Denmark's The Raveonettes are planning to hit the studio later this summer to begin work on their third album. They reportedly have some 40-odd songs written and describe the material as a bit more 'serious' than their older work. Expect an early 2005 release.

Stereocent.com is updated with new live pics of The Raveonettes and Sofia Talvik.

Denmark's The Defectors hold the honor of having the 'Coolest Song In The World' on Little Steven's (Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, The Sopranos) syndicated radio show Underground Garage. The track is called "It's Gonna Take Some Time" and the show can be heard across the US on some 120 different stations or via the web: http://www.littlestevensundergroundgarage.com/
Some of the Scandinavian acts who held the same honor earlier include The Raveonettes, The Flaming Sideburns and Soundtrack Of Our Lives.

The results of the 2003 Pazz & Jop music poll from NYC's Village Voice have been announced and you can check the results here: http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/03/albums_winners1.php
Scandinavian entries on the list include Junior Senior at 27 and The Raveonettes at 56. Jr. Sr. did much better on the singles list, charting at #9.

Lake of Tears will enter the studio on February 13 to begin work on their new album, tentatively titled "Black Brick Road". An August release on Noise Records is expected.

German radio show "45 minutes", broadcast every second sunday at 7.30 pm on Radio Blau Leipzig, recently published their best-of-the-year lists and they contain a ton of Nordic acts. Here's some highlights:

Top 100 LPs 2003
01. The Bear Quartet "angry brigade" (A West Side Fabrication)
03. David & The Citizens "until the sadness is gone" (Adrian)
05. The Legends "up against the legends" (Labrador)
06. The Radio Dept. "lesser matters" (Labrador)
08. The Embassy "futile crimes" (Service)
10. Wan Light "let's wake up somewhere else" (Labrador)
12. Mew "frengers" (Sony)
13. Monastir "the modern sound for a loser generation" (A West Side Fabrication)
16. Peter Bjorn And John "s/t" (Beat That!)
17. The Crystal Committee "forever overhead" (Chalksound)
18. Dub Sweden "welcome to our world" (Silence)
21. Franke "optimismens hån" (Service)
22. Club 8 "strangely beautiful" (Labrador)
23. Komeda "kokomemedada" (Sonet)
32. The Concretes "s/t" (Licking Fingers)
42. Broder Daniel "cruel town" (Dolores)
50. The Cardigans "long gone before daylight" (Stockholm)
57. Laakso "miss you, i'm pregnant" (Adrian)
58. The Raveonettes "chain gang of love" (Dragnet)
73. Paola "stockcity girl" (Dolores)
83. Burek V "s/t" (A West Side Fabrication)
85. Carpet People "more bad weather coming out of the rain" (Chalksound)
88. Isolation Years "it's golden" (Stickman)
89. Douglas Heart "douglas heart" (Labrador)
93. Mando Diao "bring 'em in" (Majesty)
94. The Knife "deep cuts" (Rabid)
97. Ariel Kill Him "in the pyramid" (Kasual)
99. Edson "every day, ervery second" (Labrador)

For the rest of the list, as well as their singles chart, go here: http://www.pop-on-paper.de/

By way of Dagensskiva, here is thist week's Swedish student radio top 20:

01. (03) Bergman Rock "Help The Band"
02. (01) The Radio Dept. "Pulling Our Weight EP"
03. (NY) The Strokes "Reptilia"
04. (06) The White Stripes "The Hardest Button To Button"
05. (05) The Chemical Brothers "Get Yourself High"
06. (NY) Basement Jaxx "Good Luck"
07. (08) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "We're All In Love"
08. (09) Niccokick "Turn 27 EP"
09. (10) Dizzee Rascal "Jus'a Rascal"
10. (12) Bubba Sparxxx "Deliverence"
11. (04) Monastir "The Shape Up EP"
12. (NY) The Darkness "Christmas Time. (Don't Let The Bells End)"
13. (13) Chicks On Speed "Wordy Rappinghood"
14. (02) Essex Green "By The Sea"
15. (15) Chords Ft. Timbuktu And Miki "Wrap Your Chops"
16. (NY) José Gonzalez "Remain EP"
17. (14) The Knife "Handy-Man"
18. (17) Mew "She Came Home For Christmas"
19. (18) The Raveonettes "Heartbreak Stroll"
20. (NY) The Carnation "New Sensation"

Leaving the chart: 07. The Coral "Bill Mc Cai"
11. Holly Golightly "Walk A Mile"
16. The Mountain Goats "Palmcorder Yajna"
19. Timbuktu med Peps "Dynamit"
20. Alice In Videoland "Got To Go"

Dates have been confirmed for Opeth's 'Lamentations Over America Tour 2004'. Support will come from Moonspell and another as-yet-unnamed band, possibly Devildriver (ex-Coal Chamber). Details:

01/20 - Reds, Edmonton (CAN)
01/21 - MacEwan Hall, Calgary (CAN)
01/23 - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver (CAN)
01/24 - Graceland, Seattle, WA
01/25 - Roseland, Portland, OR
01/27 - House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
01/28 - Marquee Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
01/29 - Canes Bar & Grill, San Diego, CA
01/30 - House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
01/31 - Avalon, San Francisco, CA
02/02 - Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
02/03 - Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS
02/05 - Trees, Dallas, TX
02/06 - Backroom, Austin, TX
02/07 - Engine Room, Houston, TX
02/09 - Masquerade, Tampa, FL
02/10 - Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL
02/11 - House of Blues, Orlando, FL
02/13 - Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
02/14 - Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, NC
02/15 - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
02/16 - Bogarts, Cincinnati, OH
02/18 - Quest, Minneapolis, MN
02/19 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL
02/20 - Harpos, Detroit, MI
02/21 - Saratoga Winners, Latham, NY
02/22 - Club Soda, Montreal, CAN
02/24 - Opera House, Toronto, CAN
02/25 - Steel Music Hall, Rochester, NY
02/26 - Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA
02/27 - Irving Plaza, New York, NY
02/28 - Palladium, Worcester, MA

Denmark's The Raveonettes will co-headline the NME music awards along with Har Mar Superstar at the London Astoria on February 8. They are actually the only Scandinavian group to make the mag's top 50 list this year, unless you count Junior Senior making the singles chart. Read the full list here. And don't look to Q either, their list isn't much different.

By way of Dagensskiva, here is thist week's Swedish student radio top 20:

01. (03) The Radio Dept. "Pulling Our Weight EP"
02. (07) Essex Green "By The Sea"
03. (17) Bergman Rock "Help The Band"
04. (09) Monastir "The Shape Up EP"
05. (06) The Chemical Brothers "Get Yourself High"
06. (02) The White Stripes "The Hardest Button To Button"
07. (01) The Coral "Bill Mc Cai"
08. (05) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "We're All In Love"
09. (08) Niccokick "Turn 27 EP"
10. (NY) Dizzee Rascal "Jus'a Rascal"
11. (13) Holly Golightly "Walk A Mile"
12. (14) Bubba Sparxxx "Deliverence"
13. (11) Chicks On Speed "Wordy Rappinghood"
14. (12) The Knife "Handy-Man"
15. (NY) Chords Ft. Timbuktu And Miki "Slap Your Pops"
16. (NY) The Mountain Goats "Palmcorder Yajna"
17. (09) Mew "She Came Home For Christmas"
18. (18) The Raveonettes "Heartbreak Stroll"
19. (20) Timbuktu Med Peps "Dynamit"
20. (NY) Alice In Videoland "Got To Go"

Leaving the chart:
10. Yo La Tengo "Today Is The Day EP"
15. Laakso "Demon"
16. The Cardigans "Live And Learn"
19. Fattaru Ft. Masayah "Ton För Ton"