The NYC press is starting to hype Madrugada on the eve of their week of showcase shows. They are a 'Pick Of The Week' in both Time Out and The New York Press, they have a write-up in The Village Voice and also in the New Yorker. NYP said the band are "the Norwegian Radiohead", Time Out says "Grit" is "an incredibly cool album" and VV describes them as "Norwegian indie boys who play up their noisy side amid bleak, beautiful melodies."

Norwegian singer/songwriter St. Thomas is reportedly hard at work on new material, just five months after the release of his last album "Let's Grow Together - The Comeback Of St. Thomas". In March Thomas spent some time in the studio with long-time producer Robert Jønnum and a backing consisting of Alex Lindbäck on drums, Espen Mellingen on guitar and Petter Pogo on bass. Together they recorded thirteen brand new tracks. Three of those tracks were then rerecorded with producer Kai Andersen at Athletic Sound in Halden and they came out so well that the band will return in September for more. Kai is most known for his work Madrugada's excellent debut album "Industrial Silence". For some more details about recent St. Thomas activities, go here: http://www.stthomas1976.net/news.php

Some news regarding the positive response received by Madrugada at their recent UK gigs and some upcoming shows supporting Iggy and the Stooges in Greece this coming July: http://www.stthomas1976.net/madrugada/news.php

MIC Norway previews the series of shows that Madrugada is doing in NYC next week: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004042814083842550240
Apparently the concert promoter, Norwegian music magazine Mute, has a few showcase events in the works with the next one set for October. As for who will play, that's still TBA.

The official Madrugada website has compiled a bunch of English press regarding their recent performances in the UK: http://www.emi.no/madrugada/news.asp
The new double-a-side single for "Majesty" and "Seven Seconds" comes out on April 12.

Madrugada is making a trip to NYC for a number of concerts in early May, no doubt to showcase for various record execs and such. Will there finally be a US release for them? It's not the first time they've tried, I don't think. Anyhow, I recommend you to check em out if you're in the area. Everything I've read about and heard from their live shows has been fantasic. Dates:

05/05 - Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ w/The Washdown, Botanica and The Dog Show
05/06 - Piano's, Manhattan, NY w/Botanica, Louque, Burnside Project (Japan) and Tight Fit
05/07 - Sin-é, Manhattan, NY w/Randi Russo, Autodrone, Mark Steiner & The Broken Men and The Heroin Sheiks
05/09 - CBGB's, Manhattan, NY w/Botanica, The Dog Show and Mark Steiner & The Broken Men

Some Madrugada news concerning their recent inroads in the UK and a concert review of side-project The Opposition: http://www.stthomas1976.net/madrugada/news.php

Madrugada vocalist Sivert Høyem recently released his debut solo album "Ladies And Gentlemen Of The Opposition" in Norway and has a new website online with samples and more info: http://www.siverthoyem.com/

"Bankable garage-rock sound"? WTF are they talking about? Anyhow, it's good to see Pitchfork review the underappreciated Madrugada regardless: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/m/madrugada/grit.shtml

Looks like Madrugada is finally making headway in the UK. MIC Norway has a profile on the group and highlights some of the recent praise from the English press: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004030311423826615701

Some UK dates for Norway's Madrugada:

04/05 - Carling Academy 2, Birmingham
04/06 - 100 Club, London
04/07 - Manchester University, Manchester

On Monday Madrugada will release a special digital single for the song "Majesty". Get the details: http://www.emi.no/madrugada/download.asp

Pål Waaktaar of A-ha recently spoke to Dagbladet about his work with sideproject Savoy and their upcoming album. They've been working with Frode Jacobsen of Madrugada producing, so the sound may be a bit darker than their previous efforts. There's no release date yet, but the group is already confirmed for a big comeback special at next year's Øya Festival in Oslo in August. Read more: http://www.a-ha.com/index.php?id=4444&cat=417

Here's an article on that Norweigan Johnny Cash tribute at Kretsfengsel avd. A prison in Oslo that I talked about back on 12/01: http://www.nrk.no/musikk/3323980.html (in Norweigan)

The backing band will be made up of Amund Maarud (guitar), Carsten Boe (guitar), Ole Petter Hansen (drums), Bill Trojani (bass) and Christer Knutsen (keys) and these people will sing: Sivert Høyem (Madrugada), Paal Flaata (Midnight Choir), Thomas Dybdahl, Even Johansen (Magnet), Øystein Greni (Big Bang), Vidar Busk, Steinar Albrigtsen, Trond Asker, Sondre Bratland, Karen Jo Fields, Sergeant Petter, Hilde Heltberg and Rita Eriksen

Swedish hardcore act Misconduct has signed a deal with UK-based label Golf Records, home to acts such as Poison Idea, Norma Jean, Ann Berretta, Stretch Armstrong, Consumed and more. They will licensing the band's newest album "United As One" from Side-by-Side Records for a full European release on March 8 next year. As mentioned before, Misconduct will be touring Europe around the time of release and you can get an up-to-date schedule from the band's website.

Madrugada, one of Norway's biggest bands, plays a one-off gig in London tonight at The Metro to try and raise some awareness about the UK-release of their latest album "Grit" on Music for Nations. Check out the flyer here. The UK version of the album also has a different tracklist than the original, featuring just seven songs from the Norweigan version. Members Frode, Sivert and Robert with the thought that they'd rather provide a much broader overview of the band's sound as opposed to just the new tracks. Here's what they came up with:

01. Blood Shot Adult Commitment
02. Ready
03. I Don't Fit
04. Madrugada
05. Majesty
06. 7 seconds
07. Lucy One
08. Hands Up - I Love You
09. Got you
10. Belladonna
11. Ready To Carry You

It's also got a new cover that you can view here. The band hopes to come back for a full UK tour in January, but I don't have anything confirmed yet.

In other news, the band reports that they are hard at work on new material and practicing 6-7 hours a day. They should hopefully have something out by next autumn, but nothing's been set yet. Ah, but they do have a confirmed new release coming up! They'll be doing a split EP tribute to revered psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson together with We, another Norweigan band I really like. Madrugada does the 13th Floor Elevator song "Slip Inside This House" and it should be out soon on Black Balloon Records. And in related news, Sivert's sideproject The Opposition have their debut album coming out in February and they will tour Norway in support soon after in March. While not turning out as singer/songwriter-esque as he originally imagined, he says it's "pop, the way I perceive that pop should be like" and is incredibly proud of the way it sounds. And last but not least, on December 9, Sivert will take part in a Johnny Cash tribute album recording at, where else but Kretsfengsel avd. A prison in Oslo with the inmates as the audience. Very cool. Other artists set to take part include Thomas Dybdahl, Magnet, Steinar Albrigtsen, Paal Flaata from Midnight Choir and Øystein Greni from Big Bang and it should be out in either late January or early February.