This week's top artists for the Itsatrap Audioscrobbler/Last.fm listening group:
01. Mew
02. Sigur Rós
03. Franz Ferdinand
04. Death Cab for Cutie
05. Randy
06. Architecture in Helsinki
07. Of Montreal
08. M83
09. I'm from Barcelona
I'd like to encourage all regular readers of this site who listen to music on their computers to join up so we can get an even better idea of what everyone is listening to. Go here for more: http://www.last.fm/group/itsatrap/
The latest Scandinavian music reviews from the German webzine Sellfish:
Club Killers - Two nights with...
Randy - Randy the band
Satanic Surfers - Taste the poison
Randy are back! Bring out the dancing shoes and dust them off! They're also back on form, after 2003's "Welfare problems" which was alright but still a puny follow-up to the masterpiece that "The human atom bombs" was (just thinking about that album gives me goosebumps). When I tried to go through the album and list the best tracks I realized that all songs here are excellent, but if I have to handpick a bunch, it'd probably be "Better than art", "Going out with the dead", and "Teenage tiger", although if you'd ask me tomorrow I'm sure I'd list three completely different ones. "Randy the band" isn't a great step forward for Randy in terms of further developing their sound, in fact the album contains very strong elements from their last three releases, so it almost plays like a "best of" even though it isn't one. Randy is my favourite band, so it feels really reassuring that "Randy the band" is a journey into that top-notch punk rock that I've come to expect from every new Randy release since their debut album came out 11 years ago. Now, please bring on 2007 and another Randy album!
- Simon Tagestam
The Refused movie finally had its premiere in Umeå last night and, sad to say, the reports are not good. It's a shame that something so many people have waited so long for has turned out to be a pretentious, laughable mess, but I can't say I'm terribly surprised either. So it goes. On the brighter side, the movie they showed immediately afterwards "Umeå the hardcore city" is supposed to be much, much better. The film covers the Norrland punkscene and features bands like Step Forward, Garbage Pail Kids and Randy as well as interviews with many people active during the height of the scene in the 90s. Of course I suspect I'll have to wait three years for a subtitled version on DVD, but who knows?
Stream some tracks from the new Randy album "Randy the band" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/randyband
Why these guys aren't properly appreciated outside of Sweden I'll never understand. The new stuff sounds killer, as always.
Randy played a secret show at Debaser in Stockholm this past weekend where they a did a set of ten of their own songs followed by six Misfits covers featuring Howlin' Pelle from The Hives on vocals. See pics: http://www.rockfoto.nu/intSpelning/409/intBand/101
"Razorblade" will be the first single from Randy's new album "Randy the band". A video was shot over the weekend.
Stream the brand new Randy track "Evil": http://www.antidotetour.com/jukebox
The band's new album "Randy the band" comes out October 10 via Burning Heart.
Randy's new album "Randy the band" has been confirmed for an October 12 release in Sweden, October 10 in Europe. Dates for North America, Australia and elsewhere should hopefully be coming soon.
New European tourdates for Randy:
10/31 - Academy, Glasgow (SCO)
11/01 - University, Leeds (UK)
11/02 - Astoria, London (UK)
11/04 - Academy, Birmingham (UK)
11/05 - Academy, Manchester (UK)
11/07 - AB, Brussels (BEL)
11/08 - 13, Tilburg (NL)
11/09 - Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER)
11/10 - Le Bataclan, Paris (FRA)
11/11 - Le Transbourder, Lyon (FRA)
11/12 - Apollo, Barcelona (SPA)
11/15 - Xtra, Zurich (SWI)
11/16 - Gasometer, Vienna (AUS)
11/17 - Landshalle, Erlangen (GER)
11/18 - Messehalle, Trier (GER)
11/19 - Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg (GER)
11/20 - Trägårn, Gothenburg (SWE)
Check out the cover artwork for the new Randy album: http://www.randytheband.com/?NODE=40
Norrland punks Randy report that their new album "Randy the band" is 100% finished and set for release in October. Check out the song titles here: http://www.randytheband.com/?NODE=126
Randy will start mixing their new album on July 2 and hopes to have it all wrapped up by the ninth. Expect a fall release?
Swedish Burning Heart acts Randy and Millencolin will be teaming up with Americans Flogging Molly and The Unseen for the "Eastpak Antidote Tour" in late October. Dates:
10/31 - Academy, Glasgow (SCO)
11/01 - University, Leeds (UK)
11/02 - Astoria, London (UK)
11/04 - Academy, Birmingham (UK)
11/05 - Academy, Manchester (UK)
11/07 - AB, Brussels (BEL)
11/08 - 13, Tilburg (NL)
11/09 - Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER)
11/10 - Le Bataclan, Paris (FRA)
11/11 - Le Transbourder, Lyon (FRA)
11/12 - Apollo, Barcelona (SPA)
11/15 - Xtra, Zurich (SWI)
11/16 - Gasometer, Vienna (AUS)
11/17 - Landshalle, Erlangen (GER)
11/18 - Messehalle, Trier (GER)
11/19 - Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg (GER)
11/20 - Trägårn, Gothenburg (SWE)
Tour site coming soon: http://www.antidotetour.com/