Download The Second Band's new single "No song": http://www.orangegrammofon.se/no_song.zip

The Second Band has posted their new video for "The flood" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22eKeb1my7s

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

01. Tiger Lou - The loyal
02. TALK 1
03. Karin Ström - Silent night
04. Saft - I do not smoke
05. Caesars - Strawberry weed
06. TALK 2
07. Meshuggah - Bleed
08. Pacific! - Number one
09. Pascal - Längtar efter dig
10. TALK 3
11. Logh - An alliance of hearts
12. Benea Reach - New waters
13. Astrid Swan - Sea/e life
14. TALK 4
15. Lykke Li - I'm good, I'm gone
16. The High Hats - Bitterswede
17. Lis Er Stille - Lorelei
18. TALK 5
19. The Tough Alliance - Leg 7
20. Cosmic Overdose - En av dom
21. The Second Band - The piano machine
22. TALK 6
23. De Stijl - Date times
24. Death Breath - Death breath
25. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr Happy
26. Randy - Freedom song
27. TALK 7
28. Jonas Knutsson & Horn Please! - Snygg Olles polska
29. Moonbabies - Forever changes everything now
30. Kristofer Åström - Conjure me
31. TALK 8
32. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Wedding
33. Anna Leong - Guillotine
34. Convoj - RAMJAC
35. TALK 9
36. Tsukimono - Gloomy Sunday

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

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

01. C.Aarmé - Blodet
02. TALK 1
03. Kaka - The hotspurs (the less we know the faster we go)
04. Bitch Boys - Automobile
05. Benea Reach - Rejuvenate
06. TALK 2
07. The Second Band - The urgency of now
08. Breach - Murder
09. Montys Loco - Criminal
10. TALK 3
11. Det Gamla Landet - Krutrök
12. Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Cardiac arrest
13. I Am Bones - Home is the one corner of hell that didn't catch fire
14. TALK 4
15. Madrugada - Look away Lucifer
16. Timo Räisänen - Sixteen
17. When - The king
18. TALK 5
19. Beyond Dawn - Increasing the gravity
20. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Plokk
21. As In RebekkaMaria - She lion (Pato Sick Hangover remix)
22. TALK 6
23. Robert Svensson - 1987 (ft. Adam Olenius)
24. Paper - To her
25. Animal Alpha - Even when I'm wrong, I'm right
26. TALK 7
27. Niccokick - The poet
28. Asha Ali - Coward heart
29. Viola - I don't know how to party
30. TALK 8
31. Voices Break the Silence - No matter if it's now
32. Marybell Katastrophy - Red red lips
33. Anna Ternheim - Shoreline
34. TALK 9
35. Ulf Ljusberg - Here, me
36. Sir Eric Beyond and the Avant-garde - Democracy
37. Once We Were - Carnival
38. Birds On Holiday - I had a plan
39. TALK 10
40. Björn Kleinhenz - Tredje Långgatan 26

The Second Band's new album "The definite form" is confirmed for release on February 2 and they will celebrate with a release party at Club King Kong in Hornstull, Stockholm that same evening.

Swedish indiepop act The Second Band has started work on a new album, due out late January.

The playlist for my radio show this week:

01. Paper - My life is going under
02. TALK 1
03. Mr. Suitcase - You don't smile anymore
04. Camouflage - Violetta du
05. Majessic Dreams - Black out
06. TALK 2
07. Amorphis - Towards and against
08. Beyond Dawn - Among the sedatives
09. Don't Be A Stranger - Perfect problem
10. TALK 3
11. Totalitär - Nej vi ska inte ha nåt
12. Miss Li - I'm glad I'm not a proud American
13. Tiger Lou - A lucky escape
14. Oskar Schönning - Fraid
15. TALK 4
16. Karsten Pflum - Draworder
17. Anna Ternheim - Lovers dream
18. Front and the Factory Lies Beneath - Drown in misery
19. TALK 5
20. Midaircondo - Could you please stop
21. Pg.lost - Yes I am
22. The Perishers - Carefree
23. TALK 6
24. Pistol Disco - Upside down
25. Nasum - The system has failed again
26. Sweatmaster - Mystery
27. The Second Band - The modern age
28. Träd, Gräs och Stenar - In kommer gösta
29. TALK 7
30. Ultralyd - Low waist
31. Ambulance - Forever friends
32. The Social Services - Up in arms
33. TALK 8
34. Barra Head - Overseas
35. Sivert Høyem - Exiles
36. Viola - Imaginary times
37. TALK 9
38. Kornstad - Turkey, Texas

It's been awhile, but here's some new reviews for you: [click here]
Artists covered this time around include The Charade, Lemonator, Maria Lithell, Red Moon, The Second Band, Viktor Sjöberg, Tigerbombs and the four-way split "If we were oceans" featuring Kristofer Åström, Racingpaperplanes, Boy Omega and Two Times the Trauma.

The Second Band
Your dark side is on the phone
Orange Grammofon

Continuing with their piano-laden brand of indie-pop, The Second Band bring us another EP of great sing-a-long catchy tracks, and soft downtempo numbers. While the band still flows best with the uptempo pop tracks, their craft for writing solid slower songs has improved greatly (see "A song I can't recall" with its Bright Eyes meets Counting Crows feel), and if they come up with a new full-length album, could easily cement themselves at the top of the Swedish indie pop scene.
- Matt Giordano

MP3: The Second Band - Wild in the wind

It's been hot here. Ridiculously hot. We're talking five straight days with peaks at 104°F/40°C. It's enough to make me wish that I still worked in an office so I could indulge in some air conditioning. Shit ain't right, lemme tell ya. I tried listening to frigid black-metal to make me feel cooler, but to be honest, the only thing that made me feel better was summery pop. Angry, grim music simply exasperated by misery and happy music did the exact opposite. One act that's greatly contributed to my improved positive attitude is The Second Band. Their latest EP "Your dark side is on the phone" is seven songs of piano-driven bliss. The opening track "Wild in the wind" which I've posted today is sure to draw a smile on even the most crotchety character. Case in point: it worked on me.

The Second Band - Wild in the wind