Podcast: Best of 2005

Det Gamla Landet are currently recording new material. If you haven't already heard them, their self-titled debut is one of 2005's best releases. Buy it right here.

Podcast: Build it up, break it down, mess it up

Uncommon Folk heaps some well-deserved praise on Det Gamla Landet: http://www.uncommonfolk.net/2005/08/15/det-gamla-landet/
Seriously, if there's one band I've been championing this year that deserves to break, it's these guys. How long do I have to keep going on about how great they are?

Foxy Digitalis interviews Det Gamla Landet: http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/feature_detail.php?id=115
Their self-titled album is easily one of the best releases of 2005. Very highly recommended.

Podcast: Summer bummer

Top fives: 2005 so far

Aa Records, home of Det Gamla Landet and Now, has a new website design that looks awfully similar to my own: http://www.a-double-a.com/
Not that I'm complaining - it's always good to see other people posting dog pics.

It's a new month, so that means it's time for a new album spotlight. My selection for March is the very excellent self-titled debut album from Det Gamla Landet. Check out the mp3 for download in the playlist and if you like what you hear, which I'm pretty sure you will, go on and buy the CD.

Det Gamla Landet
s/t
AA/Nosordo

The beauty of this record made me rewrite this review three times because I couldn't quite capture what I felt. This record is what I would like people play as funeral march once I pass away. As creepy as that sounds, it really isn't. The music is full of mourning but yet you remember all the beautiful times you had. This folk, with somewhat military percussion, banjo, acoustic guitars and melodica, is superbly written and played. Despite the simplicity of the music, and the lack of vocals, the songs flow with an incredible ease. This review still sucks but I guess that's the best I can do.
- Simon Thibaudeau

New mp3 today from Det Gamla Landet (The Old Country). I'm really surprised that I haven't been seeing a ton of hype about these guys as they play the kind of evocative, mysterious instrumental folk music that people from Aquarius Records and The Wire seem to love. And really, how could anyone not enjoy this? Like fellow Swedish instrumentalist Björn Olsson, these guys make soundtrack music that summons the spirit of the great Ennio Morricone, but with a far more rustic edge. Their chosen sonic palette of wheezy organs, plucked banjos, elegant classical guitar picking and simple percussion is limiting, but it's also part of their charm as it lends them a unique sonic identity. It doesn't hurt that they've chosen the perfect name for the group as well. This featured track comes from the self-titled debut full-length out now via Aa Records and I've selected it because I just love the way it builds into an epic and fades out with church bells ringing off in the distance. Check it out and also note that you can now order the CD directly from IAT.

Aa will begin shipping the brand new self-titled album from Det Gamla Landet on January 1. Head over to the label's website for details, full tracklist and so on: http://www.a-double-a.com/

Swedish mp3 blog Sounds Like Funday offers up a track from Det Gamla Landet: http://funday.se/sounds

The "Independent Sweden" compilation from US/Spanish label Fork Series is finally done, almost a year after it was first announced. Here's the tracklist:

01. David & The Citizens - "New Direction"
02. Niccokick - "Wasted Love"
03. Björn Kleinhenz - "Let's Try"
04. Thomas Denver Jonsson & The September Sunrise - "24 Seven"
05. Ane Brun - "Humming One Of Your Songs"
06. Adria - "Your Shift" *
07. Studio - "Down By The River"
08. Now - "Chin Up" *
09. Kid Commando - "Urban Bushman"
10. CDOASS - "Autovision"
11. Menteroja - "Ho Chi Minh Style"
12. Dr Higgins - "Jag Dansade Ett Liv" *
13. Laakso - "Fight The Fight
14. Celestine - "Beneath Your Sight…" *
15. Sandy Mouche - "Carkeys" *
16. Homeland - "Flood" *
17. Boy Omega - "I Might Not Be Real" *
18. Lemko Hall - "Those Are The Sundogs"
19. The Flu - "Little Friend" *
20. Det Gamla Landet - "Tolv Under" *

* Previously unreleased

This time they really mean it: Det Gamla Landet will be releasing a new album later this month through the Aa label.