Interview: The Horror The Horror

Scandinavians in the 2005 Pazz and Jop top album chart: Dungen (#31), Annie (#48), Sigur Rós (#50), Opeth (#79), Robyn (#80), José González (#158), Shout Out Louds (#161). Robyn's "Be mine" is #48 on the single chart with Annie charting at #88 and #112 for "Heartbeat" and "Chewing gum" respectively.

Paris
Secrets on tape
Parismusic/V2

I guess we'll always have Paris. That is, bands LIKE Paris that are pretty good, pretty talented, pretty nice to listen to, but somehow a little less than transcendent. This Swedish quartet have made a second album that would be the envy of many lesser bands. The rhythm section is crack, and Annika's pipes are pleasing if sorta rote. Tunes alternate between ringing indie rock ala Elastica, Ladytron and a few others, and Annie-esque dance-pop like "60 minutes" and "Ladies man." And I dig the chiming guitars and retro-delica feel of "Something has to be done" very much. It all sounds dandy on the car stereo as you're zipping down the road, but I don't know...I just wasn't moved by Paris much. The down side of there being so many superb bands in Sweden is that you can be a perfectly fine little outfit, but if you don't have that extra edge, you suffer by comparison. And I just don't hear the edge in this band...not yet. Still better than lots of similar British and American bands, though. Maybe it'll be a grower, we'll see...
- Kevin Renick

Top 10s for 2005: Roni Brunn

Top 10s for 2005: Matthew W. Smith

The nominees for this year's Alarm awards, the alternative to the Spellemansprisen (Norway's version of the Grammy):

Rock:
Richochets - Isolation
Madrugada - The Deep End
Serena-Maneesh - Serena-Maneesh
JR Ewing - Maelstrom
My Midnight Creeps - My Midnight Creeps

Pop:
Ane Brun - A Temporary Dive
Loch Ness Mouse - 11-22
Maria Mena - Apparently Unaffected
Anja Garbarek - Briefly Shaking
Sofian - This Is Sofian

Metal:
Stonegard - Arrows
Grimfist - 10 Steps To Hell
El Caco - The Search
Scum - Gospel For The Sick
Solefald - Red For Fire

Hip-hop:
Paperboys - When Worlds Collide
Cast - Problembarn
Onkl P - Det kunne vært deg
Warlocks - The Never Ending Story
Tommy Tee - Tommy Tycker Om Mej

Free music/electronica:
Jaga Jazzist - What We Must
Cloroform - Cracked Wide Open
Toy - Toy
Supersilent - 7
Alog - Miniatures

Club:
Røyksopp - The Understanding
Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - Lindtrøm & Prins Thomas
Datarock - Datarock Datarock
Annie - DJ Kicks
Future Prophecies - Warlords Rising

Jazz:
Kornstad/Wiik - Eight Tunes We Like
Shining - In The Kingdom Of Kitch
The Thing - Live At Blå
Tord Gustavsen Trio - The Ground
Atomic - Bikini Tapes

Song:
Madrugada - The Kids Are On High Street
Röyksopp - What Else Is There
Ane Brun - My Lover Will Go
Superfamily - Taxi Dancing
Mira Craig - Boogieman

Live:
Madrugada
Turbonegro
Purified in Blood
Richochets
Kaizers Orchestra

Newcomer of the year:
My Midnight Creeps
Mira Craig
Sofian
Superfamily
Animal Alpha

Vote for your favorites here: http://www.alarmprisen.no/

The Annie track "The wedding" from her DJ-Kicks collect finally convinces Pitchfork scribe Dominique Leone that maybe her hype was worthwhile after all: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/tracks/05-11-02.shtml

Live report: Tack! Tack! Tack! @ Heavenly Social, London UK 10/24/05

NYC dance party Le One Night Stand is putting on a special Scandinavian-themed night on November 10 at Bar 13. Cover is free and guest DJ Miss Fiona Sand from Norway will be spinning. There will also be giveaways of new music from artists such as Annie, Shout Out Louds, Surferosa, The Knife, Tiger Baby, Mew and Datarock. More info: http://www.myspace.com/leonenightstand

Play Annie Tetris: http://games.annieverse.com/tetris/

Splendid gives their take on Annie: http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=11238396391880029

Said the Gramophone posts tracks from Robyn and Sigur Rós: http://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/two_delicious_pops.php
I don't mean to get carried away with all the recent hype, but I have to agree that the Robyn album is a damn fine pop record. I actually think that "Crash and burn girl" (which Fluxblog posted recently) is one of the weaker tracks, so if you like that, you'll definitely dig the rest. Far better than Annie too, IMHO.

Pitchfork has some info on Annie's upcoming DJ Kicks mix disc and some upcoming tourdates in the US with fellow Norwegians Röyksopp: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-08/05.shtml

PopMatters interviews Annie: http://popmatters.com/music/interviews/annie-050728.shtml

Pitchfork reviews Annie's live show in Chicago from June 30: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/live/a/annie-05/