"Another tunnel, another light" is the debut video from It's a Bird! It's a Plane!, the Swedish duo of Joel Sjöö (They Live By Night) and Andreas Söderlund (Sounds Like Violence, Niccokick). Direct link: http://youtu.be/ymU-B3iaFZw
It's a Bird! It's a Plane!, the new Swedish act featuring Joel Sjöö (They Live By Night) and Andreas Söderlund (Sounds Like Violence, Niccokick), will be doing a number of European dates supporting Glasvegas:
03/06 - Vega, Köpenhamn (DK)
03/07 - Kägelbanan, Stockholm (SWE)
03/09 - Molotow, Hamburg (GER)
03/10 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
03/17 - Nouveau Casino, Paris (FRA)
03/18 - Sugar Factory, Amsterdam (NL)
I like this song a lot. It's really different from Andreas Söderlund's other bands (Niccokick/Sounds Like Violence) material in that it's very beat heavy and loaded with synths. Heavy 80s vibe too, especially with the over-the-top guitar solo ala "Beat it" (though Andreas doesn't milk it as much as I'd like). Curious to hear how the rest of the album stacks up, especially since title track "Daustralien" is more typical for him and far less exciting. I think the more he steps away from his over-emotive rock guy shtick, the better. A solo album is the perfect opportunity to indulge in indulgent sounds and with "Hawaii", he does it well.
Andreas Söderlund - Hawaii
Andreas Söderlund's debut solo single from the upcoming album of the same name. It won't sound unfamiliar to anyone who knows his work with Niccokick or Sounds Like Violence, but it's not like that's a bad thing. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ7oPxid5OQ
Swedish artist/producer Andreas Söderlund (Niccokick, Sounds Like Violence, Hello Saferide, etc.) is working on a Swedish-language solo album for release later this year. Hear samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/andreassoderlund
Here's the video for the new Sounds Like Violence single "Emperor's new clothes": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ibSCfGt_c
Burning Heart is now saying the much-delayed new album "The devil on Nobel Street" from Sounds Like Violence will be released on November 9 with the single "The emperor's new clothes" preceding it on October 19. Wait and see...
There's a new Sounds Like Violence track called "Transparent" posted for streaming/free download at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/soundslikeviolence
We are the Storm resent being labelled emo and I can't say I blame them, but I gotta call 'em like I see 'em. Obviously they don't want to be lumped in with modern neon/hairband travesties like Brokencyde or even Panic & Action's artist roster, but that stuff isn't emo to me. I'm using the term in a more old-fashioned sense, meant to conjure memories of bands like Embrace or Fugazi, or as in We are the Storm's particular case, the 90s Midwest scene with acts such as Promise Ring, Texas is the Reason and so on, bands that they actually own up to liking. I'm not much of a Sunny Day Real Estate fan myself, but admitting their influence is hardly an embarrassment. This is emphatic rock music with ambitions of grandeur. "Where we used to be heroes" is more than a Broder Daniel homage, it also incorporates the sounds of bands such as Last Days of April or Sounds Like Violence. It's a strong debut, so all I can say is: keep singing your heart out. It's working.
As mentioned before, the band's entire EP is available for free download here.
We are the Storm - Where we used to be heroes
Sounds Like Violence will release their new album "The devil on Nobel Street" on May 25 via Burning Heart Records. Read the press release: http://www.burningheart.com/news/article.php?id=520
Sounds Like Violence have issued a report from the studio where they are working on their new album and have also confirmed that LA-based engineer Ryan Hewitt has been enlisted to mix: http://www.soundslikeviolence.com/news.asp?ID=79
Sounds Like Violence checks in from Tambourine Studios in Malmö where they are recording their new album: http://www.soundslikeviolence.com/news.asp?ID=78
Sounds Like Violence is back in London for two dates in mid-October:
10/14 – Water Rats, London
10/15 – Buffalo Bar, London
NiccokickNiccokick don't seem to have changed much since I last saw them live with Snook four years ago (no, not in Uppsala). They still very much embody the typical sound of "Swedish" indie-rock with its anthemic melodies and carpets of distorted guitars. Singer Andreas Söderlund has been pretty active in the meantime (in sideproject Sounds like Violence and as producer of acts such as Hello Saferide and David and the Citizens) and it shows. Niccokick's sound is more diverse on their second LP than previously -- the additional synths and the odd cello have definitely helped. And while Andreas' voice comes across as desperate as ever, it's nice to hear him cover other emotions as well. The songwriting is similarly passionate and direct, yet never embarrassing, and generally very dancable and catchy. Actually, that's also the record's main problem: all that energy, passion, and directness can become a bit too much at times. It's still a very good indierock album though, great for the
dancefloor and probably even better when performed live on stage.
- Arnulf Köhncke
