphoria akin to Suede's "Coming Up". There are echoes, too, of Suede's world-weary comedown song on the slow, wooxy "My Soft Return", whole best of all is the disco-rock of "Stranded Love", its dazzling, hi-energy Euro-pop remining of Abba at their peak.

When will lazy reviewers stop feeling necessary to cite Abba in their reviews of Swedish music? At least it is sort of relevant here, but it's still annoying.

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish albums:

01. Vikingarna - Bästa Kramgoa Låtarna
02. Carola - Credo
03. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
04. Ted Gärdestad - Sol Vind & Vatten - Det Bästa
05. Di Leva - Tiden Faller
06. Günther & the Sunshine Girls - Pleasure Man
07. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
08. Shirley Clamp - Den Långsamma Blomman
09. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
10. Peter Jöback - Det Här Är Platsen
11. Jimmy Jansson - Flickan Från Det Blå
12. Sahara Hotnights - Kiss & Tell
13. Petter - Ronin
14. Infinite Mass - 1991
15. Da Buzz - Dangerous - The Album
16. Abba - The Definitive Collection
17. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
18. Per Gessle - Mazarin
19. Christian Walz - Paint By Numbers
20. Svenska Akademien - Tändstickor För Mörkrädda

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish albums:

01. Vikingarna - Bästa Kramgoa Låtarna
02. Shirley Clamp - Den Långsamma Blomman
03. Di Leva - Tiden Faller
04. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
05. Peter Jöback - Det Här Är Platsen
06. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
07. Jimmy Jansson - Flickan Från Det Blå
08. Sahara Hotnights - Kiss & Tell
09. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
10. Ted Gärdestad - Sol Vind & Vatten - Det Bästa
11. Petter - Ronin
12. Infinite Mass - 1991
13. Svenska Akademien - Tändstickor För Mörkrädda
14. Christian Walz - Paint By Numbers
15. Da Buzz - Dangerous - The Album
16. Kristofer Åström - Loupita
17. Abba - The Definitive Collection
18. Lill-Babs - I Lyxförpackning - Det Bästa
19. Fredrik Kempe - Boheme
20. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye

Finnish goth-metal act The 69 Eyes will see their Helsinki Vampires DVD reissued throughout Europe on July 12 via Nuclear Blast.

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish albums:

01. Jimmy Jansson - Flickan Från Det Blå
02. Di Leva - Tiden Faller
03. Sahara Hotnights - Kiss & Tell
04. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
05. Peter Jöback - Det Här Är Platsen
06. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
07. Da Buzz - Dangerous - The Album
08. Petter - Ronin
09. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
10. Infinite Mass - 1991
11. A Teens - Greatest Hits
12. Fredrik Kempe - Boheme
13. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
14. Joddla Med Siv - Talli Balli Toraban
15. Abba - The Definitive Collection
16. Per Gessle - Mazarin
17. E-Type - Loud Pipes Save Lives
18. Lisa Miskovsky - Fallingwater
19. Carola - Guld Platina & Passion - Det Bästa
20. Lill-Babs - I Lyxförpackning - Det Bästa

Aftonbladet has posted the first promo photos for Abba's Agnetha Fältskog and her upcoming comeback attempt: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,437890,00.html

Warner has managed to sign ex-Abba singer Agnetha Fältskog. Look for a new album this spring.

Check out a live video of Eskobar covering Abba's classic "Knowing Me Knowing You" from right here.

Abba just won't go away - "ABBA the movie", a new bio on the Swedish supergroup, gets its premiere in Stockholm this month with showings in Göteborg and Malmö in January.

Aftonbladet has posted streaming audio of the new Bergman Rock single "Help the Band": click here.

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Bo Kaspers orkester - Vilka tror vi att vi är
02. Per Gessle - Mazarin
03. Lasse Stefanz - Det här är bara början
04. Carola - Guld platina & passion - det bästa
05. User - User
06. Pauline - Candy rain
07. Fred Åkerström - Freds bästa
08. E.S.T. - Seven days of falling
09. Mustasch - Ratsafari
10. Bad Cash Quartet - Midnight prayer
11. Anna-Lotta Larson - Tidlöst
12. Lars Winnerbäck & Hovet - Söndermarken
13. The Cardigans - Long gone before daylight
14. Bubbles - Bless
15. ABBA - ABBA Gold - greatest hits
16. Robyn - Don't stop the music
17. Pugh Rogefeldt - Pughs bästa
18. Eagle-Eye Cherry - Sub rosa
19. Lisa Nilsson - Samlade sånger 1992-2003
20. Kent - Vapen & ammunition

Parasol is now the official US outpost for all things Startracks. That means Tiger Lou (US tour in November/December), Kristofer Åström, Christian Kjellvander, Starmarket, Moneybrother, The Lost Patrol, Fireside and more we be readily available for purchasing domestically come mid-October. Jim, why don't you tell me these things before posting about them on the Parasol blog?

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Per Gessle - Mazarin
02. Lasse Stefanz - Det här är bara början
03. Carola - Guld platina & passion - det bästa
04. Fred Åkerström - Freds bästa
05. Pauline - Candy rain
06. Robyn - Don't stop the music
07. Bad Cash Quartet - Midnight prayer
08. Anna-Lotta Larson - Tidlöst
09. The Cardigans - Long gone before daylight
10. Lars Winnerbäck & Hovet - Söndermarken
11. Pugh Rogefeldt - Pughs bästa
12. Kent - Vapen & ammunition
13. Lisa Nilsson - Samlade sånger 1992-2003
14. Da Buzz - More than alive
15. Robert Wells - Rhapsody in rock the complete collection
16. ABBA - ABBA Gold - greatest hits
17. David & the citizens - Until the sadness is gone
18. Ola Magnell - Vallmoland
19. Moneybrother - Blood Panic
20. Timbuktu - The botten is nådd!

The three Norweigan metal bands Aeternus, 1349, and Red Harvest are all teaming up for a European tour together. Dates so far:

11/06 - Markthalle, Hamburg (GER)
11/07 - Halford, Berlin (GER)
11/08 - Festung Club, Bitterfield (GER)
11/09 - E Club, Budapest (HUN)
11/10 - Hafen, Innsbrück (AUS)
11/11 - Bad Bonn, Düddingen (SWI)
11/12 – tba (FR)
11/13 - Scala, London (UK)
11/14 - Fenix, Exeter (UK)
11/15 - tba, Zottegem (BEL)
11/16 - Baroeg, Rotterdam (NL)