Expect a new single from Peter Bjorn and John before the end of the year and a new album (with vocals) in spring.

Anna Ternheim
Leaving on a mayday
Universal

Anna Ternheim's "Leaving on a mayday" is not a mayday, but more of a rainy fall-afternoon with yellow leaves covering the ground. This might sound like just another typical Swedish release that reminds you of a black silhouette of a man trudging through the snow in the dark and the cold, however this is not the case. Producer Björn Yttling from Peter Bjorn and John has added percussion that make this 10 track record really stick out. In many ways, this is a much more varied release compared to previous creations and, even though some of the old Anna is left, seems somehow much further away from Anna's previous, more Kent-ish releases. She still plays in minor keys and has possibly sunk even further down into the Swedish snow, but there is still some sort of warmth at the core of every song. With a strong and distinguished beat, Anna keeps the flame alive. She dropped some jazz, added some pop, and taken a further step towards alternative. The cooperation Anna and Björn is nothing but successful and necessary. There are 10 songs and almost just as many shades of Anna Ternheim. With all this in mind, she continues her way of getting better and better with every release.
- Morten Frisch

Peter Bjorn and John
Seaside rock
Wichita/V2

To be rather honest, I haven't really kept up with Peter Bjorn and John since they became everyone's favorite Swedish pop act with "that whistling song". Due to my negligence, I was completely taken aback by the instrumental nature of "Seaside rock" -- not just because there are few vocals (and the ones present are treated like instruments), but because a decent amount of the tracks on the album would be much improved by the introduction of a lyrical voice. It's hard to fully settle into the album. My mind keeps recalling tracks like "Objects of my affection" and "Up against the wall" from "Writer's block", and comparing those songs with the efforts on "Seaside rock" (I hope the rhyming nature of the two album titles was not intentional), this new record doesn't fare too well. It's not awful, not by a stretch, but the sudden and strange shift of tone is... well, awkward (and not in a cute way). The lush pop layering of Peter Bjorn and John has been replaced by avant-garde, postrock-inspired tendencies -- it's like Shout Out Louds following up "Our ill wills" with an album of Godspeed! You Black Emperor covers. There are some fantastic results -- "Barcelona", for example -- but the overall, lasting impression is the question, "Why?" "Seaside rock" is interesting, but it should have been released under a different band name; it's just not a Peter Bjorn and John record, but it has to be judged to that standard... and, sadly, it doesn't live up.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Look for a new Sahara Hotnights album in February and a new single in December. The band was recently in the studio working with producer Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John).

John Eriksson from Peter Bjorn and John is releasing his debut solo EP under the name Hortlax Cobra. The name of the EP is "Everybody's talking about Hortlax Cobra" and it comes in a limited vinyl-only edition of 222 copies, though a digital version will be available eventually as well. The release date is set for mid-November and it will be followed by two more EPs, the second being "Nobody knows Hortlax Cobra" which is currently being recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is expected to be wrapped up just before New Year's in Cuba. As for part III, wait and see...

Pitchfork reviews the new Peter Bjorn and John instrumental album "Seaside rock": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/145301-peter-bjorn-and-john-seaside-rock
Also posted today in the Forkcast, a track from Kool DJ Dust: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/145492-new-music-kool-dj-dust-comin-to-getcha-mp3

Three new tracks from the forthcoming Peter Bjorn and John instrumental album "seaside rock" are now streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/peterbjornandjohn

Shout Out Louds and Peter Bjorn and John will head to Brazil next month:

09/19 - Teatro da UFPE, Recife
09/20 - Praça Waldemar Henrique, Belem
09/22 - Era So O Que Faltava, Curitiba
09/23 - Studio SP, São Paulo
09/24 - Studio SP, São Paulo

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle
02. TALK 1
03. QGMR - Pre-emptive retaliation
04. Theresa Andersson - God's highway (ft. Tobias Fröberg)
05. Mental Overdrive - Europa
06. TALK 2
07. Siena Root - Time will tell
08. Marybell Katastrophy - Lost ship
09. José González - Crosses
10. TALK 3
11. Peter Bjorn and John - Inland empire
12. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skeleton gong
13. Sonores - 16th of June
14. TALK 4
15. Reeperbahn - Havet ligger blankt
16. Joachim Willumsen - Turning 24
17. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Heaven is the notion that all this will end
18. TALK 5
19. Promoe - Det ljusnande FRAmtid

Reminder: My show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday at the same time.

Pitchfork is premiering a new instrumental track from Peter Bjorn and John: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/144640-premiere-peter-bjorn-and-john-inland-empire-mp3-stream
Read the press release concerning said album here: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/144674-peter-bjorn-and-john-reveal-new-album-details

New Peter Bjorn and John tourdates:

09/03 - Debaser Medis (Amnesty International Benefit), Stockholm (SWE) w/The Concretes, First Floor Power
09/16 - Koko, London (UK)
09/20 - Theatre UFPE, Recife (BRA)
09/23 - Studio SP, Sao Paulo (BRA)
09/24 - Studio SP, Sao Paulo (BRA)
09/27 - OneDotZero Festival, Buenos Aires (ARG)

The Debaser Medis gig will be a special one-time performance of the forthcoming instrumental album "Seaside rock" which will finally be coming out in mid-September on 180gm vinyl and digital download.

Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) is supporting José Gonzáles on a few upcoming UK dates:

08/28 - St Georges Music Hall, Bradford (UK)
08/29 - Roadmender, Northampton (UK)
08/31 - Regents Park Open Air Theatre, London (UK)

Peter Bjorn and John's forthcoming, long-promised instrumental album has now been given the working title of "Seaside rock" and should be out this fall. As for the band's next lyrical pop collection, they hope to record this summer for a March 2009 release.

Apparently Primal Scream will be releasing a new album as recorded with Swedish producer extraordinaire Björn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John).

Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) does the playlist shuffle thing for The Onion A.V. Club: http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/random_rules_peter_moren