Edda Magnason - Blondie (video)

This is Edda Magnason's new video for the song "Blondie", the 2nd single off her album "Goods". Directed by her drummer Jens Jansson who also happens to play with Brainpool and Roxette.

Roxette - Way out (video)

For the masochists, the new Roxette video is streaming at Aftonbladet: http://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/noje/musikvideor/article13083901.ab

Roxette rip off?

Gaffa reports that Roxette has been accused of plagiarism by Norwegian act Hollywood Vampires: http://gaffa.se/nyhet/47764 (in Swedish)
I say we lock 'em both up and throw away the key.

Roxette
Charm school
EMI

Reunions are a tricky thing, especially if it's been a decade, a health scare and a few middling solo releases in between albums. Roxette will always be one of Sweden's most successful and beloved commercial pop bands; no one can take that away from them. Fans were understandably eager to see them reunite, but once you get past the "oh, it's Per!" and "ooh, it's Marie!" nostalgia trip of the new album's opening tracks, it's a long slog through shadows of former glories (chiefly, "Listen to your heart", repeated ad nauseum in slightly different formats). It all sounds like what I feared it might -- a Per Gessle album. Why, when you're known for your bright, shiny pop songs, record an album of plodding, quasi-rock grasping for credibility that it'll never achieve? To many critics, Roxette will never be "credible, and that's part of the reason we fans like them. I wish they would have embraced their glossy pop side (which pokes through on tracks like "Big black Cadillac" and the should-have-been-better lead single "She's got nothing on (but the radio)"). At least if you're going to repeat yourself, have some fun with it.
- Nick James

Travel report: P3 Guld 2011

Roxette - She's got nothing on (but the radio)

A new song from an old band and hey! it even talks about that outdated notion radio: http://www.scandipop.co.uk/?p=4281
Fish in a barrel, I know. In other words, head to Scandipop for a preview of the new Roxette single "She's got nothing on (but the radio)" which could very well be an amazing song, I haven't had a chance to listen yet.

New Roxette in February

There's a new Roxette album called "Charm school" coming out on February 11. Tell your parents, maybe they'll care.

The return of Roxette

Oh boy: Aftonbladet says that Roxette will be back with a new album this fall: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/article5072816.ab (in Swedish)

Next Zeigeist single to be their last

The release of the new Zeigeist 3-track single "Neverending love", and yes that is a Roxette cover, has been moved up to February 5. And unfortunately, it will also be the group's last - they're calling it a day (again). Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thezeigeist

Per Gessle and co-writer Mats MP Persson will celebrate 4 million American radio plays of the Roxette track "Listen to your heart" at a special BMI gala in London on October 7. An interesting sidenote in the press release: if you played the song that many times back-to-back, it would take 36 years. Feel free to make your own joke with that one.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lasse Stefanz - Rallarsväng
02. The Real Group - Håll musiken igång! The Real Group sjunger Povel
03. Sten & Stanley - Det känns när det svänger
04. Takida - Bury the lies
05. Amanda Jenssen - Killing my darlings
06. Hammerfall - Rebels with a cause
07. Evert Taube - Mästerverk!
08. Kleerup - Kleerup
09. E.M.D. - A state of mind
10. The Refreshments - Jukebox - Refreshing classics
11. Miss Li - Best of 061122-071122
12. Sanna Nielsen - Stronger
13. Nordman - Djävul eller gud
14. Eric Gadd - Stockholm står kvar men jag ligger
15. Håkan Hellström - För sent för Edelweiss
16. Rongedal - Rongedal
17. Roxette - A collection of Roxette hits! Their 20 greatest
18. Christer Sjögren - Jubileum 40 år med Christer Sjögren
19. Trazan & Banarne - Swingtajm! Trazan & Banarnes 30-årsskiva!
20. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me (new edition)

MP3: Vincent Vicious - Vi lämnar allt

Too many things to do and not nearly enough time to do 'em all, so today's mp3 post belongs to Simon Tagestam:

Even though I love Säkert! to pieces, there's a minuscule bit of it that I find hard to stomach, namely the jolly chirpiness that seeps through on some of the songs (it's even more evident on Annika Norlin's other band/alter ego Hello Saferide's material). Frequent Norlin collaborator Maia Hirasawa has taken this one step further, hence I'm not a big fan of her music - it's way too pop, polished and happy-go-lucky for me. Now comes Vincent Vicious from Sweden and take this much despised chirpiness to a new level (they almost reach Eurovision levels) and it makes me sick to the bones. It sounds a lot like Raymond & Maria, who after one song become totally unbearable. I tried hard to like it since they're from my hometown and I can't think of a single good band that have come out of my hometown ... ever (although when I was about 7 years old I did indeed like Roxette). At least Vincent Vicious have got a lot of energy and are probably a riot live if you're into the kind of songs they play (ie. super cheese), and who knows, they might start a amazing band who will sing in Swedish at some point in the future!

Vincent Vicious - Vi lämnar allt

Per Gessle
En händig man
EMI

It's a shame that the only artist from my hometown ever becoming really famous is Per Gessle (of Gyllene Tider and Roxette fame, if you're German I'm sure you know who I'm talking about). It's him and maybe Michael Arnott (Spiritual Beggars / Arch Enemy / Carcass). When I was around 6-7 years old, I was a big fan of Per Gessle's music, and listening to his latest album "En händig man", I can sort of see why I dug this guy all those years ago. The lyrics are often pathetic, but there's a nursery rhyme-feel to both them and the music that explains why they would appeal to someone who plays with Tranformers and spends most of his days drawing birds (cuckoos, specifically, not girls as in English slang) in various sci-fi warrior uniforms. It's sort of sad that Per Gessle, who seems like a nice guy that likes some great music, only will be remembered for making pap like this. "En händig man" is a dreadful album, even worse than the best material Gessle's ever written.
- Simon Tagestam

Nominees for the Swedish categories of this year's Rockbjörnen:

Best newcomer:
Ola Svensson
Linda Sundblad
Basshunter
Sebastian Karlsson
Veronica Maggio

Best male artist:
Darin
Ola Svensson
Lars Winnerbäck
Håkan Hellström
Martin Stenmarck

Best female artist:
Agnes
Marit Bergman
Linda Sundblad
Lisa Miskovsky
Anna Ternheim

Best group:
BWO
Roxette
Mando Diao
In Flames
Snook

Best song:
Boten Anna - Basshunter
7milakliv - Martin Stenmarck
Perfect - Darin
Rain - Ola Svensson
Come Clarity - In Flames

Best album:
Break The News - Darin
Come Clarity - In Flames
Given To Fly - Ola Svensson
Ode To Ochrasy - Mando Diao
Changes - Lisa Miskovsky

Melody Club
Scream
EMI

I've never liked Melody Club and their cheap and nasty synth-driven melodic pop, but their latest (and third) album is much better than I thought it'd be. Saying that, my expectations for it were lower than you can imagine. I've always thought of them to be quite pathetic, but they've become much less so now, which is really in their favour. The hit single of the album "Destiny calling" sounds like something by The Sounds and I can easily picture the song soundtracking a video featuring fast open top cars (after writing this I checked out the video on YouTube and was very disappointed, they've managed to make a very non-anthemic video for an über anthemic song), and I wouldn't be surprised if the Roxette fans of Germany and America will love this. If they'll keep on progressing like this, come their 27th album, and I might just buy it for my niece.
- Simon Tagestam