PopMatters covers Mando Diao yet again: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/mandodiao-bring2.shtml

They also review Radio Dept.: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/r/radiodept-pulling.shtml

The new single and video from Mando Diao will be for the song "Paralized" which they say "is our best song, because of its simplicity. It's the only song that completely sums up the raw instincts of our band." They also are starting to confirm tourdates for Europe and will kick things off on March 5 in Paris. More details soon.

Ronald Bood (The Plan, Mando Diao) has been enlisted to mix the new Empire Dogs record.

PopMatters has posted a pretty much spot-on review of Mando Diao, though I'd disagree a bit with the final assessment: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/mandodiao-bring.shtml

Mando Diao reports that they are currently demoing new material for their next album, tentatively due out next fall. They also say that plans are in the works for a European tour this spring, as well as maybe the US and Australia to follow. Details to come.

Lake of Tears will enter the studio on February 13 to begin work on their new album, tentatively titled "Black Brick Road". An August release on Noise Records is expected.

German radio show "45 minutes", broadcast every second sunday at 7.30 pm on Radio Blau Leipzig, recently published their best-of-the-year lists and they contain a ton of Nordic acts. Here's some highlights:

Top 100 LPs 2003
01. The Bear Quartet "angry brigade" (A West Side Fabrication)
03. David & The Citizens "until the sadness is gone" (Adrian)
05. The Legends "up against the legends" (Labrador)
06. The Radio Dept. "lesser matters" (Labrador)
08. The Embassy "futile crimes" (Service)
10. Wan Light "let's wake up somewhere else" (Labrador)
12. Mew "frengers" (Sony)
13. Monastir "the modern sound for a loser generation" (A West Side Fabrication)
16. Peter Bjorn And John "s/t" (Beat That!)
17. The Crystal Committee "forever overhead" (Chalksound)
18. Dub Sweden "welcome to our world" (Silence)
21. Franke "optimismens hån" (Service)
22. Club 8 "strangely beautiful" (Labrador)
23. Komeda "kokomemedada" (Sonet)
32. The Concretes "s/t" (Licking Fingers)
42. Broder Daniel "cruel town" (Dolores)
50. The Cardigans "long gone before daylight" (Stockholm)
57. Laakso "miss you, i'm pregnant" (Adrian)
58. The Raveonettes "chain gang of love" (Dragnet)
73. Paola "stockcity girl" (Dolores)
83. Burek V "s/t" (A West Side Fabrication)
85. Carpet People "more bad weather coming out of the rain" (Chalksound)
88. Isolation Years "it's golden" (Stickman)
89. Douglas Heart "douglas heart" (Labrador)
93. Mando Diao "bring 'em in" (Majesty)
94. The Knife "deep cuts" (Rabid)
97. Ariel Kill Him "in the pyramid" (Kasual)
99. Edson "every day, ervery second" (Labrador)

For the rest of the list, as well as their singles chart, go here: http://www.pop-on-paper.de/

I barely heard about their first tour over here, but it looks like Mando Diao will be coming back to the US again early next year. I'll try to keep you posted.

Mando Diao has a new website. No news, but it looks like they're setting up a web-diary for the band.

Mando Diao Japanese tour dates:

11/10 - Club Quattro, Tokyo
11/11 - Club Quattro, Tokyo
11/13 - Club Quattro, Nagoya
11/14 - Club Quattro, Osaka
11/15 - Drum Logos , Fukuoka
11/17 - Zepp, Tokyo w/The Ark
11/18 - Club Quattro, Osaka
11/20 - Penny Lane, Sapporo

Mando Diao is playing the CMJ fest in NYC on October 22 at The Coral. Maybe more dates to follow? Mute is certainly pushing the album in the US - I just saw it yesterday at a Virgin Megastore listening station with a 'special emerging artist' price of $10. Who knows?

Here's a report on Mando Diao in Japan from Aftonbladet. (in Swedish)

Sound the Sirens have posted a review of the Mute Records release of "Bring 'Em In" from Mando Diao.

José González makes an appearance on the upcoming Niccokicks EP joining them on the Andreas Söderlund song "I want you back". The record was produced by Ronald Bood whose previous work includes records with The Plan, Mando Diao and Shout out Louds. Look for it in September.

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - In My Life
02. Kurt Nilsen - She´s So High
03. HIM - The Sacrament
04. Junior Senior - Rythm Bandits
05. Killer - Naughty Boy
06. Paperboys - What U Need
07. User - Do You
08. C21 - She Cries
09. The Lost Patrol feat. Lisa Miskovsky - Alright
10. The Cardigans - You´re The Storm
11. Outlandish - Guantanamo
12. Darude - Next To You
13. Mando Diao - Sheepdog
14. Christian Kjellvander - Homeward Rolling Soldier
15. The Sounds - Rock n´ Roll
16. Kashmir - Surfing The Warm Industry
17. Röyksopp - Sparks
18. Timbuktu - The Botten Is Nådd
19. Span - Found
20. Dilba - Diamonds And Motorcars

Challengers:
01. Qwan - One Life, One Love
02. Briskeby - Hey Baby
03. José Gonzales - Crosses
04. Moneybrother - Stormy Weather
05. Bertine Zetlitz - Twisted Little Star

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

Bomben on Mando Diao's recent headlines and the subsequent media portrayal: http://www.bomben.nu/texts/show.epl?id=57