Artist: Refused
Viewing posts
91-105 out of
138
Randy has a new album that just came out, but I'm not going to post a track from it. It's not because it isn't great, because it is (Simon Tagestam reviewed it here), but instead I'm going to reminisce about the record that got me into the band: 2001's "The human atom bombs". Every couple years or so, just about when I'm about to totally give up on punk-rock, along comes a record that breathes new life into the genre. Refused did it to me in the late 90s and Randy did it again with this record. It's not even that they were doing anything all that original - it's that they were doing it with such enthusiasm and vitality that it was impossible not to stand up and take notice. "The human atom bombs" is fun and funny, energetic and entertaining and just all around amazing. So here's a track from that record that'll hopefully help brighten up your Friday.
Randy - I don't need love
Fierce and "professional" hardcore – what a great way to wake up in the morning on the bus while rubbing shoulders with foul-smelling weirdos. If hardcore and Refused are your thing, then it's worth giving these Finnish dudes a closer look. Personally, I think the album wears a bit thin after the first 4 or 5 songs.
- 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?
New track today from Regulations, whose self-titled debut album was recently released on Dennis Lyxzén's (The (Int'l) Noise Conspiracy, Refused) new label Ny Våg. Along with Knugen Faller, these dudes are putting Umeå on the map as the place to go for quality punk-rock. And we're talking classic 80s So-Cal style punk, not the kind of stuff that passes for punk on the radio or MTV. This is way more gruff and raw than any of that bullshit. Which is not to say that it's totally lacking in pop flavor. There's still tons of hooks and worthy sing-alongs. I listen to this stuff and I feel like I did when I was twelve years old and just discovering punk for the first time. It's not that they're tackling big issues with the lyrics or anything (they most definitely aren't), but they've got the spirit and that's enough to move me. I often get sour about how bad the scene has become, but then I hear stuff like this and I realize once again that it's not so bad. Can't wait to see 'em when they tour the US this fall. Go here for the latest dates.
New track today from Regulations, whose self-titled debut album was recently released on Dennis Lyxzén's (The (Int'l) Noise Conspiracy, Refused) new label Ny Våg. Along with Knugen Faller, these dudes are putting Umeå on the map as the place to go for quality punk-rock. And we're talking classic 80s So-Cal style punk, not the kind of stuff that passes for punk on the radio or MTV. This is way more gruff and raw than any of that bullshit. Which is not to say that it's totally lacking in pop flavor. There's still tons of hooks and worthy sing-alongs. I listen to this stuff and I feel like I did when I was twelve years old and just discovering punk for the first time. It's not that they're tackling big issues with the lyrics or anything (they most definitely aren't), but they've got the spirit and that's enough to move me. I often get sour about how bad the scene has become, but then I hear stuff like this and I realize once again that it's not so bad. Can't wait to see 'em when they tour the US this fall. Go here for the latest dates.
Regulations - Fashion girl
A little bird has informed me that time has been booked at Tonteknik Studios in Umeå to mix the sound for the long-promised Refused DVD. That means the film has actually been compiled and is ready to go. Finally! It should be 100% finished by midsommar.
I loved Refused. I found The (International) Noise Conspiracy intriguing in the very beginning of their career, before they turned extremely boring. I liked the first Lost Patrol album and wasn't too keen on the second one. What about this new album from the ever-so-creative Dennis Lyxzén then? Well, there's none of the slower beautiful stuff that can be found on "Songs in the key of resistance", and too many songs sound like something by T(I)NC. Surprisingly enough, there are 5 fantastic pop songs on this album, that in a fair world should all be released simultaneously worldwide, then all entering the top 5 all over the globe (with "Golden times" occupying the #1 spot everywhere, of course).
- Simon Tagestam
If musical differences were a part of Refused breaking up, it's funny how, now sever years after the split, Dennis Lyxzén (with The Lost Patrol Band) and David Sandström are making pretty similar music (melodic rock). David and Dennis should really re-ignite their partnership and form a new band, Dennis would surely benefit from David's impressive songwriting ability, and Dennis could bring his "commercial appeal" to the table. Enough of this wishful thinking now and let's review this album - David Sandström's third album is in the same vein as his last great album, but whereas "The dominant need for the needy soul" shot of in all directions, "Go down!" feels more like a proper and solid album. This aspect alone makes "Go down!", in my opinion, an even better record than its predecessor.
- Simon Tagestam
The UK's Stereo Test Kit Records will be releasing a new EP from Sweden's We Are Soldiers We Have Guns this coming fall. The band started as the solo project of Malin Dahlberg from Douglas Heart and Laurel Music and now includes Robert Tenevall (Royal Downfall, Knugen Faller) and Pontus Wallgren (Franke, Douglas Heart, Afraid of Stairs) as backing musicians. The recording will be handled by Jon Brännström (ex-Refused, JFK) and you can hear samples of older home-recorded material at the band's website: http://www.wearesoldiers.net/
It's Friday again so that means it's time for another classic choon in ye ol' mp3 playlist. My friend Kelly says I should call this the "I used to be a rebel. This was my soundtrack." feature, but I'm not so sure. I'm still a rebel dammit! Anyhow, I was thinking about posting a classic Cobolt track at some point, but since they band is actually doing something again this week after years of inactivity, I suppose that now is a good time. So yeah - here's a song from their album "Spirit on parole", first released back in 1999. The band's precious slowcore stylings conceal the fact that singer/guitarist Magnus Bjorklund used to play bass with Umeå hardcore legends Refused, so don't be expecting anything hard or heavy. Well, maybe it gets a little heavy when that huge guitar kicks in on the chorus. I don't think the band ever wrote another as amazing as this, but that's hardly a crime. Heights like this are difficult to achieve. Check it out and hope that maybe someday they'll even put out a new record.
Check out the video for "Golden time" from The Lost Patrol Band: http://www.burningheart.com/_lib/util/streamvideo.php?id=2500&s=hi
In case you were unaware, The Lost Patrol Band started out as the powerpop solo project of Dennis Lyxzén (t(I)NC, ex-Refused), but is now a full band with a solid lineup featuring members from the Deportees, Regulations and DS-13. Read more here: http://www.burningheart.com/news/article.php?id=236
Ex-Refused guitarist Kristofer Steen is selling his Les Paul on eBay, the very same guitar used to track 90% of "The shape of punk to come": http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47072&item=7317463736&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW&tc=photo
Got an old track for you today from Umeå's hardcore legends Final Exit. This was the band that David Sandström and Dennis Lyxzén were in before Refused. When I was at Umeå Open the other week, my friend Magnus and I were fantasizing about how awesome it would be if these dudes were the secret band. If they were, they'd just have to open with this set of tunes, the intro and lead track from their landmark album "Umeå". I may not go to as many hardcore shows as I used to, but there's no way I could stay out of the pit with a band like this on stage. That scream is just so brutal and that first riff is so heavy. So crucial! Most it up!
Frivolvol