To be completely honest, The Radio Dept. have never previously overwhelmed me, not in the way many friends and critics have been. This isn't to say I think they've been hyped into popularity, but their albums have often engaged me for a few weeks and then been shelved, only pulled out occasionally to listen to the two or three songs that really sunk in. "Clinging to a scheme", however, is a different beast -- for me, it is the album their previous efforts more than betrayed they were capable of: an amalgamation of the lively and charming tone of "Lesser matters" and the ambience of "Pet grief", yet surpassing them both. While this newest work finds the band in more explorative territory, it is a focused effort that maintains The Radio Dept.'s signature atmospherics despite the more adventurous tone of the record: "Domestic scene" is a near-perfect introduction to the album with its layers of languid guitars and synthesizers overlying a constant, driving beat, a tact subtly reminiscent of Doves; despite the spoken word opening (an irksome quirk that is used again a few minutes into "Never follow suit"), "Heaven's on fire" is one of the album's highlights, a strange union of The Radio Dept.'s talents with "Writer's block"-era Peter Bjorn and John's pop sensibility; and "Never follow suit" takes a few pages from The Tough Alliance's playbook, translating those mischievous tendencies and working them seamlessly into the track. While The Radio Dept. may have branched out and sped things up a little on this newest album, there is nothing that compromises the band's unique take on pop music; if anything, "Clinging to a scheme" acts as a tableau of where The Radio Dept. has been, all while elevating the band to this new peak. "The video dept." is wonderfully nostalgic of the finest lo-fi moments of "Lesser matters" and the already praised "Domestic scene" could almost have been on "Pet grief", were it a more somber affair. One of the finest qualities of the album is the fact that it isn't as solemn as much of The Radio Dept.'s catalogue, and yet remains just as personal and poignant. Suffice it to say, "Clinging to a scheme" isn't getting shelved anytime soon. - Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Swedish pop/roots trio Cookies n Beans have finally confirmed that their new album "Beg, borrow and steal" will be released on March 24. Said album was produced by the band with help from Kristofer Åström and Magnus Tingsek and features songs written by fellow Swedish artists Lisa Miskovsky, Sophie Zelmani, Tobias Fröberg, Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) and more, including themselves of course.
Hortlax Cobra, the solo project of John Ericsson from Peter Bjorn and John, has a new release out this week called "Stop and smell the Hortlax Cobra", thus completing his EP trilogy. Each record is available either as a paid download or on limited vinyl pressings of 222 copies each, which of course adds up to very magic number and this latest release features "music created solely with vocals and electronic instruments." Check out some new videos for a couple tracks: "Smoke" / "Small talk"
Holiday for Strings, the Swedish dub/pop/postrock/avant/Krautrock act featuring John Eriksson (Peter Bjorn and John) and Pony from Thieves Like Us, will release their sophomore full-length "Favorite flavor" on March 25 via . Hear some sample tunes at myspace, otherwise keep an eye out for tourdates this spring: http://www.myspace.com/holidayforstrings
Peter Bjorn and John frontman Peter Morén is now streaming the first single from his forthcoming Swedish-language solo album at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/petermorn
Said album, "I spåren av tåren", will be out in February.
The nominees for the Swedish Grammis/MTV award in the category of best music video have been announced:
Adam Tensta, Eboi, Infinite Mass - Area turns red 09 (dir. Marcus Lundin) Adiam Dymott - Miss you (dir. Senay & Kolacz) Air France - No excuses (dir. Marcus Söderlund) Amanda Jensen - Happyland (dir. Jerker Josefsson) Bob Hund - Bli aldrig som oss bli värre! (dir. Johan Söderberg) BWO - Right here right now (dir. Josef Andersson) El Perro Del Mar - Change of heart (dir. Filip Nilsson) Elin Lanto - Love made me stupid (dir. Robinovich) Fever Ray - When I grow up (dir. Martin de Thurrah) Jenny Wilson - Like a fading rainbow (dir. Marcus Söderlund) Pato Pooh feat. Adam Tensta - Follow me (dir. Maceo Frost) Peter Bjorn and John - It don't move me (dir. Filip Nilsson) Promoe - Svennebanan (dir. Magnus Härdner) Taken By Trees - My boys (dir. Marcus Söderlund) The Sound Of Arrows - Into the clouds (dir. The Sound Of Arrows) Timbuktu - Välj mej (dir. Daniel Wirtberg & Jonas Rudström) Promoe - Mammas Gata (dir. Magnus Härdner) Moneybrother - Born under a bad sign (dir. Kalle Haglund) Mando Diao - Gloria (dir. Jörn Heitmann) Melody Club - The only ones (dir. Peder Bergstrand)
Here you go, the (almost) full list of nominees for the 2010 Swedish Grammis:
Album: A Camp - Colonia Agnes - Dace love pop - The love love love edition Amanda Jenssen - Happyland Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen Erik Hassle - Hassle Kent - Röd Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen Mando Diao - Give me fire! Takida - The darker instinct Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
Folk music/ballad: Cajsastina Åkerström - Sånger om dej och mej Esbjörn Hazelius - Blunda och du ska få se Miriam Aida - Letras ao Brasil Olle Adolphson - Tystnaden smyger som en katt... 1956-2004 Sofia Jannok - Åssogáttis - By the embers Sofia Karlsson - Den allra båsta (1999-2009) Sofia Karlsson - Söder om kärleken Stefan Sundström - Ingenting har hänt Taken By Trees - East of Eden Väsen - Väsen Street
Hard rock: Candlemass - Death magic doom Crucified Barbara - 'Til death do us party Dead By April - Dead By April Hammerfall - No sacrifice, no victory Hardcore Superstar - Beg for it Lillasyster - Det här är inte musik, det här är kärlek Mustasch - Mustasch Raised Fist - Veil of ignorance Renegade Five - Undergrounded universe Wolf - Ravenous
Jazz: Alice Babs - As time goes by Bengt Berger - Beches brew Georg Wadenius/Arild Jensen - Jul på Svenska Jan Lundgren Trio - European standards Jeanette Lindström - Attitude and orbit control Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - The half naked truth Lina Nyberg - The snow Lisa Ekdahl - Give me that slow knowing smile Magnus Lindgren - Batucada jazz Trummor & Orgel - Visions
Club/Hip-hop: Andreas Tilliander - Show J-Son - Never half stepping Ken Ring - Hip hop Lorentz & M Sakarias - Vi mot världen Mange Schmidt - Odenplan Stockholm 1988 Maskinen - Boys II men Mohammed Ali - Processen Näääk - Näääk vem? Promoe - Kråksången Swingfly - God bless the IRS
Composer: Amanda Jenssen & Pär Wiksten - Happyland Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen Christian Walz - The corner Deportees - Under the pavement - the beach El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop Joakim Berg & Martin Sköld (Kent) - Röd Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen Nina Persson, Niclas Frisk, Nathan Larsson (A Camp) - Colonia Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
Female artist: Agnes - Dace love pop - The love love love edition Amanda Jenssen - Happyland Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen Jenny Wilson - Hardships! Laleh - Me and Simon Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig Miss Li - Dancing the whole way home Pernilla Andersson - Ashbury apples Sarah Dawn Finer - Moving on
Male artist: Christian Walz - The corner Erik Hassle - Hassle Freddie Wadling - The dark flower (Den mörka blomman) John Me - I am John Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen Markus Krunegård - Lev som en gris dö som en hund Olle Ljungström - Sju Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut Thåström - Kärlek är för dom Tingsek - Restless soul
Newcomer: Adiam Dymott - Adiam Dymott Dead By April - Dead By April Erik Hassle - Hassle John Me - I am John Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen Larz Kristerz - Hem till dig Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Vi mot världen Maskinen - Boys II men Miike Snow - Miike Snow Name The Pet - Name the Pet
Pop: A Camp - Colonia Asha Ali - Hurricane BWO - Big science Calaisa - Grafton Street El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop Fibes, Oh Fibes! - 1987 Jill Johnson - Music row II Melody Club - Goodbye to romance Miike Snow - Miike Snow Peter Bjorn And John - Living thing
Producer: A Camp - Colonia Amanda Jenssen & Pär Wiksten - Happyland Bloodshy & Avant (Miike Snow) - Miike Snow El Perro Del Mar & Rasmus Hägg - Love is not pop Goran Kajfes (Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet) - Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet Jenny Wilson - Hardships! Kent & Joshua - Röd Laleh - Me and Simon Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut Thomas Rusiak (Adiam Dymott) - Adiam Dymott
Rock: [Ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet Bob Hund - Folkmusik för folk som inte kan bete sig som folk Deportees - Under the pavement - the beach Dundertåget - Skaffa ny frisyr Europe - Last look at Eden Florence Valentin - Spring Ricco Kent - Röd Mando Diao - Give me fire! Takida - The darker instinct The Bear Quartet - 89
Lyrics: Amanda Jenssen - Happyland Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop Joakim Berg (Kent) - Röd Laleh - Me and Simon Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen Louise Hoffsten/Peter Lemarc - På andra siden vättern Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:
01. Bastard Priest - Under the hammer of destruction
02. TALK 1
03. Monty - En till himmel
04. Superfamily - Songs of the weak will die
05. Agent Side Grinder - Black vein
06. TALK 2
07. Murmansk - Silver heel
08. Cleaning Women - Across the void
09. Pintandwefall - Jail
10. TALK 3
11. Tobias Hellkvist - Scars and stripes
12. Truckfighters - Traffic
13. Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie
14. TALK 4
15. Peter Bjorn and John - I don't know what I want us to do
16. Håkan Hellström - En vån med en bil
17. Barra Head - Common ground
18. TALK 5
19. Makthaverskan - Vi var människor från början
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
The Radio Dept.