In addition to her Meshes of Voice collaboration with Susanna Wallumrød (which will be re-performed in August), Norwegian artist Jenny Hval aka Rockettothesky has started a new group called Nude on Sand together with guitarist Håvard Volden. Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nudeonsand
Jenny also says she is working on yet another project together with Norwegian writer Inger Bråtveit. More details on that are still tba.
Susanna Wallumrød (aka Susanna of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra) and Jenny Hval (aka Rockettothesky) have collaborated on a new piece entitled "Meshes of voice" which will be performing for perhaps the first and only time at Ladyfest Oslo on March 8. The description: "sometimes melodic, sometimes dissonant, all times surrealist piece inspired by the film "Meshes of the Afternoon", Casa Batlló, and a whole lotta voice."
Nö Music on the beguiling new Rockettothesky album "Medea": http://www.nomusicmedia.com/2008/10/22/i-like-this-record-do-i-understand-it-i-don%e2%80%99t-know-do-i-have-to-understand-it-i-don%e2%80%99t-know/
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Marit Larsen - The Chase
02. Odd Nordstoga - Pilegrim
03. Karpe Diem - Fire vegger
04. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Mål & Mening
05. Rita Eriksen - Hjerteslag
06. Diverse artister - Mgp Jr 2008
07. Herborg Kråkevik - Annleis enn i går
08. Maria Mena - Cause & Effect
09. Halvdan Sivertsen - Mellom oss
10. Ida Jenshus - Color of the Sun
11. Rockettothesky - Medea
12. St. Thomas - St. Thomas Box
13. Øystein Sunde - Meget i Sløyd
14. Smurfene - Smurfeparty
15. Malin - Pang
16. Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Dum og Deilig - Knutsen og Ludvigsen
17. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord & Øgonblick
18. Katzenjammer - Le Pop
19. Thomas Brøndbo - Du sa æ va en drøm
20. Ingrid Olava - Juliets Wishes
Obscure Sound on Norwegian artist Rockettothesky: http://obscuresound.com/?p=2256
The stuff I'm hearing about the new album sounds very promising.
Check out Rockettothesky's brand new video for the single "Grizzly man": http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44162011
Very creepy and totally recommended.
Norwegian label Trust Me (Rockettothesky, Adjagas) has a new website: http://www.trustmerecords.com/
The new Rockettothesky album "Medea" will be out in about a month and you can now preview a track at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rockettothesky
The nominees for this year's Alarm Awards have been announced:
Rock:
120 Days - 120 days
Big Bang - Too much yang
My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
King Midas - Sorry
The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy kiss
Pop:
Marit Larsen - Under the surface
Rockettothesky - To sing you apple trees
Superfamily - Warszawa
Magnet - The simple life
Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
Metal:
Dimmu Borgir - In sorte diaboli
Satyricon - Now diabolical
Audrey Horne - Le fol
Mayhem - Ordo ad Chaou
Keep of Kalessin - Armada
Jazz:
Supersilent - 8
Shining - Grindstone
Håkon Kornstad - Single engine
Tord Gustafssen Trio - Being there
Hanne Hukkelberg - Rykerstrasse 68
Electronica:
Kim Hiorthøy - My last day
Lindstrøm - It’s a feedelity affair
Pleasure - Pleasure 2
The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
Bjørn Torske - Feil knapp
Hip-hop/Rap:
el Axel - It is what it is
Karpe Diem - Rett fra hjertet
Darkside of the Force - El dia de los puercos
Tungtvann - Siste Skanse
Samvirkelaget - Musikk
Newcomer:
Susanne Sundfør
Moving Oos
Ida Maria
Rockettothesky
Elvira Nicolaisen
Live:
Big Bang
Superfamily
King Midas
The Grand
Samvirkelaget
Go here for more details or to vote for your favorite: http://www.alarmprisen.no/2007/index.php/og-de-nominerte-er/#more-76
Confusion reigned supreme during my multiple listens to Rockettothesky's CD "To sing you apple Trees". I honestly have a hard time making sense of a lot of what Jenny Hval throws at me. Maybe I just don't get "it": On the one hand, Ms. Hval's talent is evident in her ability to combine unique vocal styling with catchy melodies to create an air of fleeting, dreamlike fantasy. On the other hand, her failings are evident in her need to shake, almost jar the listener out of the dream state she's worked so hard to create. It seems as though she is hellbent on being her own worst enemy; I simply don't understand why. Nothing exemplifies my point better than the song "A cute lovesong, please". She uses her voice to excellent trancelike effect when she asks, "When you think of me, do you masturbate?"; then follows it up by confessing that "I want you to know that you make me want to menstruate." Huh? Is menstruation a sexual response to you, Ms. Hval? Or do you want to menstruate out of disgust for your protagonist's sexual desire for you? Or maybe, just maybe, you tried so hard to rhyme, you succeeded in ruining what could have been a perfectly good song. Perhaps I'm just being far too analytical. There are some decent songs on "To sing you apple trees" such as "Cigars", "They are bastards!" and the popular "Barrie for Billy Mackenzie" (even though I still don't know what the hell a "Barrie" is). But, the sad truth is, if I want to be entertained by a wacky Scandinavian, there's always Björk. Rockettothesky is simply going to have to do better than this.
- Heinrich Souza
My special guest on my radio show this week was Ola Frick of the Moonbabies. Here's what we played:
01. Johndoe - Kjøtere
02. TALK 1
03. Mixtapes & Cellmates - The better half of cynical boys
04. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
05. Breach - Lost crew
06. TALK 2
07. Silverbullit - Only gold
08. Lack - Primo Levi
09. Samuraj Cities - All along the shoreline
10. Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie
11. TALK 3
12. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
13. Heroes & Zeros - Into the light
14. Moonbabies - War on sound
15. TALK 4
16. Moonbabies - Cocobelle
17. TALK 5
18. Moonbabies - Take me to the ballroom (comp version)
19. Björn Kleinhenz - Pocket of gold
20. TALK 6
21. Loney, Dear - Saturday waits
22. Revolvo - Marmelade
23. TALK 7
24. Emerald Park - Open up
25. KVLR - Capitol city child
26. TALK 8
27. David & the Citizens - Are you in my blood?
28. TALK 9
29. David Åhlén - Wasted breaths
30. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
31. TALK 10
32. Moonbabies - Sun A.M. (outtake version)
33. TALK 11
34. Moonbabies - Don't ya know?
Not only did Ola reveal that he used to be a member of the Mercyful Fate fanclub, but it also looks like he'll be recording the next David & the Citizens record. Excellent!
Norwegian act Syracus is done recording their new album and has posted two of the tracks for preview on myspace, including "Clay and wire" which features a guest spot from Rockettothesky: http://www.myspace.com/syracus
The lineup for this year's Great Escape Festival has been confirmed and will include a special Norwegian spotlight featuring the artists 120 Days, Adjagas and "Reader's companion" alums The Lionheart Brothers: http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=387899
Other Scandinavians include IAT artist Hello Saferide plus Consequences, Promise and Monster, Loney, Dear, Johnossi, Magenta Skycode, Oh No Ono, Rockettothesky, Kissaway Trail and probably a few others whose names I don't instantly recognize.
In her best moments, Rockettothesky sounds a touch unhinged, the kind of girl who probably gets labelled as crazy, but in reality is probably a heckuva lot of fun to be around. The opposite of prissy, I guess you could say - to the point where it might make the more conservative of us uncomfortable. Musically, she lets he voice spiral off into twittery territory far too often for my taste, but she keeps things nicely reined in on this particular track and it's really quite lovely. I'm not familiar with the work of Billy MacKenzie, so I assume that I'm missing out on a significant portion of the lyrics, though I am definitely curious the more I read into it. Anyone have any recommendations of where to start?
Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie