Speaking of new stuff in the webstore, I finally got CDs from the good people at Combat Disc in stock. Not only are the Kellermans some of the nicest folks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, but they're also amazing musicians. I'm sure a lot of you are already familiar with Rasmus and Tiger Lou (if not: shame on you), but there's more. I've posted tracks from Jenny Kellerman and her melancholy folksy act Dexter's Moon and also Las Puertas which features Rasmus with his wife Andrea, but now it's time for a song from Firefox AK - Andrea's solo act. Like a lot of her contemporaries such as El Perro Del Mar, Andrea plays alone with programmed backing tracks, but I find her sound to be a lot more driving and beat-heavy. No too much so, mind you, but there's definitely more of a techno influence going on. I dig it. And it seems I'm not the only one - her debut EP "What's that sound" got picked up by Razzia Records for wider release, so she's gotta be doing something right. Check out the title track whydoncha?

MP3: Firefox AK - What's that sound

Speaking of new stuff in the webstore, I finally got CDs from the good people at Combat Disc in stock. Not only are the Kellermans some of the nicest folks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, but they're also amazing musicians. I'm sure a lot of you are already familiar with Rasmus and Tiger Lou (if not: shame on you), but there's more. I've posted tracks from Jenny Kellerman and her melancholy folksy act Dexter's Moon and also Las Puertas which features Rasmus with his wife Andrea, but now it's time for a song from Firefox AK - Andrea's solo act. Like a lot of her contemporaries such as El Perro Del Mar, Andrea plays alone with programmed backing tracks, but I find her sound to be a lot more driving and beat-heavy. No too much so, mind you, but there's definitely more of a techno influence going on. I dig it. And it seems I'm not the only one - her debut EP "What's that sound" got picked up by Razzia Records for wider release, so she's gotta be doing something right. Check out the title track whydoncha?

Firefox AK - What's that sound

New European tourdates for Tiger Lou:

09/15 - Popkomm @ Kesselhaus I.d. Kulturbrauerei, Berlin (GER)
11/02 - Gleis 22, Münster (GER)
11/03 - Underground, Köln (GER)
11/04 - Juz, Saarlouis (GER)
11/05 - Schlachthof, Wiesbaden (GER)
11/12 - Römer, Bremen (GER)
11/13 - Nexus, Braunschweig (GER)

More soon.

The cover art and tracklist for Tiger Lou's new album "The loyal" has been posted online: http://se.v2music.com/site/product.asp?ID=1478

The new Tiger Lou album "The loyal" has been confirmed for a October 26 release.

New mp3 from Dexter's Moon, the low-key folk act fronted by Jenny Kellerman, older sister to Rasmus of Tiger Lou/Las Puertas and Mårten of Statemachine. Musical talent obviously runs in the family. This track is the closing tune from the group's new album "Come rain", out now on the clan's own Combat Disc Records. Good stuff, of course. How could you expect less? Hopefully I'll also be getting some copies of the record into my own mailorder soon.

Top fives: 2005 so far

Tiger Lou mainman Rasmus Kellerman reports that he's just about finished recording his new album "Loyalist". Mixing is being delayed until July because of engineer Peter Katis' busy schedule, but in the meantime Rasmus says he'll start work on a new Araki album - his more electronic-based solo project.

Torpedo
Anticlockwise
Strange Fruit

To be honest, I've only read of the bands the members of Torpedo were in: Tiger Lou, Starmarket and The Je Ne Sais Quoi. I wasn't really sure of what to expect when listening to this EP. After listening to "Anticlockwise", I was really impressed. It takes the energy of guitarist Pontus Levahn's band Starmarket and the gentleness of his other band Tiger Lou (with Torpedo bandmate and bass player Erik Welén). Combined with TJNSQ drummer Jimmy Ottoson and rounded out by lead vocalist and guitarist Andreas Hogby, the band creates atmospheric indie rock. Can't really beat a band with a song about getting rid of a rival lover ("Plastic bag and a shovel"). Good stuff.
- Navy Keophan

May's album of the month is "Is my head still on?", the debut full-length from Tiger Lou. Not only one of my favorite releases from 2004, but also some of my favorite people that I got to meet in Sweden. Check it out.

Torpedo, Las Puertas and Firefox will all be touring Germany together in June:

06/02 - Astra Stube, Hamburg
06/03 - Nexus, Braunschweig w/Audrey
06/04 - Blue Shell, Köln
06/05 - tba
06/06 - Carambolage, Karlsruhe
06/07 - Schlachthof, Wiesbaden
06/08 - Mannheim/Saarlouis
06/09 - Bla, Bonn
06/10 - Besetzes Haus, Erfurt
06/11 - Projekt 7, Magdeburg
06/12 - tba

Pontus and Eric from Torpedo (and also Tiger Lou, drums and bass respectively) will be doing the live rhythm section thing for Las Puertas, in case you were wondering.

Today's new mp3 comes from Las Puertas, the band of husband/wife duo Rasmus and Andrea Kellerman. You might know them better from their solo projects Tiger Lou and Firefox, but they sound totally different when playing together. I don't know if they'd agree with my assessment, but I can't help but think "pop-punk" when listening to them. The song I've posted today is bay far the catchiest tune from their self-titled debut album. It's got great energy and I just love the responsive vocal parts on the chorus. There's a few darker, more driving tunes as well, but the prevailing mood is much more upbeat. I like it. Oh, and be sure to check out the whole Kellerman clan when they play together at Landet in Stockholm on May 13. That includes brother Mårten and Statemachine as well as sister Jenny with her group Dexter's Moon. Should be good time I bet. I wonder if they'll do any Carter Family-style singalongs?

I finally got around to getting those mailorder updates done. Look down to your right for new titles from Convoj and Kristofer Åström and also note that Tiger Lou has been restocked. Thanks!

I managed to grab a couple new things for the mailorder including the new Convoj EP, restocks of Tiger Lou and the last double-CD special editions of the latest Kristofer Åström record. It might take me awhile to get them into the database, but you can always email me if you don't want to wait.

Okay, I survived Umeå Open day two and actually managed to get up and give my seminar this afternoon at 1. There weren't a ton of people there, but I can't blame them considering how much beer was being consumed the night before. As I said, I barely made it there myself. Firefox played at the same time, too. I'm bummed I didn't get to see her.

Anyhow, the bands I got to see last night were all really, really good. The Tiny kicked things off perfectly and were followed by Tiger Lou. Having only seen Rasmus perform solo before, it was reelly exciting for me to finally hear him with a full band. They played my favorite song "The war between us" along with a couple new tracks, so I was 100% satisfied. I screwed up and totally missed the next few bands while I hung out with friends, but I made sure I got to see The Ark. What can I say? They were amazing. They better come back to the US. Soon.

Tonight I have see Cult of Luna, Isolation Years, Silverbullit and Moneybrother. So many great bands, all at the same fest. And Rasmus from TL is doing guest vocals with CoL, too. Can't wait!