Artist: Fireside
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7
It seems silly to call this "Volume 2" when disc one is essentially a reprise of the original "Svenska punkklassiker" comp with a slightly different tracklist and an extended timeframe. Sure, a few quality acts got culled in the process (or resigned to the excellent "Svensk postpunk klassiker" collection), but the heavy hitters (Ebba Grön, KSMB, etc.) remain. As for extending the date range to cover the entire 80s, well we can argue endlessly about who was unfairly left off and so on, but overall I think it allows for more variety, thus a better sampling of what early Swedish punk has to offer.
Disc two however, is where things become problematic. Swedish punk in the 90s was a mixed bag, to say the least, and I'm sure there's all sorts of folks out there who bristle at the inclusion of many bands here. C'mon, I love Fireside, but to call them classic Swedish punk is stretching things. Sure, they evolved from the right place, but to hear them followed by Skitsystem is quite a transition.
Anyhow, all issues of personal taste set aside, this collection does deliver a decent overview of the Swedish punk scene for novice listeners. The intro essay by Mikael Sörling gives the music historical context and the extra notes for each track (all på Svenska 'natch) are a most welcome touch, especially considering that they are sorely lacking from other collections in the Klassiker series. Of course, in an ideal world, we'd have a double-disc collection for each decade, but it still succeeds well enough as-is to earn a reserved recommendation.
- Avi Roig
"Great Northern Recordings compilation nr. 3", the latest edition of the short-run comp series focusing on some of Sweden's best experimental indie acts, is confirmed for release on March 1. This new one features eight previously unreleased tracks from the bands Nei (members from Breach, Fireside, Brick, The End Will Be Kicks), Giant Boar (members from Seven Feet Four), White Knives (members from Skull Defekts, Cut City) and Happiness (members from Tar... Feathers, Fuglesang) and will be amazing, no doubt. Hand-numbered, 167 copies and yes, I'll definitely be getting a few for resale. Celebrate the release with Nei's debut show at Debaser Slussen in Stockholm on March 1.
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show, featuring special guest Pontus Levahn from the band Torpedo:
01. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
02. TALK 1
03. Britta Persson - You are not my boyfriend
04. Hyacinth House - Lucky stranger
05. The Bear Quartet - Sailors
06. TALK 2
07. Jennie Abrahamson - In this life to live
08. Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide
09. Heroes & Zeros - The foolproof
10. TALK 3
11. Folie - Strum
12. Ellen Beach - The widespread acclaim
13. The Indecision Alarm - Where every fucking dream is killed
14. TALK 4 (INTERVIEW)
15. Torpedo - From Russia with love
16. Rupesh Cartel - Comes the hour comes the man
17. TALK 5 (INTERVIEW)
18. Torpedo - Hospital
19. Tiger Lou - Until I'm there
20. TALK 6 (INTERVIEW)
21. Simon Ryman - Walk with me instead
22. Fanny Risberg - Stay with me forever
23. Lack - Deserters
24. TALK 7
25. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Manic panic
26. Hebosagil - Slightly confusing
27. Dieter Schöön - The harbour's cold
28. TALK 8
29. Lukestar - White shade
30. Fun - Hold it close
31. The Skull Defekts - The secret
32. TALK 9
33. Laakso - Great times underground
34. CS Nielsen - Black spots
35. Knugen Faller - Lugna favoriter
36. TALK 10
37. Säkert! - Allt som är ditt
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
02. TALK 1
03. José González - Down the line
04. Anna Ternheim - Girl laying down
05. The Bear Quartet - The supremes
06. TALK 2
07. New Decade - I guess you ran from something
08. Commando M Pigg - Allt genast
09. Mikkel Metal - Bano
10. TALK 3
11. Johan Hedberg - Nygubbe4
12. Mikko Singh - Toisella puolella
13. Mimas - Thought discuss
14. Fattaru - 100:-
15. TALK 4
16. Sista Sekunden - Jag är aldrig nöjd
17. E.S.T. - Tuesday wonderland
18. Syster Lycklig - Drömgränd
19. TALK 5
20. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
21. The Grizzly Twister - Tigers made of paper
22. Samuel Jackson Five - Easily misunderstood
23. Grande Roses - Dead town
24. TALK 6
25. Thomas Dybdahl - B A part
26. Njurmännen - Cold meat industry
27. Tobias Hellkvist - Moment at ven
28. TALK 7
29. David Sandström Overdrive - Here's for summer
30. Randy - Freedom song
31. Kalle J - Vart stack du?
32. The Flaming Sideburns - Bad trip
33. TALK 8
34. The Bell - I am history
35. Lack - Pessimist poetry
36. The State of Floral Beings - Andy
37. Fireside - Problem (to you)
38. TALK 9
39. Firefox AK - Love to run
40. Manes - Cinder alley
41. Lukestar - Untitled
42. TALK 10
43. Oskar Schönning - S
Christian Kjellvander is currently in the studio working on his new album "I saw her from here/I saw here from her". Expect an October release via Startracks. Check out a clip of him performing a new song in his car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8WsK1aG2BM#GU5U2spHI_4
Be sure to peep the "more from this user" tab for a ton of other Startracks videos from the likes of Fireside, Tiger Lou and more.
Check out New Sport, the solo project of Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Fireside): http://www.myspace.com/newsport
Sounds a lot like old Starmarket - a very good thing IMO.
Matt Giordano asked me about this song earlier this week so I figured, what the heck? Why not make it this week's Friday post. Marit Bergman has done a lot of fun covers for b-sides throughout the years - X-Ray Spex ("Oh bondage, up yours!"), AC/DC ("Highway to hell"), etc. - but it's her cover of fellow Swedes Fireside and the song "Sweatbead" that stands out. There's also a nice Moneybrother duet on the same disc (2003's "From now on" single) making it even more worthwhile to track down. Anyhow, Marit does away with Fireside's post-hardcore syncopation and gives the big chorus hook to the horn section, wholly making it her own. It's a really sweet song when you get down to it and I think that Marit does a great job of bringing that out, especially with the way she expands the song's dynamic range. Sometimes b-sides are obviously the tracks that weren't good enough for the album, but this most certainly is not.
Marit Bergman - Sweatbead
8
A new Kristofer Åström release is always something I make a mental note of, as he has long been a sentimental favourite of mine, Fireside being the band that really got me into Swedish music. "RainawayTown" may come as a bit of a surprise, as this is the first full-length to be recorded without his long-time backing band Hidden Truck. To compare this album to one of his peers, It would be safe to say the consistency prevalent on this album, his first full-fledged alt-country venture, is that which Ryan Adams has been searching for, as this surpasses his excellent "Cold roses". After the stellar (and very indie) "So much for staying alive", I wasn't sure what Kristofer Åström had in his bag of tricks, but I'm very glad that he'd still got a lot in there.
- Matt Giordano
My special guest on my radio show this week was Ola Frick of the Moonbabies. Here's what we played:
01. Johndoe - Kjøtere
02. TALK 1
03. Mixtapes & Cellmates - The better half of cynical boys
04. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
05. Breach - Lost crew
06. TALK 2
07. Silverbullit - Only gold
08. Lack - Primo Levi
09. Samuraj Cities - All along the shoreline
10. Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie
11. TALK 3
12. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
13. Heroes & Zeros - Into the light
14. Moonbabies - War on sound
15. TALK 4
16. Moonbabies - Cocobelle
17. TALK 5
18. Moonbabies - Take me to the ballroom (comp version)
19. Björn Kleinhenz - Pocket of gold
20. TALK 6
21. Loney, Dear - Saturday waits
22. Revolvo - Marmelade
23. TALK 7
24. Emerald Park - Open up
25. KVLR - Capitol city child
26. TALK 8
27. David & the Citizens - Are you in my blood?
28. TALK 9
29. David Åhlén - Wasted breaths
30. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
31. TALK 10
32. Moonbabies - Sun A.M. (outtake version)
33. TALK 11
34. Moonbabies - Don't ya know?
Not only did Ola reveal that he used to be a member of the Mercyful Fate fanclub, but it also looks like he'll be recording the next David & the Citizens record. Excellent!
This week, Jonas Appelqvist is taking us back to 1982:
Last night it dawned upon me that I in fact own one song with T.S.T. (a band that's been a subject of discussion in the message board for quite some time now). They're represented on the compilation "Vägra raggarna benzin – punk från provinserna 78-82 vol. II" with "Väktarnas värld" along with Asta Kask, TT Reuter and Unter Den Linden. The reason for the discussion is that someone wanted to know who originally wrote the song "Oh, I'm so alone" which Fireside recorded back in 1997. And yup, you guessed it; it was the songwriters in this band, Nandur Hegedüs and Jarmo Mäkkeli. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to track down that song but, boy, do I have goodies for you! Let me present a song taken from their self-titled debut released in 1982, "No government". Being ahead of their time, this is what I imagine that Mr. Brett and Greg Graffin from Bad Religion and Bob Mould from Hüsker Dü would use as preference to their own songwriting at the time.
This punk band from Västerås released two albums, a few EPs and contributed to a bunch of compilations over the years. I can warmly recommend the "Varning för punk"-comp, in which most of the Swedish punk elite are represented, a triple CD that sums up the eighties punk scene in Sweden in a great way.
FYI, being born and raised in a town that was a big punk scene during that period with great bands such as Nyx Negativ and, mentioned above, Unter Den Linden, I almost feel obliged to do mp3-posts on those bands as well. Hell, you can't miss out on that!
But for now, enjoy your T.S.T.!
T.S.T. - No government
5
During a brief period in my life one could say I was in it way over my head. In the centre of things was, of course, this girl. Well, it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, so, there I was, heartstruck and miserable. That's when I found salvation. In the form of Kristofer Åström. The front man from legendary swedish emo/rock band Fireside has had a very special place in my heart ever since. Perhaps that's why I'm so disappointed tonight. Expectations are dangerous things. "RainawayTown" is the name of the new Kristofer Åström album, the gig in Linköping being the second stop on the Rainaway-tour. One major change in the live lineup of 2007 is that The Hidden Truck now is but a memory, with The Rainaways (including members from Nationalteatern, among others) filling up the void. The result is... below my expecations. Even though "RainawayTown" might be the best album since "Northern blues", or perhaps even better, the songs have problems transfering from record into live format. Sadly, I'd say it's mostly because of Kristofer himself, he seems quite out of shape this evening. He forgets lines, rearranges the setlist to everyones confusion, and seems generally unfocused. Then again, this is only the second gig ever with The Rainaways - I'm sure everything will run much smoother a couple of more gigs into the tour.
- Christian Stenbacke
The video for Johndoe's new single "Hardt som faen" is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1UtvoxrJmY
The clip was filmed live by fans at a show in Oslo and the live sound was mixed by Swedish producer/engineer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Fireside, The Hives, etc.). The track is the third single from "Dødvinkel", one of my favorite records from 2006.
In other Dolores news, Jocke and Nino from Caesars have a new band with Frans from Fireside called Big Bird and they will be releasing their debut EP on the label in March. As for Caesars, they are working on a new record with Björn Olsson for release this fall.
Various Artists
Kristofer Åström
