Weeping Willows report that songwriting is underway for their next album and the band plans to enter the studio sometime early next year.

MP3: Anna Maria Espinosa - Glowing with you

My promo copy of Anna Maria Espinosa's album "Glowing with you" didn't come with liner notes, but it hardly matters - I'm confident I can accurately guess a large number of the co-writers and backing musicians based on sound alone, if not for past associations. If you're at all familiar with the crowd she keeps, it won't be hard either - this is the sound of peak Stockholm rock circa 5+ years ago or thereabouts. Her time with Club Killers is more than apparent and so it's only natural that she also takes on the sounds of Moneybrother and, as you'll hear on the title track posted today, Weeping Willows. It's a classic WW-style ballad; I half-expect Magnus Carlson's croon to enter on every new verse though Anna does manage to pull it off on her own. She can't quite wrench out the teardrops like Magnus on the peak of that sad, sad chorus, but still, she soars admirably. Yes, it's terribly derivative, but come on, are you surprised? You shouldn't be.

Anna Maria Espinosa - Glowing with you

The video for Elin Sigvardsson's latest single "Saviour", a duet with Magnus Carlson from Weeping Willows, is online: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=43922326

In case you decide to download the new Elin Ruth Sigvardsson single "Saviour" (ft. Magnus Carlson from Weeping Willows), she's posted a pdf of sleeve artwork for you: http://www.elinruthsigvardsson.com/saviour_sleeve.pdf

Look for a new EP from Trummor & Orgel sometime around late October. Maybe this is the release with Magnus Carlson (Weeping Willows) singing Georgie Fame's "Somebody stole my thunder"?

Magnus Carlson of Weeping Willows has been busy this summer recording various duets including a track with Freddie Wadling entitled "Isolation" and a song with Örnsberg called "Weekend lights". Listen to the latter here: http://www.myspace.com/ornsberg
Magnus also contributed guest vocals to a Trummor & Orgel track, their cover of Georgie Fame's "Somebody stole my thunder".

MyFriends: Axe, Cortina, KA SO RE, My Sweet Life, Palpitation, Ryerye

The new West End Girls single "What have I done to deserve this" featuring Magnus Carlson of Weeping Willows is streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/westendgirls1

Somehow I almost forgot to post this week's radio show playlist:

01. Bloodbath - Blasting the virginborn
02. TALK 1
03. Håkan Hellström - Långa vägar
04. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr. Happy
05. Victims - Bomben har fallit
06. TALK 2
07. Death By Kite - Sweet M
08. Ef - Thrills
09. The Bombhappies - Nothing at all
10. TALK 3
11. Motorpsycho - The alchemyst
12. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
13. TALK 4
14. In Flames - Moonshield
15. Maskinen - Alla som inte dansar (100dirty remix)
16. The Social Services - Baltic Sea
17. TALK 5
18. Peter Morén - Social competence
19. Lack - Bombing the moon
20. Dmitry Fydorov - Signal
21. TALK 6
22. Looptroop Rockers - The building
23. Six Guns - Think positive
24. Nybakat! - Limu limu lima
25. TALK 7
26. Saft - Sizzling
27. Electric Retard - Greenvalley High
28. Lukestar - The shade you hide
29. Samtidigt Som - Constant in motion
30. TALK 8
31. Bad Cash Quartet - Monday morning
32. Monkeystrikes - I'm sorry, but I'm very dramatic
33. Commando M Pigg - Shoeshine boy
34. Weeping Willows - Touch me
35. TALK 9
36. Pistol Disco - Beat of the tune

MP3: Weeping Willows - If I could see you one more time

Weeping Willows' 2002 album "Into the light" marks the band's transition from retro-pop into modern rock and, as such, signified the downfall of the band for a lot of people, myself included. However, due to patience and hindsight, I've changed my mind about the band progression on this album and now find that I enjoy it very much, thank you. The first two records are still superior (AMG's assessment that they lost their originality when they tried develop their own sound is dead-on), but "Into the light" is a not-so-distant 3rd. Singles like "Touch me" are undeniably catchy and aching ballads such as "Somewhere" and "If I could see you one more time" (today's mp3) are startlingly effective. Frontman Magnus Carlson has a near-perfect croon, making even the lamest lyrics seem powerful - "Stairs" from the album "Presence" is a prime example. When his words hit their mark, it's powerful stuff, despite all obvious clichés and sappiness. Melancholy pop rarely gets better that this in my opinion.

Weeping Willows - If I could see you one more time

Artists performing at this year's Totally Swedish Festival in Dublin, Ireland from February 29 - March 1 include Weeping Willows, Sahara Hotnights, Jonna Lee and Love Is All. Details: http://www.swedishfestival.ie/

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

01. Timo Räisänen - Sixteen
02. TALK 1
03. Dreamboy - What have I done
04. Echo Is Your Love - Three ropes
05. The Raveonettes - Dead sound
06. TALK 2
07. Connny Nimmersjö - Dum i huvudet
08. Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night
09. Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - Antidote
10. TALK 3
11. Christian Kjellvander - Two souls
12. Heroes & Zeros - The foolproof
13. Gåte - Sjå attende
14. TALK 4
15. Repoman - Chemically obsessed
16. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Instant Repeater '99
17. Petter - Logiskt (ft. Säkert)
18. TALK 5
19. Dieter Schöön - Warm hearts
20. Springfactory - Stingy Friday afternoon
21. Sivert Høyem - Don't pass me by
22. TALK 6
23. Sweatmaster - Song with no words
24. Enslaved - Enemy I
25. The Concretes - Kids
26. TALK 7
27. Broder Daniel - Cruel town
28. September - Cry for you
29. Britta Persson - Cliffhanger
30. TALK 8
31. TLS - A song left for you
32. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
33. Immanu El - Kosmonaut
34. TALK 9
35. Fare You Well - Deceiving eyes
36. Weeping Willows - So it's over
37. Firefox AK - Winter rose (ft. Tiger Lou)
38. TALK 10
39. Scraps of Tape - Death as it should be

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)".

This year's Swedish Grammi (Grammy) Award nominees have been announced:

Best album:
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure
Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Säkert! - Säkert!
The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend
The Hives - The Black And White Album
Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande

Best dance/hip-hop/soul:
Adam Tensta - It's A Tensta Thing
Dogge Doggelito - Superclasico
Familjen - Det Snurrar I Min Skalle
Fjärde Världen - Världens Ände
Ken - Äntligen Hemma
Mange Schmidt - Känslan Kommer Tillbaks
Million Stylez - From A Far
Petter - God Damn It
September - Dancing Shoes
Vincent - Lucky Thirteen

Best group:
Eldkvarn - Svart Blogg
Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
Mando Diao - Never Seen The Light Of Day
Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing
Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend
The Hives - The Black And White Album
Oh Laura - A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed
Peter Bjorn And John - Writer's Block
Weeping Willows - Fear & Love

Best hard-rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Candlemass - King Of The Grey Island
Clawfinger - Life Will Kill You
Crashdiet - The Unattractive Revolution
Dark Tranquillity - Fiction
Entombed - Serpent Saints
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
Lillasyster - Hjärndöd Musik För En Hjärndöd Generation
Mustasch - Latest Version Of The Truth
Takida - Bury The Lies

Best songwriter:
Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling
Annika Norlin - Säkert!
Benny Andersson - Bao 3
Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here/I Saw Here From Her
Joakim Berg & Martin Sköld - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
José González - In Our Nature
Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure
Ola Salo - Prayer For The Weekend
Peter Bjorn And John - Writer's Block
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am

Best female artist:
Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling
Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum Och Tång
Jaqee - Nouvelle D'amour
Laleh - Prinsessor
Louise Hoffsten - Så Speciell
Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me
Miss Li - God Put A Rainbow In The Sky
Sonja Aldén - Till Dig
Sophie Zelmani - Memory Loves You
Säkert! - Säkert!

Best live act:
Benny Anderssons Orkester
Jens Lekman
Lars Winnerbäck
Lena Ph & Orup
Parksommar
Per Gessle
Peter Jöback
Takida
The Hives
Timbuktu

Best song:
Lars Winnerbäck - I Duett Med Miss Li Om Du Lämnade Mig Nu
Mange Schmidt Feat. Petter - Giftig
Markoolio - Ingen Sommar Utan Reggae
Martin Stenmarck - 100 År Från Nu (Blundar)
Måns Zelmerlöw - Cara Mia
Sahara Hotnights - Cheek To Cheek
Salem Al Fakir - Good Song
Sonja Aldén - För Att Du Finns
The Ark - The Worrying Kind
Ola - Natalie

Best male artist:
Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here / I Saw Here From Her
Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
José González - In Our Nature
Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
Moneybrother - Mount Pleasure
Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand By For...
Peter Lemarc - Kärlek I Tystnadens Tid
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
Timo Räisänen - Love Will Turn You Around

Best newcomer:
Abalone Dots - From A Safe Distance
Adam Tensta - It's A Tensta Thing
Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling
Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me
Måns Zelmerlöw - Stand By For...
Oh Laura - A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Sonja Aldén - Till Dig
Säkert! - Säkert!
Vincent - Lucky Thirteen

Best producer:
Benny Andersson - Bao 3
Björn Olsson - Never Seen The Light Of Day
Björn Yttling - Writer's Block & What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing
Jari Haapalainen - Svart Blogg
Jon Joshua Schuman & Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
José González - In Our Nature
Laleh - Prinsessor
Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am
Vincent Pontare - Lucky Thirteen

Best lyrics:
Anna Järvinen - Jag Fick Feeling
Annika Norlin - Säkert!
Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum Och Tång
Jason Diakité - Oberoendeframkallande
Joakim Berg - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
Ola Salo - Prayer For The Weekend
Peter Lemarc - Kärlek I Tystnadens Tid
Plura Jonsson - Svart Blogg
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am

Go here for the full list: http://www.musikindustrin.nu/mi/smpage.fwx?page=198&NYHETER=8646

Arena Grande will be streaming upcoming live shows from Swedish acts Christian Kjellvander (plus opener Kristofer Åström), Breach (yes!) and Weeping Willows: http://arenagrande.tv/news/2007/11/29/Coming-Attractions.html