Marit Bergman's new album "I think it's a rainbow" will be released on September 6. The first single "No party" comes out July 31. The record was self-produced by Marit and longtime collaborator Åsa Jacobsson along with the always-fab Björn Yttling (Peter, Bjorn and John, Montys Loco, Caesars, etc.).

MP3: Starlet - Sunshine

Happy Friday! Got another summery mp3 post for you today courtesy of contributor Nancy Baym:

To follow up on my last music-for-dumping-your-partner-with-a-smile-on-your-face contribution from the Caesars', here's another song likening breaking up to sun bursting through the clouds. "Let the sunshine in/Let the sunshine through/A brighter tomorrow/Cuz I'm through with you," sing Malmö's late-great Starlet in their inimitable pretty ever so askew lazy yet lovely way. This song is from their 2002 album "When sun falls on my feet". Starlet are somewhere between jangle and twee, melancholy and soothing. Enjoy.

Starlet - Sunshine

The Slaves
Save me from yesterday
Playground

The Slaves aren't that bad (in fact, they're sort of mediocre), but I don't really see the point with them when there are other (Swedish) bands such as Caesars, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, Pet Politics, etc around doing this type of music, but with much more finesse and less clichés. I might listen to the odd track from "Save me from yesterday" in the future, since a nice melody pops up here and there, but overall I find it unexciting.
- Simon Tagestam

MP3: Caesars - (I'm gonna) Kick you out

Few things are nicer on a Friday morning than having the day's mp3 post already written. Thank you Nancy Baym!

Caesars (as they're known in the US) have gained a lot of notoriety recently for their ubiquity in ads, especially "Jerk it out"'s role as the invisible music playing in those dancing silhouettes' iPods, but it may come as news to some that they've been producing irresistible pop nuggets for years under multiple names including Caesar's Palace and The Twelve Caesars. Here's a number from their 1998 record "Youth is wasted on the young" that showcases the more classic garage elements of their sound, including an organ riff right out of ? and the Mysterians' "96 Tears". The lyrics are cheerful Swedish cynicism at its best: "I'm gonna kick you out/let the sunshine in." If you're planning on dumping your not-so-loved one soon, put this song on repeat.

Caesars - (I'm gonna) Kick you out

Swedish pop music blog Sounds of Sweden has posted an mp3 of Iggy Pop doing "Punkrocker" backed by Teddybears STHLM: http://soundsofsweden.blogspot.com/2006/05/cause-im-poptimist-yes-i-am.html
I'm most familiar with the Caesars version of the track, but I guess it's been done many times over?

Intrepid IAT reporter Jason Christie ran into Noel Gallagher of Oasis at the airport earlier today and he said that he still rates TSOOL, can handle the Hives, thinks Caesars are "ok" and likes "some other Swedish band called Kashmir." He meant Danish, but well - you know...

This is a week chock full of exclusives! Besides giving you the very first taste of the new The End Will Be Kicks album and offering it up for sale on mp3 waaaaay before it's available anywhere else, I've got yet another treat for you today! When I first heard that Björn Yttling had a jazz album in the works, I was naturally quite curious. Many people now recognize him as a member of the excellent Peter Bjorn and John, but I first became aquainted with his music through his extensive work as a producer. Many fine records in my collection are adorned with his name on the credits. So not only do I have a brand new track from his upcoming album today, but I was also afforded the opportunity to ask Björn a few questions about his work.

AR: Why a jazz album? What was the inspiration for the project?

BY: I've always listened to jazz (stuff like Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Ellington and of course Coltrane and Charlie Parker) and ten years ago I also played it. But the jazz scene can be very very boring with people just playing standards in predictable ways, so I kind of slipped away from it. I was still writing jazz songs though, and spurred by saxophone player Jonas Kullhammar I started thinking of making a jazz record.

AR: Is there a lot of difference in the way you work when you are composing jazz charts as opposed to when you are doing arrangements for pop music?

BY: No not really. The biggest different is that (my) jazz music is instrumental and pop music often isn't. Of course with jazz tunes you can leave the forms more open for improvising. I recorded this record in a day, and pop albums always take at least two.

AR: What other current producers do you admire right now?

BY:I really don't keep track on foreign producers that much, but there are many Swedes that I really like. Björn Olsson, Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Jari Haapalainen of course, but don't forget Jocke Åhlund from Caesars and Calle Olsson from Bear Quartet.

AR: So what's next for you then?

BY: I'm doing/planning a few records right now. Montys Loco, Elias & The Wizzkids, The Charm, Pueblo and we're almost done with the new Peter Bjorn And John album. What I really looking forward to do now is a record with Joakim Åhlund, and we're gonna start next week.

Björn's new jazz album with Yttling Jazz is called "Oh Lord, why can't I keep my big mouth shut". It comes out November 21 via Headspin Recordings.

MP3: Yttling Jazz - Tokyo Hyatt

This is a week chock full of exclusives! Besides giving you the very first taste of the new The End Will Be Kicks album and offering it up for sale on mp3 waaaaay before it's available anywhere else, I've got yet another treat for you today! When I first heard that Björn Yttling had a jazz album in the works, I was naturally quite curious. Many people now recognize him as a member of the excellent Peter Bjorn and John, but I first became aquainted with his music through his extensive work as a producer. Many fine records in my collection are adorned with his name on the credits. So not only do I have a brand new track from his upcoming album today, but I was also afforded the opportunity to ask Björn a few questions about his work.

AR: Why a jazz album? What was the inspiration for the project?

BY: I've always listened to jazz (stuff like Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Ellington and of course Coltrane and Charlie Parker) and ten years ago I also played it. But the jazz scene can be very very boring with people just playing standards in predictable ways, so I kind of slipped away from it. I was still writing jazz songs though, and spurred by saxophone player Jonas Kullhammar I started thinking of making a jazz record.

AR: Is there a lot of difference in the way you work when you are composing jazz charts as opposed to when you are doing arrangements for pop music?

BY: No not really. The biggest different is that (my) jazz music is instrumental and pop music often isn't. Of course with jazz tunes you can leave the forms more open for improvising. I recorded this record in a day, and pop albums always take at least two.

AR: What other current producers do you admire right now?

BY:I really don't keep track on foreign producers that much, but there are many Swedes that I really like. Björn Olsson, Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Jari Haapalainen of course, but don't forget Jocke Åhlund from Caesars and Calle Olsson from Bear Quartet.

AR: So what's next for you then?

BY: I'm doing/planning a few records right now. Montys Loco, Elias & The Wizzkids, The Charm, Pueblo and we're almost done with the new Peter Bjorn And John album. What I really looking forward to do now is a record with Joakim Åhlund, and we're gonna start next week.

Björn's new jazz album with Yttling Jazz is called "Oh Lord, why can't I keep my big mouth shut". It comes out November 21 via Headspin Recordings.

Yttling Jazz - Tokyo Hyatt

Renown Swedish musician/producer Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John, Caesars, etc.) recorded a jazz album this summer and will be releasing it on November 21 via Headspin Recordings. The music is said to take cues from other artists such as Charlie Mingus, Ennio Morricone and Joe Meek and judging from the samples I've heard, that's an accurate assessment.

I am shocked that the US loves Dungen so much. Firstly, the album "Stadsvandringar", originally released on Dolores in 2002, will be given a US reissue on October 4 via Astralwerks. I guess the two labels must like each other after working together on Caesars/Caesars Palace. Oh, and Pitchfork has a new live review posted as well: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/live/d/dungen-05/

New European dates for Caesars:

09/02 - Idro Rock, Milan (ITA)
09/03 - Electric Picnic Festival, Dublin (IRE)
09/04 - Winterthur Festival, Zurich (SWI)
09/15 - Kesselhaus (VISIONS @ Popkomm), Berlin (GER)
09/23 - The Atomic Café, München (GER)
09/24 - SWR 3 New Pop, Baden-Baden (GER)
09/25 - Fle, Vienna (AUS)

Indieworkshop reviews Caesars: http://indieworkshop.com/music/1926/

The Caesars' recent show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC from June 16 will be broadcasted on Internet radio station K-Rock2 this coming Thursday (tomorrow) at 7 and 11pm EST. In other Caesars news, the band will contribute their cover of the Blue Oyster Cult classic "Don't fear the reaper" to the "Six Feet Under: Everything ends, music from the HBO original series - vol. 2" compilation, due out June 28 via Astralwerks. Other acts appearing on the disc include Interpol, Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie. But will there be enough cowbell?

New US tourdates for Caesars:

7/09 - 99X Radio Show, Atlanta*
7/11 - North Star Bar, Philadelphia
7/12 - Paradise Rock Club, Boston
7/13 - 9:30 Club, Washington DC
7/14 - Southpaw, Brooklyn
7/15 - Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa (CAN)*
7/16 - St. Andrews Hall, Detroit
7/17 - Double Door, Chicago
7/18 - Ascot Room @ The Quest, Minneapolis
7/20 - Bluebird Theater, Denver
7/21 - Lo-Fi Café, Salt Lake City
7/22 - Dante's, Portland
7/23 - Taste of Seattle (KBKS stage), Seattle*
7/24 - Slim's, San Francisco
7/25 - El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles

All dates with Golden Republic except for those with an *.

Podcast: Feel-good summer mix