is reissuing Refused's seminal and overrated album "The shape of punk to come" on June 9 in a new expanded edition that will include a previously unreleased live album and a DVD of guitarist Kristofer Steen's documentary "Refused are fucking dead". There will also be a 2LP edition on white vinyl which will include download codes for the live record. More info: http://www.officialrefused.com/
Apparently there are rumors circulating that Refused will be reuniting and it's pretty much all due to this: http://www.officialrefused.com/
Seriously? Are the words "Coming soon..." all you need to get excited? Dennis was just quoted in Aftonbladet like a week ago talking about how they turned down big money for a US tour, so I highly doubt it.
I've long regarded Meleeh as a decent band, still their new album "To live and die alone" took some time to grow on me. I think it's because it confounded expectations; I thought I'd hear more post-Refused style Swedish hardcore, but what I got was something far looser, darker, rawer and way more in line with 90s screamo, in the best possible way. I should've been tipped off by the song title -- "What I carry with every heartbeat" screams HeartattaCk, bikes, patches, vegan potlucks -- yet, it wasn't until this past weekend that I had my a-ha! moment. Aside from the vocals, which are still the weakest link, the music isn't too far off from Modern Life is War, albeit more burly and driven. Add a few extra bursts of melody and some subtle syncopation and we've got a band doing their best to push their sound forward. And it gets better and better with every listen too.
Meleeh - What I carry with every heartbeat
Swedish rocker turned journalist Patrik Wirén (Misery Loves Company, Alpha Safari) is working on a book about the history of the Umeå hardcore scene in the 1990s, which will fortunately not just be a book about Refused as he adamantly states: http://rogertsblogg.blogspot.com/2010/02/boksnack.html
Not sure yet if it will be Swedish-only or what, but I'll post an update as soon as Patrik gets back to me.
The best new music is old, part II. Java was a somewhat short-lived instrumental act from Gävle, Sweden that formed out of the remains of the hardcore act Ashram. A mere footnote perhaps, but re-visitation might suggest otherwise. Also, consider that the 90s was a fertile time in Swedish hardcore, especially up in Norrland where you had acts such as Fireside, Breach, Refused and Starmarket; to say nothing of acts such as The Bear Quartet or Randy -- so many great bands, all from the same set of towns along the Bothnian coast. The year was 1996 and as such, Java embraced the zeitgeist and sought to expand the sound of modern hardcore as fragmented and moved towards postrock, a sound echoed in acts such as Slint, June of 44 and pretty much any act of that era. The remnants of the 90s 'core remains though, particularly on tracks like "Smokescreen" where you can hear the lingering effects of bands like Groundwork in the subtle mosh. Certainly not as overt as the stuff was putting out further north, but oh yeah, it's there and it's alright. Java never amounted to much in their day, they never played a show even, but they did record a demotape and has seen fit for its rerelease. There is certainly nostalgia for those of us who remember this time in music and saw it firsthand, but I'd assert that Java is simply a good band that never got heard. Until now, that is.
Java - Smokescreen
I had no doubts that AC4's self-titled debut would be decent even if some of David and Dennis' post-Refused/Final Exit meanderings have been sub-standard because I know their hearts are in the right place and they really do truly believe in what they're doing their place in the hardcore/punk/DIY world. And of course, there's no faulting the cred of their bandmates from The Vectors. My only point of contention: Dennis' vocals. His affected screech is pretty tiresome with The (International) Noise Conspiracy (not that Ian Svenonius did much better with Nation of Ullysses or The Make-Up, but I digress), but to hear him raging in full-on hardcore mode... I am satisfied. Still prefer David on the mic, but whatever, give me anti-cop anthem with a catchy chorus and I'm happy. Give me a few more (see also "Fuck the pigs", "Coptown") and what can I say? I love it.
AC4 - Pigs lose
Sound Pollution are streaming a new track from AC4 (ex-Refused/Final Exit/Step Forward) on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/soundpollutionstore
This is the sound of old dudes getting back to their roots and it's actually pretty damn good -- far better than you might expect even. There are also new tracks from DLK and Bonafide up there as well, but they are far less exciting.
The new album from AC4, the new band featuring David and Dennis of Refused/Final Exit, is out now via Ny Våg and a North American release is on the way via Deranged. Also look out for a new 6-track 7" and a 7" split before the end of the year.
AC4, the new band from Dennis and David of Refused/Final Exit, have completed their self-titled debut album and will be releasing it via Ny Våg in the near future. Listen to a track at the label's website: http://www.nyvag.com/
I like Refused a lot, but let's be honest: "The shape of punk to come" has not aged well. It was an important document for its time, but it also effectively shut the door of an era of hardcore many folks would prefer to forget. Not everything that followed in its wake has been awful, but it is surely responsible for directly influencing a ton of crap. Grace.Will.Fall toe the line. They tone down the sass and nail the "deadly rhythm", but we've heard it all before. What sounded like the future in 1998 sounds like the past in 2009. I don't doubt that their motivations are pure-hearted, but it's time to move on. Newness is not the imperative, it's inspiration.
Grace.Will.Fall - New song
I look at the ever-increasing piles of mediocre CDs crowding my desk and I can't help but feel defeated. There's a few gems in there to be sure, but I'm fully daunted. To say nothing of all the downloads in my incoming directory -- more often than not, I'd much rather listen to all the old-school death metal I've been gathering than some uninspiring no-name wannabees. Like I said though, it's not all bad. Only a few are truly awful, the overwhelming majority are merely forgettable. What's it take to stick? Name recognition helps. My God Damn Territory's bio mentions ex-ex-members from Blithe, Randy and Refused as well as Celestine and, even though I recognize none of the actual personnel names, I figure that at least earns them a cursory listen. Of course I wouldn't be telling you about them if they weren't good, so let me spell it out: My God Damn Territory are a solid band. They've got a ridiculously long roster of musicians who appear on their new self-released album "Between art and failure" and the record's widely varied sound reflects that, though the songwriting remains consistent. They cover a lot of ground from noisy 90s-style indie to postrock and beyond, but you can always tell it's the product of the same mind(s). "Used to be" stands out to me as one of the more driving numbers and the repetitive, overlapping vocal melody is hard to forget, especially with those bendy guitar notes that bookend it. Best of all, it just sounds so different from anything else I've heard as of late. And the whole album is available as a free download. Good enough!
My God Damn Territory - Used to be
Umeå-based retro-rockers The Crystal Caravan have confirmed that their long-awaited self-titled debut album will be released on April 3 via recently resurrected local label Garageland Records. And keeping it local, the record was produced by Dennis Lyxzén (The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Refused) and mixed/mastered by Pelle Henricsson (too many credits to mention) at Tonteknik. There will be a record release show that night at Scharinska Villan and Dennis will DJ in addition to a full-band performance.
And speaking of Scharinska and Garageland, I understand that the record store is moving to the basement of the Pink House and will be operating with extended evening hours in an attempt to drum up more business. Best of luck to them -- it's tough times out there for retailers.
David Sandström OverdriveQuite possibly the only former Refused member still musically relevant, the David Sandström Overdrive have returned with their third album "Pigs lose", their first for indie-stalwart Razzia. Keeping true to his Elvis Costello-inspired garage rock, "Pigs lose" gives us some of David Sandström's best material, but at sixteen tracks in length, also a few that are not. The lamenting balladry of "Lisa, Lisa", the plodding "Happy home" and the sheer epicness of "Tearing through the decades" showcase and hone the songwriting perfectly, whilst "Songs that maybe won't be forgotten" is easily one of the best songs of the year. However, "Dead alive" and "The god thing" are downright hokey and disrupt the album's flow. However, fans will not be disappointed; although a little editing down to ten or eleven songs would have made this album one of the more memorable of the year just past.
- Matt Giordano
