There's new European tourdates for The Ark on their website: http://www.thearkworld.com/
I'd repost them, but as I've noted many times, that site is one of the worst abuses of Flash I've ever encountered and I can't copy & paste text.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lasse Stefanz - Vagabond
02. Eva Dahlgren - En blekt blondins ballader
03. Per Gessle - En händig man
04. Cajsastina Åkerström - Visor från förr & nu
05. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
06. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
07. Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull - Det bästa med
08. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
09. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
10. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
11. Sofia karlsson - Visor från vinden
12. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
14. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
15. Torgny Melin's - Allting som vi har
16. Dana Dragomir - Älskade svenska visor
17. Maia Hirasawa - Though, i'm just me
18. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
19. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
20. Säkert! - Säkert

MP3: Asha Ali - A promise broken

Though it lacks the total WTF-factor of "Italy vs. Helsinki", the new Asha Ali single "A promise broken" is one of the best I've heard so far this year. I can't speak as to whether the film "Underbar och älskad av alla" (from whose soundtrack this song originates) is a worthy pairing, but if it's anything like The Ark's superb "Calleth you cometh I" and the movie "Klassfesten", I'm probably not missing all that much. "Klassfesten" is fine, but the song is so much better. I suspect that's also the case here. Both songs have the same sort of aching and yearning quality that plays well over a climatic montage or the final roll of credits. This song is a bit more driving than Asha Ali's album material and I think the heavier backbeat suits her quite well. She certainly has the pipes to carry it off and I certainly wouldn't mind hearing her belt it out like this more often. Maybe on the next record? Regardless, this is mighty impressive.

Asha Ali - A promise broken

Popblog #1 Hits from Another Planet declares Superfamily to be their favorite new bombastic pop act, comparable to The Ark: http://alienhits.blogspot.com/2007/07/superfamily-teens-of-70s-i-keep-dancing.html
Naturally, I am readily inclined to agree as I've already stated my appreciation of them many, many times. Great band, great album.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lasse Stefanz - Vagabond
02. Per Gessle - En händig man
03. Eva Dahlgren - En blekt blondins ballader
04. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
05. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
06. Cajsastina Åkerström - Visor från förr & nu
07. Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull - Det bästa med
08. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
09. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
10. Magnus Carlsson - Live forever - The album
11. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
12. Maia Hirasawa - Though, i'm just me
14. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
15. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
16. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
17. Miss Li - God put a rainbow in the sky
18. Dana Dragomir - Älskade svenska visor
19. Cornelis Vreeswijk - CV - Det bästa med cornelis vreeswijk
20. Povel Ramel - De bästa av povels mångsidor

Festival report: Arvika

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lasse Stefanz - Vagabond
02. Per Gessle - En händig man
03. Entombed - Serpent saints
04. Eva Dahlgren - En blekt blondins ballader
05. Cajsastina Åkerström - Visor från förr & nu
06. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
07. Magnus Carlsson - Live forever - The album
08. Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull - Det bästa med
09. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
10. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
11. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
12. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
14. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
15. Torgny Melin - Allting som vi har
16. Maia Hirasawa - Though, i'm just me
17. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
18. Danny - Heart beats
19. Hellfueled - Memories in black
20. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Per Gessle - En händig man
02. Lasse Stefanz - Vagabond
03. Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull - Det bästa med
04. Cajsastina Åkerström - Visor från förr & nu
05. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
06. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
07. Torgny Melin - Allting som vi har
08. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
09. Maia Hirasawa - Though, i'm just me
10. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
11. Danny - Heart beats
12. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
14. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
15. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
16. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
17. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
18. Candlemass - King of the grey islands
19. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkalland
20. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden

Aftonbladet has The Ark's new video for "Prayer for the weekend": http://www.aftonbladet.se/atv2/popup.html?id=categories/Noje/Musikvideor/0707/4090

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Per Gessle - En händig man
02. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
03. Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull - Det bästa med
04. Danny - Heart beats
05. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
06. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
07. Tommy Körberg - Rakt upp och ner
08. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
09. Streaplers - Bästa!
10. Bosson - Future's gone tomorrow life is here today
11. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
12. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
14. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
15. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
16. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
17. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
18. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
19. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkalland
20. Takida - Bury the lies

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
02. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
03. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
04. Tommy Körberg - Rakt upp och ner
05. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
06. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
07. Danny - Heart beats
08. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
09. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
10. Streaplers - Bästa!
11. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
12. Neverstore - Sevenhundred Sundays
14. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
15. Cornelis Vreeswijk - CV - Det bästa med Cornelis Vreeswijk
16. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
17. Takida - Bury the lies
18. Torgny Melin - Allting som vi har
19. The Tough Alliance - A new chance
20. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Danny - Heart beats
02. Sarah Dawn Finer - A finer dawn
03. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
04. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
05. Tommy Körberg - Rakt upp och ner
06. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
07. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
08. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
09. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
10. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
11. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
12. Torgny Melin - Allting som vi har
14. Nationalteaterns Rockorkester - Live 2006
15. Takida - Bury the lies
16. Cornelis Vreeswijk - CV - Det bästa med Cornelis Vreeswijk
17. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
18. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
19. The Tough Alliance - A new chance
20. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkalland

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand by for...
02. Oh Laura - A song inside my head, a demon in my bed
03. Svenska Akademien - Gör det ändå
04. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
05. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
06. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
07. Takida - Bury the lies
08. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
09. Cornelis Vreeswijk - CV - Det bästa med Cornelis Vreeswijk
10. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
11. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
12. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
14. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
15. The Tough Alliance - A new chance
16. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
17. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
18. Sonata Arctica - Unia
19. Shout Out Louds - Our ill wills
20. Lillasyster - Hjärndöd musik för en hjärndöd generation

My radio show this week is all about good-time summer jams:

01. TALK 1
02. Junior Senior - Move your feet
03. Tigerbombs - 1000 sparks
04. Säkert! - Vi kommer att dö samtidigt
05. TALK 2
06. Maia Hirasawa - And I found this boy
07. Margaret Berger - Samantha
08. The Knife - Heartbeats
09. The Ark - The worrying kind
10. TALK 3
11. Bamse - Kapten Busters sång
12. Marit Bergman - Adios amigos
13. Last Days of April - Playerin
14. Nic & the Family - Hej Monika
15. TALK 4
16. Basshunter - Boten Anna
17. The Alpine - No I in team
18. Aqua - Barbie girl
19. TALK 5
20. I'm From Barcelona - Treehouse
21. Bertine Zetlitz - 500
22. Eric Prydz vs Floyd - Proper education
23. TALK 6
24. Children of Bodom - Oops, I did it again!
25. Whale - Hobo humpin' slobo babe
26. Kurt Nilsen - She's so high
27. Desert Planet - Return of the ninja droids
28. TALK 7
29. Laakso - Italy vs Helsinki
30. Peter Bjorn and John - Young folks
31. September - Cry for you
32. TALK 8
33. Randy - Summer of bros
34. Ace of Base - All that she wants
35. Sir Eric Beyond and the Avant-Garde - Democracy
36. TALK 9
37. Håkan Hellström - Kann ingen sorg för mig Göteborg
38. Seven Feet Four - Last days of summer
39. Tiger Lou - The war between us (Rupesh Cartel remix)
40. Madrugada - The kids are on high street
41. TALK 10
42. Europe - The final countdown

Download the companion "Summer jam '07" podcast mix right here.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Takida - Bury the lies
02. Mustasch - Latest version of the truth
03. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
04. Cornelis Vreeswijk - CV - Det bästa med Cornelis Vreeswijk
05. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
06. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
07. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
08. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
09. The Tough Alliance - A new chance
10. Lillasyster - Hjärndöd musik för en hjärndöd generation
11. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
12. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
14. Jimmy Jansson - Sån e jag
15. Sonic Syndicate - Only inhuman
16. Shout Out Louds - Our ill wills
17. The Boppers - 30
18. Vikingarna - Bästa kramgoa låtarna 2
19. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
20. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am