The nominees for this year's Spellemann awards, the Norwegian Grammy, have been announced:
Female Artist: Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is () Ida Maria - Katla (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Susanne Sundfør - The brothel ()
Male Artist: Moddi - Floriography () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Thom Hell - All good things () Thomas Dybdahl - Waiting for that one clear moment ()
Pop Group: deLillos - Hjernen er alene i Operaen () I was a king - Old friends (/) Kråkesølv - Bomtur til jorda () Madcon - Contraband ()
Electronic: Bjørn Torske - Kokning () Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real life is no cool () Ost & Kjex - Cajun lunch (/)
Rock: Blood Command - Ghostclocks (/) Kvelertak - Kvelertak () Motorpsycho - Heavy metal fruit () Serena-Maneesh - No 2: Abyss in b minor () Tommy Tokyo & Starving for My Gravy - Go time, showtime & absolute war ()
Hip-Hop: Karpe Diem - Aldri solgt en løgn () Lars Vaular - Helt om natten, helt om dagen () Salvador Sanchez - Happy daze ()
Folk: Gjermund Larsen trio - Aurum (/) Ingvill Marit Buen Garnås og Per Anders Buen Garnås - Salme, segn & solbøn () Sondre Bratland/Annbjørg Lien - Alle vegne () Unni Boksasp Ensemble - Keramello ()
Jazz: Elephant9 - Walk the nile () Ivar Antonsen/Vigleik Storaas - Dialogues () Paolo Vinaccia - Very much alive () Supersilent - 10 () Trondheim Jazz Orchestra - Triads and more ()
Open Class: Beady Belle - At Welding Bridge () Jaga Jazzist - One-armed bandit () Karl Seglem - Ossicles (/) Pelbo - Pelbo () Petter Wettre/Audun Kleive - The only way to travel 2 ()
Lyrics: Bare Egil Band - I fyr og flamme (/) Erik Fosnes Hansen - Neste stasjon Grorud () Ingrid Olava - The guest (
Pop Composition: Gjermund Larsen - Aurum (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Susanne Sundfør - The brothel () Thom Hell - All good things ()
Newcomer: Bjørn Johan Muri () Frida Ånnevik () Kvelertak () Moddi () Thomas Eriksen ()
01. Vamp - I Full Symfoni 2
02. Madcon - Contraband
03. Henning Kvitnes - For Sånne Som Oss
04. Odd Nordstoga - November
05. Ole Ivars - Stjerneklart
06. Ida Jenshus - No Guarantees
07. Knut Anders Sørum - Prøysen
08. Kari Bremnes - Fantastisk Allerede
09. Sigvart Dagsland - Bryllups- og Begravelsesorkester
10. Trine Rein - Seeds Of Joy
11. Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is
12. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2010
13. Tone Damli Aaberge - Cocool
14. Celine - Jentekveld
15. Didrik Solli-Tangen - Guilty Pleasures
16. Skambankt - Søvnløs
17. Guren Hagen - Alle de beste
18. Elin Gaustad - Whole New Beginning
19. A-ha - 25
20. Kvelertak - Kvelertak
01. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
02. Odd Nordstoga - November
03. Henning Kvitnes - For Sånne Som Oss
04. Ida Jenshus - No Guarantees
05. Ole Ivars - Stjerneklart
06. Sigvart Dagsland - Bryllups- og Begravelsesorkester
07. Kari Bremnes - Fantastisk Allerede
08. Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is
09. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2010
10. Tone Damli Aaberge - Cocool
11. Inger Lise Rypdal - De beste jeg vet
12. Elin Gaustad - Whole New Beginning
13. Knut Anders Sørum - Prøysen
14. Various Artists - Hjertestups
15. Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
16. Skambankt - Søvnløs
17. Leif Ove Andsnes - Rachmaninov Piano Concertos no 3 & 4
18. Madcon - Contraband
19. A-ha - 25
20. Röyksopp - Senior
01. Henning Kvitnes - For Sånne Som Oss
02. Odd Nordstoga - November
03. Ida Jenshus - No Guarantees
04. Kari Bremnes - Fantastisk Allerede
05. Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
06. Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is
07. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2010
08. Inger Lise Rypdal - De beste jeg vet
09. Elin Gaustad - Whole New Beginning
10. Vamp - I Full Symfoni 2
11. Skambankt - Søvnløs
12. Various Artists - Hjertestups
13. Veronica Akselsen - Blod og Ild
14. Röyksopp - Senior
15. Filmmusikk: - Splitter pinne - Reinspikka hits fra knerten filmen
16. Publiners - Herlig
17. Diverse artister - Go'natt
18. Tommy Tokyo feat Starving for My Gravy - Go Time, Showtime & Absolute War
19. Sivert Høyem - Moon Landing
20. A-ha - 25
01. Henning Kvitnes - For Sånne Som Oss
02. Odd Nordstoga - November
03. Ida Jenshus - No Guarantees
04. A1 - Waiting for Daylight
05. Kari Bremnes - Fantastisk Allerede
06. Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
07. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2010
08. Elin Gaustad - Whole New Beginning
09. Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is
10. Skambankt - Søvnløs
11. Hellbillies - Leite etter lykka
12. Filmmusikk: - Splitter pinne - Reinspikka hits fra knerten filmen
13. Röyksopp - Senior
14. Inger Lise Rypdal - De beste jeg vet
15. Tommy Tokyo feat Starving for My Gravy - Go Time, Showtime & Absolute War
16. A-ha - 25
17. Veronica Akselsen - Blod og Ild
18. The Moving Oos - The Return of Moving Oos
19. Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Knutsen & Ludvigsens beste
20. Olav Stedje - Ikkje Utan Deg
01. Odd Nordstoga - November
02. Röyksopp - Senior
03. Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
04. Kari Bremnes - Fantastisk Allerede
05. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2010
06. Elin Gaustad - Whole New Beginning
07. Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is
08. Skambankt - Søvnløs
09. Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
10. Hellbillies - Leite etter lykka
11. Tommy Tokyo feat Starving for My Gravy - Go Time, Showtime & Absolute War
12. a-ha - 25
13. Filmmusikk: - Splitter pinne - Reinspikka hits fra knerten filmen
14. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
15. Linda Kvam - Anything For Love
16. Inger Lise Rypdal - De beste jeg vet
17. Kvelertak - Kvelertak
18. Bjørn Johan Muri - Airwaves
19. Jan Garbarek/The Hilliard Ensemble - Officium Novum
20. The Respatexans - Hellbilly Heaven
Check out a live video of Norwegian artist Christel Alsos performing the new song "Please say", the first single from her forthcoming album due out later this year: http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/indeks/222571/
Here's the full tracklist for the upcoming Leonard Cohen tribute "Cohen - The Scandinavian report":
01. Cockies n Beans - First we take Manhattan
02. Rebecka Törnqvist - Here it is
03. Moto Boy - If it be your will
04. Jan Malmsjö - Dansa mig till kärlekens slut (Dance me to the end of love)
05. Ane Brun - Ain't no cure for love
06. Bo Sundström - Everybody knows
07. Sara Isaksson - Hey that's no way to say goodbye
08. Lars Halapi - Sisters of mercy
09. Mikael Wiehe - USA är redo för demokrati (Democracy)
10. Anders Widmark - Hallelujah
11. Eva Dahlgren - Bird on the wire
12. Vidar & Peter - In my secret life
13. Jenny Wilson - The partisan
14. Olle Ljungström - Chelsea Hotel #2
15. Sophie Zelmani - Waiting for the miracle to come
16. Christel Alsos - Suzanne
A&R man Lars "Billy" Hansson and producer Lars Halapi have organized a big Scandinavian 75th birthday tribute to Leonard Cohen featuring contributions from Eva Dahlgren, Olle Ljungström, Ane Brun, Sophie Zelmani, Jenny Wilson, Rebecka Törnqvist, Mikael Wiehe, Cookies n Beans, Christel Alsos, Moto Boy and many more. Read a bit more about it here: http://blogg.svd.se/tvbloggen?id=15137
Apparently all tracks were recorded live in the studio and the resulting album will be released on September 30.
The nominees for this year's Spellemanprisen (the Norwegian Grammy) have been announced:
Female artist: Ane Brun - Live In Scandinavia (Det Er Mine/V2) Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance (Sony BMG) Sissy Wish - Beauties Never Die (Sony BMG) Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør (MBN)
Male artist: Kenneth Ishak - Silver Lightning From A Black Sky (Division Records As) Magnet - The Simple Life (Sony BMG) Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles (Hektor Grammofon) William Hut - Nightfall (Universal Music AS)
Pop group: Blind Archery Club - The Union (Sony BMG) Superfamily - Warszawa (Propeller Rec.) The Royalties - The Royalties (Blister Music) Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord Og Ögonblick (Sony BMG)
Electronica: Alog - Amateur (Rune Grammofon) Diskjokke - Staying In (Smalltown Supersound) Salvatore - Days Of Rage (Racing Junior)
Rock: BigBang - Too Much Yang (Warner Music/Grandsport Records) Moving Oos - Peace And Love (Kong Tiki Records) My Midnight Creeps - Histamin (MMC Records) Raga Rockers - Übermensch (EMI/Pilot/Virgin) The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy Kiss (Racing Junior)
Country: Hellbillies - Spissrotgang (EMI Music Norway) Hemisfair - Blue Blue Grass Of Home (Wilma Records/Playground Music) Shit City - God Bless Our Home (Voices of Wonder) Steinar Albrigtsen - Moment Of Peace (Sony BMG)
Metal: Audrey Horne - Le Fol (Indie Recordings) Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli (Nuclear Blast) Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao (Season Of Mist) Red Harvest - A Greater Darkness (Season Of Mist)
Hip-hop: El Axel - It Is Wha It Is (Pass It Records) Madcon - So Dark The Con Of Man (Bonner Amigo) Tommy Tee - No Studio No Time-The Wait (Tee Productions)
Folk: Berit Opheim - Den Blide Sol (NorCD AS) Ragnhild Furebotten - Endelig Vals (Talik Da) Sigrid Moldestad - Taus (Heilo) Trio Mediaeval - Folk Songs (ECM/Grappa)
Jazz: Fossum-Aarum Quartet - F.A.Q. (Schmell) Jon Balke - Book Of Velocities (ECM/Grappa) Petter Wettre - Fountain Of Youth (Household Records) Sharp Nine - Sudoku (The Real Thing Da/Staffan) The Core - Office Essentials (Jazzland)
Open class: Frode Haltli - Passing Images (ECM/Grappa) Live Maria Roggen - Circuit Songs (Jazzland) Pust - Femkant (Pust Records) Shining - Grindstone (Rune Grammofon) The Source - The Source Of Christmas - Live (Grappa Musikkforlag AS)
Best music video: Dimmu Borgir - The Serpentine Offering (Nuclear Blast) Heroes & Zeros - A Strange Constellation (Nightliner/Universal) My Midnight Creeps - Don`t Let’Em Bring You Down (MMC Records) Turbonegro - Do You Do You Dig Destruction (Scandinavian Leather Recordings) WE - Hurdy Gurdy (Nun Music)
01. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times 02. TALK 1 03. Susanne Sundfør - I resign 04. Sahara Hotnights - Drive dead slow 05. Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide 06. TALK 2 07. Marit Bergman - I will always be your soldier 08. El Perro Del Mar - Party 09. Octavia Sperati - As fire swept clean the earth 10. TALK 3 11. Robyn - Cobrastyle 12. Montys Loco - Man overboard 13. Honey Is Cool - Summer of men 14. TALK 4 15. Those Dancing Days - Hitten (demo version) 16. Christel Alsos - Come on 17. Red Moon - Landslide 18. TALK 5 19. Sophie Zelmani - To know you 20. Sanna Kurki-Suonio - Minne 21. Susanna and the Magical Orchestra - Enjoy the silence 22. TALK 6 23. Otur - Overture 24. Midaircondo - Perfect spot 25. Doughnuts - Drowning 26. TALK 7 27. Fe-mail - Jacob's leketøy 28. September - Satellites 29. Gåte - Sjå attende 30. TALK 8 31. Maia Hirasawa - Mattis & Maia (ft. Miss Li) 32. Stina Nordenstam - Parliament square (The Knife remix) 33. Munck//Johnson - Slavesong 34. Bertine Zetlitz - 500 35. TALK 9 36. Säkert! - Sanningsdan 37. Asha Ali - A promise broken 38. The Cardigans - I need some fine wine and you, you need to be nicer 39. TALK 10 40. Anja Garbarek - The last trick
In case you missed it, the music summer camp for girls that Marit Bergman helped found is called Popkollo and you can find out more information here: http://www.popkollo.se/ Non-Swedish speakers, check the 'English' link on the bottom left for more details.
Norwegian jazz pop has been a rich vein of creative gold in recent years, with artists like Bol, Solveig Slettahjell, and Susanna & Magical Orchestra making stellar records. Add Christel Alsos to the list of ladies who deliver the goods in this genre. Her debut album "Closing the distance" is first-rate. Alsos has a soft, slightly husky voice that grows on you throughout this record. Her band plays with a level of sophistication you can feel, and the string arrangements are flawless. The closing tune "Still" may well be the single most intimate performance I've heard on record this year. The lyrics are strong and the music is poignant, timeless and deeply resonant. Alsos is more than just a "promising new talent" - she's already come through with one of the year's most quietly captivating, mature works of introspective songcraft. - Kevin Renick
01. Kristofer Åström - The dark 02. TALK 1 03. Amandine - Better soil 04. Christel Alsos - What you gotta do 05. Tarantula - Two arrows 06. TALK 2 07. Kristin Asbjørnsen - I'm on my way 08. Thomas Denver Jonsson - Dreams at the film club 09. Tenderloud - Texas down 10. TALK 3 11. Hyacinth House - Ghost town 12. Strayfolk - I'll be a-goin' 13. The First Miles - Bottle, don't let me down 14. TALK 4 15. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times 16. Hederos & Hellberg - I can't hold myself in line 17. Two Times the Trauma - I fell in love with an ocean 18. David Sandström Overdrive - The Fatville Treaty 19. HGH - Stupid song 20. TALK 5 21. Gorgoroth - Procreating Satan 22. Enslaved - The voices 23. Invocator - Breed of sin 24. TALK 6 25. Seance - Post mortem 26. Watain - Underneath the cenotaph 27. Dark Tranquility - Icipher 28. TALK 7 29. Eucharist - The Eucharist 30. At the Gates - Slaughter of the soul 31. Wolfbrigade - EU (European Union) 32. TALK 8 33. Katatonia - Had to (leave) 34. Bloodbath - Soul evisceration 35. Cult of Luna - The revelation embodied 36. TALK 9 37. Finntroll - Slaget vid blodsälv