Artist: Mattias Alkberg
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"His spine", yet another Mattias Alkberg song that hides vicious sentiments in a sweet melody. "Hopelessness, despair / Lack of vision, education sucks / When you're born and torn / Between injustice and bad luck" The strings soar and the knife gets driven deeper into your gut. No optimism, no future. For some people at least: "You know what I need / Rights not charity, hope and equality / Not to be looked down upon / I'm not stupid just constantly reminded otherwise" It's that last bit that really gets me - hear something enough times and there's a chance you might start believing it. Resist! Fight back! Persevere!
The Bear Quartet - His spine
Luleå-based indierockers Park Hotell managed to score a nice bit of publicity thanks to Mattias Alkberg's flattering one-sheet writeup. That's fine and good, but how about the music? Well, surprise surprise: they sound like a Norrland indierock band. Naturally, I think that's great - I'm a huge fan of that style and besides the mighty Bear Quartet, count many other peers as my favorites such as KVLR, Him Kerosene and Isolation Years. Park Hotell emphasizes the lighter, airier side of things though that looming presence of northern darkess always remains in the background. Otherwise, expect tons of twisted guitars and plenty of the sort of unique melodies that are a given for the genre. "Born a thief" is one of the more driving tracks on "The guest who stayed forever", the bands new double-EP (two short CDs packaged in a nice gatefold sleeve). It's probably the one song that reminds me the most of HK which is maybe why I like it so much. My only complaint: it's a shame we had to wait so long for this to finally come out.
Park Hotell - Born a thief
Matt Giordano is taking care of this week's BQ post:
It's Saturday and you know what that means! This time around I decided to choose The Bear Quartet song that I've been listening to the most lately: "An epidemic touch." It's a fairly recent one, from 2005's "I have an itch EP" and somehow I find this track to be more of the bridge into their foray of electronic music, yet this holds much more of the organic elements of the albums' released previously into the mix. It's a bit of a rocker too, with Mattias Alkberg's barely audible vocals and Calle Olsson's stellar keyboard lines, this may truly be one of their most overlooked tracks.
The Bear Quartet - An epidemic touch
Frequent contributor Matt Giordano has this week's BQ post:
It's always tough to choose your favourite Bear Quartet, because the variety is so much and the band's back catalogue is filled with so many EPs and LPs it's a bit overwhelming. For mine, I've chosen "I'm still her" from 2003's "Angry brigade". There's just something about the music in this song — it's absolutely gorgeous. Of course, Mattias Alkberg's hauntingly frail vocal take just further exemplifies the struggle of life and of self-realisation, and that's reflected in the somewhat [albeit purposely] confused song title. This track is cold, aching, and just stunning.
I'm still looking for more people to contribute their own thoughts on the mighty Bear Quartet. Best song, worst song, whatever you want - I want to know all about it. Get in touch!
The Bear Quartet - I'm still her
Week #2 and we're going strong! Our latest Bear Quartet tribute post comes from Parasol's Jim Kelly, probably one of the biggest BQ fans I know. His pick? Well, read for yourself:
"World War III" is taken from the "Load it" EP, recorded in 2000 and released in very early 2001, one of The Bear Quartet's truly wondrous b-sides. A sweet, sad little song of truly epic proportions, with lyrics detailing a helicopter rescue and a childhood game of hide-n-seek gone wrong. It touches on fatalism and fealty (or a lack thereof) and finding yourself all sorts of lost for all sorts of reasons. And when it couldn't get any more melancholy, when the girl with the head-injury is happy to be in a helicopter, when the kid with the great hiding place realizes the game ended a long time ago and he's alone, what do they throw in instead of a guitar solo? That's right. Bagpipes. Or something suitably bagpipe-like, a mournful and keening wail, but it's probably just my favorite guitarist on the planet, Jari Haapalainen, playing mandolin through his Fender Twin, or something. So here I am with a lump in my throat and the solemn promise of further heartache (because you know it's not over)... Like when frontman Mattias Alkberg sings bassist Peter Nuottaniemi's wrenching lyrics in the closing stanza: "I was hiding from you who had gone home without telling me, and I swear that sometimes it's like I'm still out there." Hand me a hanky. "World War III" is Scandinavian Melancholy as a musical sub-genre, as a guilty pleasure, as an itch you enjoy scratching, as an incurable affliction, encapsulated in 4 minutes and 4 seconds.
The Bear Quartet - World War III
A West Side Fabrication has announced that Mattias Alkberg BD, the solo project of Mattias Alkberg obviously, will release their new album "Ditt hjärta är en stjärna" on October 4. The first single "Reevolution" will be available as a paid download as early as September 11. The record was produced by fellow Bear Quartet member Jari Haapalainen and features guest appearances by Carla Jonsson of Eldkvarn and famed Swedish jazz sax player Jonas Kullhammar.
Absolut Noise talks to Mattias Alkberg of The Bear Quartet/Mattias Alkberg BD: http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2006/06/absinterview-mattias-alkberg.html
Absolut Noise talks to Mattias Alkberg of The Bear Quartet about their new album "Eternity now", his solo work with Mattias Alkberg BD and more: http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2006/05/bear-quartet-interview-mattias-alkberg.html
David & the Citizens have released two full length LPs and a handful of EPs on Sweden's Adrian Recordings. This EP, their first American release, pulls songs from these previous releases into a short and sweet collection. A few of their best numbers are here, "Now she sleeps in a box in the good soil of Denmark" is a curious sing-along song despite the dark lyrics, and "Big chill" (featuring Mattias Alkberg of Bear Quartet and Mattias Alkberg BD) is invigorating as all get out. "Lets not fall apart" showcases frontman David Fridlund's uncanny grasp of melody. Their songs are always an intriguing contrast between lyrics that border on suicidal despair and bouncy melodies brimming with joy. These aren't all the songs I would have picked to showcase their strengths - there are none of their slower beauties, and some of their most compelling numbers like "Song against life" (now there's a theme for a sing-along-song!) are missing, while a few of those included ("Grey coated morning," which was an early single but is hardly their best) might be better left off. All in all, though, it's a fine introduction to a wonderful band for those who don't want to spring for the full catalogue and build their own favorite song playlists.
- Nancy Baym
The nominees for the 2004 Manifest Awards have been announced. Here are a few of the categories:
Pop/rock:
David Sandström - "The Dominant Need of the Needy Soul Is to be Needed"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog"
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"
Silverbullit - "Arclight"
Hardrock/punk:
C.Aarmé - "C.Aarmé"
Dismember - "When Iron Crosses Grow"
Haunted - "rEVOLVEr"
Koma - "Tsunami"
Totalt Jävla Mörker - "Människans ringa värde"
Hip-hop/R&B/soul:
Helt Off - "Helt Off"
Ison & Fille - "Ison & Fille"
Promoe - "Long Distance Runner"
Snook - "Vi vet inte vart vi ska men vi ska komma dit"
Rico Wondahman - "Takin' Over"
Post-rock/electronica:
Backlash - "Heliotrop"
Andreas Tilliander - "World Industries"
Sophie Rimheden - "Miss"
Hans Appelqvist - "Bremort"
IC1 - "The Birth of Industrial Cool"
Dance/house/techno:
Quant - "Getting Out"
Andreas Tilliander - "World Industries"
Sophie Rimheden - "Miss"
Hird - "Moving On"
Ernesto's - "Album"
Solo/singer/songwriter:
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"
Florence Valentin - "Johnny Drama"
Billie the Vision & The Dancers - "I Was So Unpopular in School"
Tobias Fröberg - "For Elisabeth Wherever She Is"
Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos - "Visorna"
Best live:
Existensminimum
Mattias Alkberg
Silverbullit
Svenska Akademien
Jens Lekman
Best newcomer:
Tiger Lou - "Is My Head Still On?"
Nanook of the North - "The Täby Tapes"
Fatboy - "Steelhearted"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog"
Cirera - "Honestly, I Love You *Cough*"
The Manifest Awards are considered an alternative to the Swedish Grammy in the same way that the Alarm Prize is regarded in Norway. Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held February 1 at Nalen in Stockholm. More info: http://www.som.a.se/manifest/index.html
Keep in touch with the ongoing Mattias Alkberg-Grammy fallout at the Bear Quartet guestbook: http://www.bearquartet.com/guestbook.asp (in Swedish)
Aftonbladet's music critics offers up their picks for the year's best albums, starting with Per Bjurman: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,575639,00.html (in Swedish)
Some of the number ones include Marit Bergman, Koma and Mattias Alkberg.
David & The Citizens