Top 10s for 2008: It's a Trap! (albums)

MP3: Magnolia - Tag dig själv i kragen

As usual, Transubstans delivers the goods. No one in Sweden does hardrock better, maybe not anywhere. Now I might not love absolutely everything they put out, but more often than not, it hits the spot. Magnolia is a rare exception in that I don't hate it (Transubstans does put out a few wacky discs I can't hang with at all), but I don't love it either. I guess I'm just not into the Cream power-trio thing as they interpret it -- too much bluesy jamming, not enough balls-out rock'n'roll. I dig the slow swing on "Tag dig själv i kragen", but it doesn't move me like Siena Root or Graveyard. The sweet B3 solo can't even win me over, that's how cold I am. But, like I said, it's not bad, it's just a bit disappointing because I was fully expecting to love it. Color me bummed.

Magnolia - Tag dig själv i kragen

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle
02. TALK 1
03. QGMR - Pre-emptive retaliation
04. Theresa Andersson - God's highway (ft. Tobias Fröberg)
05. Mental Overdrive - Europa
06. TALK 2
07. Siena Root - Time will tell
08. Marybell Katastrophy - Lost ship
09. José González - Crosses
10. TALK 3
11. Peter Bjorn and John - Inland empire
12. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skeleton gong
13. Sonores - 16th of June
14. TALK 4
15. Reeperbahn - Havet ligger blankt
16. Joachim Willumsen - Turning 24
17. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Heaven is the notion that all this will end
18. TALK 5
19. Promoe - Det ljusnande FRAmtid

Reminder: My show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday at the same time.

MP3: Siena Root - Waiting for the sun

When it comes time for me to reflect back on my favorite releases of the year thus far, my prime criteria is always which albums I've listened to the most and I have to say, I don't think there's been any other record that's come close to Siena Root's "Far from the sun". I think we (my wife + I) actually wore out the CDR promo we played it so much. No matter, I just figure that's a better excuse for me to grab a copy of the gatefold vinyl and seriously, is there a better format for music like this? As the Swedes say, this is "hårdrock", plain and simple. A bit of the heaviness of Black Sabbath, but more groove oriented ala Iron Butterfly or early Deep Purple. Sweet riffs galore! And dig that (faux?) sitar on this track -- anyone that can get down with The Soundtrack of Our Lives should be all about it. Sames goes for you Witchcraft and Graveyard fans, too!

Siena Root - Waiting for the sun

Here's this week's radio show playlist:

01. Siena Root - Waiting for the sun
02. TALK 1
03. Cult of Luna - Eternal kingdom
04. Svartbag - Black Capricorn
05. Kite - Ways to dance
06. TALK 2
07. Eero Johannes - Finnrexin
08. Looptroop Rockers - The building
09. Holiday for Strings - Touch the tiger
10. TALK 3
11. Silverbullit - Magnetic city
12. Thomas Denver Jonsson - My wardrobe
13. Samtidigt Som - Constant in motion
14. Wolfbrigade - Feelings you don't want to feel
15. TALK 4
16. Johndoe - Piggtråd og piss
17. Sol Andersson - All is full of love
18. King of All the Animals - The snowflake song (I Was A Teenage Satan Worshipper remix)
19. TALK 5
20. Last Days of April - You don't believe me (Monster & Maskiner remix)
21. Pacta Sunt Servanda - To claim your prize
22. The Goner - Spirit round-up
23. TALK 6
24. Tape - Altamira
25. Letum - Tallriksis
26. Zeigeist - Black milk
27. TALK 7
28. Knife and Ape - Semiotic dysfunction
29. Terveet Kädet - Message
30. Giant Boar - Chronic date
31. The Lionheart Brothers - Time river floaty
32. TALK 8
33. Echo Is Your Love - Lion tamer vs tigers
34. Agent Side Grinder - Lashes of flashes
35. Skitsystem - Solidaritetens sista utpost
36. TALK 9
37. Final Exit - Punk enough

Reminder: my show on Sirius Blog Radio runs Saturdays at 12 noon and midnight ET on channel 26 (Left of Center). My show is being preempted this coming weekend (05/24) for a special Memorial Day Block Party special, but I'll be back in full effect on June 7.

Here's the playlist for this past weekend's radio show:

01. Pluxus - Bootstrap
02. TALK 1
03. Marit Bergman - Straight into my lovers arms
04. Grande Roses - Dead town
05. Mikko Singh - Rauha
06. TALK 2
07. Namur - Draw us near
08. Lapko - Sawyer the brother
09. Paper - To her
10. TALK 3
11. Johnossi - Train song
12. Markus Krunegård - Rocken spelar ingen roll längre
13. Printer - You need to
14. TALK 4
15. Firefox AK - Once I was like you (Boeoes Kaelstigen remix)
16. Aerial - Time is on fire
17. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
18. TALK 5
19. Siena Root - Time will tell
20. Kristofer Åström - I collect knives
21. Anna Ternheim - Better be
22. TALK 6
23. Anna Leong - Guollotine
24. Folie - Krogg
25. Hearts of Black Science - Empty city lights
26. TALK 7
27. Inuit - En förlorad generation
28. The Psyke Project - Dark halls red floors
29. Memento Mori - Epilog
30. TALK 8
31. The Bear Quartet - Lights out, sound off
32. Fun - I know Ted Kennedy
33. Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.
34. TALK 9
35. Lama - Bussi
36. Niccokick - Love & neon lights
37. Little Jimmy Reeves - Drowsy dogs
38. C.Aarmé - Visions
39. TALK 10
40. No Privacy - Blood over Denmark

Reminder: my show on Sirius Blog Radio runs Saturdays at 12 noon and midnight ET on channel 26 (Left of Center).

MP3: Siena Root - Time will tell

Siena Root is the kind of band that forces me to involuntarily break into air guitar heroics every time I hear them. I swear that I try my best to remain skeptical of retro rock like this, but I can't help it. Shit is irresistible! They bust out mad pentatonics ala Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, but instead of the doom and gloom most people (wrongly) associate with that band, the music is incredibly catchy and even kinda glorious when you get down to it. It manages to tap into this weird false nostalgia for a time I never lived, yet somehow that doesn't bother me. I just want to turn it up and rock out. Screw over-analyzing it, grab your favorite mind-altering substance and enjoy.
If you dug that Graveyard track I posted awhile back, you'll love this.

Siena Root - Time will tell

The latest Scandinavian music reviews from Sellfish:

Cult of Luna - Salvation
Siena Root - A new day dawning