The Book of Daniel - The newborn grass

At long last, new music from The Book of Daniel: http://thebookofdaniel.bandcamp.com/track/the-newborn-grass
Look for the new album "Visions of newborn grass" to be released later this year.

MP3: The Gentle Act Incident - This city doesn't know me

Two of my biggest weaknesses: 1) well-played emo-pop and 2) songs that recall a certain (time and) place. "This city doesn't know me" could be about anywhere -- it's not specific at all -- but I find comfort in thinking that it's about The Gentle Act Incident's hometown of Göteborg. It's an age-old story, being lost in the urban wasteland, and one that I know well. I left, I'm much happier for it, but I do miss it. Spending last weekend in NYC for CMJ made me feel like a relapsed junkie. As for the emo-pop side of this, I hold all comers up to Jimmy Eat World's "Bleed American", a perfect example of emotional hardcore/pop music, and The Gentle Act Incident definitely swims in similar waters. The shadow of Sunny Day Real Estate is immediately apparently and further perusing of their influence list yields acts such as Last Days of April and Texas is the Reason; that seals the deal. There's no shame though, despite what you may think when you hear that 3-letter word, at least not in my world. I hear a bit of The Book of Daniel too, but that could also be geographical proximity rearing its head. Anyway, if you like hooky indierock, it all came from more or less the same place way back when. Draw lines, keep score, you'll figure it out. Besides, as I like to say, good music is good music and this is good music. Catchy melodies come in all sorts of packaging.

The Gentle Act Incident - This city doesn't know me

The Book of Daniel will be back in 2010

The Book of Daniel are back after a long, long absence and have a new album in the works called "Visions of new born grass". Expect a March 2010 release.

MP3: Holmes - The arms of someone else

At their best Holmes sound like the dour Swedish Americana of Amandine crossed with the poetic melancholy of The Book of Daniel. At their worst, well... that sound can be pretty damn boring and it does get that way after a few songs. But one at a time? All good.
Living like I do in the cold, wet Pacific Northwest, I feel a kinship with the people of Göteborg and their similar grey existence and likewise, I can appreciate the temptation to subsist on music that befits the climate. Art is supposed to reflect your surroundings, is it not? This is the sound of walking down by the water at night in a light drizzle. Of sitting by yourself with a beer in hand, trying to clear your head. True, quiet melancholy; reflective and regretful, but resolved. Honestly, I think it's a beautiful thing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Though to be sure: moderation is key. A little goes a long, long way.

Holmes - The arms of someone else

MP3: The Second Band - The urgency of now

The Second Band of 2008 is a bit different than the one you might remember from 2006's "Your dark side is on the phone". Less members, a bit rougher around the edges. Less straight-up pop, less optimistic, more yearning, more weary. Seems appropriate to me as the world is not as nice a place as it was two years ago. On the other hand, this also means they're sounding less unique. Do we need another Arcade Fire or Shout Out Louds? When they sound more like the former as on today's mp3 pick, I say yes. The song has drive and, as the title suggests, an urgency. Also, as with yesterday's mp3 selection, they throw in the odd off-notes to add atmosphere and tension. It's a clever ploy and without it, the song wouldn't be nearly as interesting despite that lovely drifting melody line during the verses. However, as self-assured as such tactics may be, I still get the impression that the band is having a bit of an identity crisis as the rest of their new album "The definite form" is anything but. They seem torn between embracing modern indierock and exploring their quiet, jazzier side which, come to think of it, kinda reminds me of The Book of Daniel the more I listen. I like this song a lot, but am not so sure it's the direction they ought to embrace.

The Second Band - The urgency of now

Black Star Foundation has announced the signing of Swedish act Holmes. The band is currently recording their debut album "Wolves" at Kepner Treg in Göteborg with Per-Ola Eriksson (Boy Omega, Björn Kleinheinz, The Book of Daniel) for release later this year. Hear demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/holmezzz

The playlist for this week's radio show, an all-winter theme:

01. Ricochets - Cold outside
02. TALK 1
03. Shining - Winterreise
04. Britta Persson - Winter tour
05. Svenson - In the snow
06. Weeping Willows - Christmas in prison
07. TALK 2
08. The Tiny - No money (for X-mas)
09. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Blikktztunddonner
10. The Knife - Reindeer
11. TALK 3
12. Hello Saferide - iPod X-mas
13. January Jaunt - Stuck in glaziers
14. Darkthrone - Too old, too cold
15. TALK 4
16. Sällskapet - Nordlicht
17. E.S.T. - Strange place for snow
18. Sort Mel - Det grønne flesket
19. Notre Dame - A scrooge tale
20. TALK 5
21. Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck - Winter moment
22. Syster Lycklig - Bilden till snöstorm
23. The Book of Daniel - 3rd of December
24. TALK 6
25. Samuraj Cities - Cold feet
26. Amandine - Silver bells
27. Logcabin - View of frost
28. Silverbullit - Winter coat
29. TALK 7
30. In Flames - December flower
31. Viktor Sjöberg - On a winters day
32. The Bear Quartet - Blizzard
33. TALK 8
34. Brick - Gray day
35. Laakso - Merry Christmas
36. Strayfolk - Another year before the mast
37. TALK 9

Don't forget to vote for Sirius Blog Radio at the Plug Awards! Vote here: http://www.plugawards.com/general_vote.php
We are nominated under the category "Media (Obsessive) > Specialty Show Of The Year (Commercial Radio)".

The playlist for this week's all-GBG radio show:

01. Maia Hirasawa - Gothenburg
02. TALK 1
03. Hemstad - Sommar i Göteborg
04. Division of Laura Lee - We are numbers
05. Håkan Hellström - Kom igen Lena!
06. TALK 2
07. In Flames - Everything counts
08. Pistol Disco - Walking with Jesus
09. Viktor Sjöberg - W/nothing
10. TALK 3
11. Kristofer Åström - Just a little insane
12. The Knife - Listen now
13. Broder Daniel - Dark heart
14. TALK 4
15. Samuraj Cities - All along the shoreline
16. MPTP - Jim Morrison
17. At the Gates - Cold
18. TALK 5
19. The Book of Daniel - The camels parade
20. Silverbullit - Magnetic city
21. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Nevermore
22. TALK 6
23. Nicolai Dunger - What tomorrow
24. The Kid - Portion control (Fatsuit haze/Zlatan wins the World Cup remix)
25. The Idealist - The knives are my eyes
26. C.Aarmé - Visions
27. TALK 7
28. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - I could have sworn I heard them SING
29. Junip - Official
30. Diabolique - Catholic
31. TALK 8
32. Convoj - My timekeeping heart
33. Tsukimono - Dear sister
34. Eric Beyond - Step off
35. TALK 9
36. Björn Kleinhenz - Out of style
37. Detektivbyrån - E18
38. TALK 10
39. Bad Cash Quartet - Too bored to die

The playlist for this week's radio show on Sirius:

01. TALK 1
02. Fattaru - Stila upp din skit
03. Samuraj Cities - Thxa1000000
04. The Fine Arts Showcase - I don't worry
05. TALK 2
06. Imagine I Had Hands - Captive
07. Scraps of Tape - Pickpockets vow
08. FAP - Jag drar till sjöss en sväng jag
09. TALK 3
10. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times
11. Mainliners - Good storm
12. Breach - Gheeá
13. TALK 4
14. Him Kerosene - Neutrino
15. Familjen - Nu händer det igen
16. Sista Sekunden - D.I.We
17. Nine - Time has come
18. TALK 5
19. Emperor - Towards the pantheon
20. September - Can't get over (Long disco mix)
21. Kornstad - Turkey, Texas
22. TALK 6
23. Camouflage - Syster sol
24. Lolita Pop - Salta diamanter
25. Leather Nun - Gimme gimme gimme
26. TALK 7
27. Superfamily - I could be a real winner
28. Juvelen - Hanna
29. The Book of Daniel - Death caps and moonshine
30. Monkeystrikes - Serial faller in lover
31. TALK 8
32. Torpedo - Hang me high
33. Erik Enocksson - The lingering procession
34. Hederos & Hellberg - No fun
35. TALK 9
36. Death By Kite - Himmelfahrtskommando
37. The Tough Alliance - Something special
38. Seance - Controlled bleeding
39. TALK 10
40. Shout Out Louds - Hard rain

The playlist for my radio show on Sirius this week:

01. Beyond Dawn - Far from showbiz
02. TALK 1
03. Superfamily - The radio has expressed concerns about what you did last night
04. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dance with your shadow
05. Pan Sonic - Hinaaja / Tugboat
06. TALK 2
07. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Hold
08. The Bear Quartet - I don't wanna
09. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - When she's GONE
10. TALK 3
11. Laakso - High drama
12. Park Hotell - The guest who stayed forever
13. Fun - Hold it close
14. TALK 4
15. The Book of Daniel - Rabbit boy
16. Watain - Storm of the Antichrist
17. Viktor Sjöberg - w/Nothing
18. Kristofer Åström - Fallen
19. TALK 5
20. Mainliners - Olivia
21. Oddjob - Kings are walking out
22. Lemonator - Heart burns
23. TALK 6
24. Tobias Hellkvist - Slowly but surely
25. Attrap - Just a word away
26. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
27. TALK 7
28. The Leather Nun - No rule
29. Alog - Son of king
30. Thunder Express - Vegas
31. TALK 8
32. Closer - Sensing the wake

Updated tourdates for The Book of Daniel and Musika 77:

06/03 - Haus 73, Hamburg (GER)
06/04 - tba
06/05 - Flug, Vienna (AUS)
06/06 - Kubus, Gossau (CH)
06/07 - NUN, Karlsruhe (GER)
06/08 - Falkendom, Bielefeld (GER)
06/09 - Schokoladen, Berlin (GER)

Look for the new Book of Daniel mp3 single "Death caps and moonshine" in June.

The Book of Daniel touring solo:

06/03 - Haus 73, Hamburg (GER)
06/06 - Kubus, Gossau (CH)
06/07 - NUN, Karlsruhe (GER)
06/08 - Falkendom, Bielefeld (GER)
06/09 - Schokoladen, Berlin (GER)

The Book of Daniel and Musika 77 will embark on a tour of Germany in June. Dates soon!

Lassus has two new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lassustheband
Both are demos of songs that will appear in new versions on the band's forthcoming debut album, due out sometime before summer. As an added bonus, the song "Tidal wave" features a guest appearance from both Gustafsson brothers aka Boy Omega and The Book of Daniel and was recorded on New Year's Eve.

The Book Of Daniel
Songs for the Locust King
Black Star Foundation

Building upon last year's free downloadable EP, The Book Of Daniel have created quite a solid full-length album as their debut. That being said, if one is familiar with the EP, then you may be a bit disappointed to learn that four of the albums' ten tracks are repeated. What is most amazing about this album is that it sounds like the band has honed its craft for years and the mature vocals just exemplify this even more. The hooks prevalent in "The camels parade" and "Deadringer deadringer" lure the listener to chime in and sing along, especially with the group vocals on the latter track. This whole album is formal, steadily beautiful and just so confident, it's somewhat alarming to review. "Songs for the Locust King" is just fantastic; one of the more fully-realised debut albums I have heard in a long time.
- Matt Giordano