The video for the new Vapnet single "Inga fåglar" is now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0BZ7RC8oX0

Pitchfork finally gets around to reviewing the latest Vapnet record "Döda fallet": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/51505-vapnet-dda-fallet
Also covered, the new Blackstrap album "Steal my horses and run": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/51498-blackstrap-steal-my-horses-and-run

MP3: Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.

More Jesus rock today, except that Johan Heltne doesn't exactly rock. And I'm also not sure how religious he is, though he does say that his album "Vetenskapliga bevis för att Jesus lever" ("Scientific proof that Jesus is alive") was informed by religious experience, in a way. It's a fascinating work, made that much better by the fact that I can barely wrap my head around it. From the lush string arrangements on songs such as the one I've posted today to soft indiepop ala Vapnet, Heltne and his friends have put together quite a record. There's magic in the mystery, that's for sure. This track also has me thinking that more musicians should try to forgo classic rock instrumentation. I still love guitars, but there seems to be so much more subtlety and nuance here, especially when compared to the more traditional "indie" numbers he does. Regardless, it's all good, just don't let this one pass you by. It's got underrated hit written all over it.

Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.

Vapnet
Döda fallet
Hybris

"Döda fallet" received mixed reviews in Sweden upon its release. Expressen (one of Sweden's biggest newspapers) gave it the rating two out of five and called it "unimaginative" and "colourless". Most of the reviewers seem to have liked Vapnet's previous album "Jag vet hur man väntar", but then failed to be impressed by "Döda fallet". This was my initial reaction too, I just couldn't get into the album and it kind of bummed me out since their previous releases are like children to me. But then after I've listened to it for a week, I came to realise that I really loved it (it was like slow and repetitive hypnotism). When I told a friend in Sweden about how great I think the album is, he turned up his nose and told me that "in Sweden only fourteen year old girls listen to Vapnet" (ouch!). I don't know what the general consensus is, but it's a shame that Vapnet aren't bigger than what they actually are in their native Sweden, since they're one of the best bands to surface in the last few years. "Döda fallet" contains a bunch of slower songs and quite a few poppy ones, and they're all brilliant with ace melodies. After I'd decided to give the album the above rating I made myself listen through it once more, just to see if there were any crap songs on it that I'd miss, but there weren't any. They're all top notch! I'm very relieved and glad to be able to say that Vapnet with "Döda fallet" are even better than before (and I feel sorry for above mentioned friend and all the other people who fail to see their greatness).
- Simon Tagestam

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

01. Peter Morén - This is what I came for
02. TALK 1
03. Entombed - Hollowman
04. King Of All The Animals - Concrete skyline
05. Jettie - The lay up
06. TALK 2
07. Happy Trash Culture - Frisky pet
08. Josse - You had a plan
09. Ondo - Sleep
10. TALK 3
11. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - This room seems empty without you
12. Håkan Hellström - För sent för edelweiss
13. Marvins Revolt - Deliberate deeds
14. Marybell Katastrophy - Hey Frank
15. TALK 4
16. The Bear Quartet - Mvh contempt
17. Lögnhalsmottagningen - Snacka gär ju
18. Ghost Brigade - Based on you
19. TALK 5
20. September Malevolence - I shut doors and windows
21. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
22. Anna Leong - Battered, bruised and cold
23. TALK 6
24. Bright Oak - On the list
25. Tape - Moth wings
26. Axewitch - Hot lady
27. TALK 7
28. Nationalteatern - Jack the Ripper
29. Tsukimono - Heart beater
30. Zeigeist - Bunny
31. TALK 8
32. First Floor Power - The jacket (Karin Dreijer remix)
33. No Hope for the Kids - Angels of destruction
34. Docenterna - Popmusik
35. Vapnet - Skorpan
36. TALK 9
37. Björn Kleinhenz - Olis
38. Fireside - Ambulance
39. Looptroop Rockers - Living on a prayer
40. TALK 10

MP3: Vapnet - Skorpan

Back home after a week in SF doing dayjob-related stuff and it's snowing?! In mid-April? C'mon now, that ain't right. Oh, and then there's the cold I caught my very first day in the office which I happened to bring home as well. So yeah, back, but not what I'd call well rested. Thankfully, contributor Arnulf Koehncke has come through with today's mp3 post in my stead:

I was completely amazed when I first listened to "Skorpan" from Vapnet's new album "Doda fallet". For the first time, the band dares to not contrast their lyrical darkness with uplifting melodies, jangly guitars and schlager-inspired key-changes. Not that I'd ever disapprove of that. Instead, it's just a slow ballad carried by a piano, a few guitars and plugged trumpet. It's sad, maybe slightly cynical, but definitely not ironic, which just adds to the strength of the song. And best of all (though I'm not a native speaker, so you'll never know), the chorus finally reveals that it's inspired by one of my favorite children's books, "The Brothers Lionheart" by Astrid Lindgren. So maybe it's ironic then after all...

Vapnet - Skorpan

Stream Vapnet's new album "Döda fallet": http://www.vapnet.se/

Check out the video for the latest Vapnet single "Plötsligt händer det inte": http://vapnet.blogspot.com/2008/03/pltsligt-hnder-en-video.html

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

01. The Bear Quartet - Put me back together
02. TALK 1
03. Karin Ström - Silent night
04. Camouflage - Syster sol
05. Ulf Ljusberg - Whatever was
06. TALK 2
07. Juvelen - Don't mess
08. Invocator - Breed of sin
09. The Grand Opening - Secrets revealed
10. TALK 3
11. Motorpsycho - For free
12. Coldworker - Flammable
13. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Photo Jenny
14. TALK 4
15. Egil Olsen - Singer/songwriter
16. Last Days of April - Will the violins be playing?
17. Desert Planet - Riot sector 68
18. TALK 5
19. Printer - Satisfaction
20. Psyke Project - Physical romance
21. Promise and the Monster - Light reflecting papers
22. TALK 6
23. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
24. Pan Sonic - Johdin
25. Opération Zéro - Etude no. 1
26. TALK 7
27. Jonas Game - Nothing to lose
28. Mari Boine - Tundra flower
29. Vapnet - Plötsligt händer det inte
30. TALK 8
31. Moto Boy - Ride my wild heart
32. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
33. Gravy - Behind my walls
34. TALK 9
35. Looptroop Rockers - The building
36. Victims - Victims in blood #5
37. Anna Leong - Guillotine
38. Zeigeist - Humanitarianism
39. TALK 10
40. Ef - Appendix

Vapnet's new single "Plötsligt händer det inte" is streaming on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vapnet

The new Vapnet single "Plötsligt händer det inte" will be released on February 18 and will include the b-side "Aldrig där". A new album will follow in April.

Upcoming releases on the way from Swedish indie label Hybris:

02/27 - TIAC - Overstaying the welcome
04/03 - Juvelen - tba
04/09 - Vapnet - tba
04/23 - The Kid - tba
May - Like Honey - tba
?? - Montt Mardié - tba (UK release)

Interested in learning how to play Vapnet's "Jag vet hur man väntar"? Check out a downloadable pdf songbook: http://konstochvanligasaker.se/jagvethurmanvantar/

More industry woes from Hybris, including news of the demise of Nimson and Musicbrigade: http://hybrism.blogspot.com/2008/01/world-in-2008.html
Also, read to the end for info on new releases on the way from Biker Boy, TIAC, The Kid, Vapnet and Juvelen.

Top 10s for 2007: Absolut Noise