Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:
01. Anna Järvinen
02. Jens Lekman
03. Jenny Wilson
04. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
05. Bob Hund
06. Håkan Hellström
07. Peter Bjorn and John
08. Me and My Army
09. Acid House Kings
10. Those Dancing Days
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/
Peter Bjorn and John are posting a multi-part documentary on the making of "Gimme some": http://peterbjornandjohn.com/blog/gimme-some-movie-part-1-of-7/
And I'm From Barcelona are doing the same for their latest record "Forever today": http://www.imfrombarcelona.com/?p=1928
Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:
01. Bob Hund
02. Anna Järvinen
03. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
04. The Concretes
05. Jenny Wilson
06. Kent
07. Peter Bjorn and John
08. The Radio Dept.
09. Glasvegas
10. Lykke Li
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/
PopMatters gives high marks to the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136159-peter-bjorn-and-john-gimme-some/
Also reviewed, The Sounds' new album "Something to die for": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138633-the-sounds-something-to-die-for/
Under the Radar weighs in on the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some": http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/gimme_some/
Pitchfork reviews the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some" and is, somewhat predictably/disappointingly, totally ignorant of the band's first two albums: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15251-gimme-some/
NPR is streaming Peter Bjorn and John's excellent new album "Gimme some": http://www.npr.org/2011/03/21/134661375/first-listen-peter-bjorn-and-john-gimme-some
It's true, the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some" is absolutely superb. Their best record since "Falling out" I'd say, though I don't mean to disparage their work since then -- despite many, many fine singles (and yes, though you may be burnt on "Young folks", it's still a modern classic), none of the the albums have felt like a cohesive statement since then. "Gimme some" is exactly that and it's extremely satisfying. Plus, as a longtime fan since the very beginning, I'm glad to hear them return to their power-pop/mod-rock roots, albeit in a far more refined manner suitable to the current depth of their discography. Opening tune "Tomorrow has to wait" has all the elements that make me love the band, from the verse's excellent call-and-response simplicity and underlying acerbic tension to the eminently satisfying and gloriously wistful refrain of the chorus. Not to mention the buried Eastern-tinged melody lurking underneath it all, so cleverly playing against the steady pulse of the central chord. Peter Bjorn and John never stopped being a good band, now once again they reinforce why I think they're truly great.
Peter Bjorn and John - Tomorrow has to wait
Peter Bjorn and JohnA year and a half back, I heard rumblings that the new Peter Bjorn and John record was going to be a return to basics -- guitar, bass and drums -- which, for longtime fans, would light them up with glee. Not that "Living thing" was at all a bad album, in fact it found itself duly entrenched in the expert song craft from the trio, but that it was an uncomfortable confrontation on the archetype that catapulted them into popular culture (one can still hear "Young folks" whistled on the streets a half-decade after its release). Whereas "Living thing" was that masterful shunning of settling for a comfortable musical career, "Gimme some" finds the next logical step of the band's discography -- making its tightest pop/rock album to date. All of the rhythms click, all the vocals punch, the bass growls and the guitars provide the texture. "Second chance" and "Eyes" drop a danceable beat while "I know you don't love me" repetitiously steadies the finale; "Lies", "(Don't let them) Cool off", "Breaker breaker" and "Black book" all glorify the various elements of post-punk that have since valorized the genre in music history. "Gimme some" finds Peter Bjorn and John ready to accept their place in popular culture while simultaneously building a catalogue of integrity and depth.
- Matt Giordano
Watch the backwards version of Peter Bjorn and John's new video for "Second chance" at Vevo: http://www.vevo.com/watch/peter-bjorn-and-john/second-chance/SE2M41100103
Peter Bjorn and John are featured in the latest episode of NPR's All Songs Considered: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/15/133758428/new-mix-peter-bjorn-and-john-fleet-foxes-and-more?sc=nl&cc=asc-20110216
Check out Peter Bjorn and John's appearance from last night's Conan show: http://www.tbs.com/video/index.jsp?oid=242607
Also check out this web-exclusive clip of them playing backstage here: http://www.tbs.com/video/index.jsp?oid=242706
Peter Bjorn and John will be doing a lot of work on the road ahead of the release of their new album:
02/03 - The Old Blue Last, London (UK)
02/16 - Comet Club, Berlin (GER)
02/17 - Train, Aarhus (DK)
02/18 - Lille Vega, Copenhagen (DK)
02/19 - Sentrum Scene, Oslo (NOR)
02/23 - Lexington, London (UK)
02/28 - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam (NL)
03/02 - International, Paris (FRA)
03/30 - Dingwalls, London (UK)
03/31 - Academy 3, Manchester (UK)
04/01 - Stereo, Glasgow (SCO)
04/06 - Molotow, Hamburg (GER)
04/07 - Tivoli 400, Utrecht (NL)
04/08 - Botanique Orangerie, Brussels (BEL)
04/09 - Point FMR, Paris (FRA)
04/28 - Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
04/29 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC
04/30 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
05/01 - Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
05/02 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
05/03 - Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
05/05 - Paradise, Boston, MA
05/06 - Lee's Palace, Toronto, Ontario
05/07 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
05/10 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
05/11 - Venue, Vancouver, BC
05/12 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
05/13 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
05/14 - El Ray Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Stereogum has the premiere of a brand new track from Peter Bjorn and John: http://stereogum.com/623851/peter-bjorn-john-second-chance-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/
As mentioned before, the band's forthcoming album "Gimme some" is great and well worth waiting for.
