Various Artists
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Public radio does have its virtues: It gives weekly airtime to people such as Andreas Tilliander (former Swedish Grammy-Winner, present Kent-support gig, ever-productive multi-aliased electronic musician) to talk about and play electronic music in his acclaimed show "Ström" and, from time to time, it even lets said show hosts compile CDs. After a walk in the park with 2006's birdsong-remix CD "Pausfågeln remixad", the current topic, which translates to "New music for national grief", touches on more sombre grounds - its aim was to compile music that could be played on the radio in case of national grief, think tsunami or death in the royal family. Naturally, each of the record's 12 musician has their own personal concept of grief and expresses it through (more or less) crackling electronica in widely different ways. Ideally, such fragmentism could be enriching, as in the Pausfågel-compilation, but here it revives a familiar problem of compilations: some tracks truly stand out (to me: the more cut-up, less vocal ones) but others are more of the skipping-kind. It's a matter of taste, as always, but I think I'll stick with the Pausfågel-CD for now and wait for the next Ström-sampler.
- Arnulf Köhncke

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
02. Tomas Andersson Wij - En sommar på speed
03. Jill Johnson - Music Row
04. Carola - Främling 25 år
05. Neverstore - Heroes wanted
06. The Cardigans - Best of
07. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
08. Caesars - Strawberry weed
09. Kikki Danielsson - Kikkis bästa
10. Lykke Li - Youth novels
11. Takida - Bury the lies
12. Amy Diamond - Music in motion
14. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
15. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
16. Marie Picasso - The secret
17. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
18. Säkert! - Säkert!
19. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
20. Björn Skifs - I2I

This week's It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Radiohead
02. Jens Lekman
03. Håkan Hellström
04. Lykke Li
05. Band of Horses
06. The Cure
07. Hot Chip
08. Shout Out Louds
09. Caesars
10. Kent

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Neverstore - Heroes wanted
02. Tomas Andersson Wij - En sommar på speed
03. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
04. Carola - Främling 25 år
05. The Cardigans - Best of
06. Lykke Li - Youth novels
07. Takida - Bury the lies
08. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
09. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
10. Majornas 3dje Rote - Majornas 3dje Rote med Tomas von Brömssen
11. Within Y - The cult
12. Kikki Danielsson - Kikkis bästa
14. Jill Johnson - Music Row
15. Hellsongs - Hymns in the key of 666
16. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
17. El Perro Del Mar - From the valley to the stars
18. Pacific! - Reveries
19. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
20. Säkert! - Säkert!

Swedish label Megahype has signed long-running synth act Mobile Homes. Their new single "Close", produced by Sami Sirviö of Kent, will be released on May 1 and they'll be working with Christian Falk on their upcoming full-length, due out this coming fall.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Carola - Främling 25 år
02. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
03. Jill Johnson - Music Row
04. Hellsongs - Hymns in the key of 666
05. The Cardigans - Best of
06. Lykke Li - Youth novels
07. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
08. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
09. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
10. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
11. Marie Picasso - The secret
12. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
14. Takida - Bury the lies
15. Säkert! - Säkert!
16. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
17. Andra Generationen - Extra allt
18. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
19. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
20. Hoffmaestro & Chraa - The storm

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
03. Lykke Li - Youth novels
04. The Cardigans - Best of
05. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
06. Jill Johnson - Music Row
07. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
08. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
09. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
10. Marie Picasso - The secret
11. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
12. Säkert! - Säkert!
14. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
15. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
16. Takida - Bury the lies
17. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
18. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
19. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
20. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am

This week's It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Radiohead
02. Jens Lekman
03. Feist
04. Lykke Li
05. Hot Chip
06. Belle and Sebastian
07. Cat Power
08. Shout Out Louds
09. Modest Mouse
10. Kent

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Kent
Live @ Billingehov Skövd, 02/15/08

I finally did my Kent homework last year, meaning I dug out all the old records and listened to them all over again - everything to be fully prepeared when "Tillbaka till samtiden" hit the shelves. With the album being somewhat of a dissapointment, however just a minor one, and with the prevoius experiences (all bad) I've had with Kent live, I had no real expectations when I arrived at Skövde Hockey Arena just in time to catch opening act Familjen (nope, not the right place for Jonas T. Karlsson and his buddy for the night, Andreas Tilliander). Kent playing in a Hockey Arena, taste that one. All signs pointed towards the same thing - this was going to be a horrifying night to remember. And oh how I was right! On everything except for the horrifying part. Tonight Jocke Berg and co. totally blows my mind, Hockey Arena or no Hockey Arena. I've never witnessed the band so intense and concentrated - it's just brilliant! All the hit songs are included, both old ones and new ones, even though one might argue that just about all Kent songs are hit songs, and the visual part of the show is breathtaking. The pick of the night must be the upbeat disco version of "Dom andra", with the extended version of "Mannen i den Vita Hatten (16 år senare)" coming in close behind. This was truly a pleasant surprise.
- Christian Stenbacke

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
02. The Cardigans - Best of
03. Lykke Li - Youth novels
04. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
05. Jill Johnson - Music Row
06. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
07. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
08. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
09. Säkert! - Säkert!
10. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
11. Hästpojken - Caligula
12. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
14. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
15. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
16. Björn Skifs - I2I
17. Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day
18. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
19. Marie Picasso - The secret
20. Takida - Bury the lies

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lykke Li - Youth novels
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
03. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
04. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
05. Jill Johnson - Music Row
06. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
07. The Cardigans - Best of
08. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
09. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
10. Hästpojken - Caligula
11. Säkert! - Säkert!
12. Marie Picasso - The secret
14. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
15. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
16. Björn Skifs - I2I
17. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
18. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
19. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
20. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao 3

This week's It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group tremendously boring top 10 artists of the week:

01. Radiohead
02. Hot Chip
03. Belle and Sebastian
04. Feist
05. The Magnetic Fields
06. The National
07. Jens Lekman
08. Kent
09. Vampire Weekend
10. The Beatles

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your listening habits count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
02. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
03. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
04. Säkert! - Säkert!
05. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
06. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
07. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
08. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
09. Marie Picasso - The secret
10. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
11. Jill Johnson - Music Row
12. Anna Christoffersson - One
14. Daniel Lemma - Somebody on your side
15. Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day
16. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
17. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
18. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
19. Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum och tång
20. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen

The winners of this year's Rockbjörnen:

Female artist: Sonja Aldén
Group: Sahara Hotnights
Newcomer: Måns Zelmerlöw
Male artist: Lars Winnerbäck
Live act: The Ark
Song: Lars Winnerbäck – Om du lämnar mig nu
Album: Kent – Tillbaka till samtiden
Myspace prize: Kid Down

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
03. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
04. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
07. Jill Johnson - Music Row
08. Säkert! - Säkert!
09. Marie Picasso - The secret
10. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao 3
11. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
12. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
14. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
15. Britta Persson - Kill Hollywood me
16. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
17. Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - A fiction
18. Petter - God damn it
19. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
20. Martin Stenmarck - Det är det pojkar gör när kärleken dör