The Silent Ballet reviews Jaga Jazzist
The Silent Ballet likes the new Jaga Jazzist album "One-armed bandit": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/3123/Default.aspx
Country: Norway
MP3: Donkeyboy - Ambitions
Here's another song I'm semi-obsessed with right now, though not nearly as deep as Susanne Sundfør's latest. I typically make a point of being at least vaguely familiar with most chart-topping bands because you never know -- sometimes the cream really does rise to the top -- but I had always ignored Donkeyboy because their name sucks and also because, for some reason, I thought they were a hip-hop act and Norwegian hip-hop is almost always awful. I'm late to the game, but I stand corrected! Now I know: Donkeyboy is a fine mainstream pop/rock act that manages to be successful by employing smart, strong hooks with a touch of 80s pastiche. It's a good formula, it worked out well for Superfamily at home in Norway and The Sounds sure seem to do well by it, though I'd argue they are far less "smart"; now Donkeyboy are attempting to take it to the next level (apparently Sweden is already conquered). Good luck to them, I say. They might be a tad too unassuming to break in territories where bold and brash win and that's a shame because that's yet another reason they're a good band. I see bands like Datarock and I think "trying too hard," yet people still seem to like them. Whatever, it's not as if I didn't already think the music biz was a shitsystem.
Donkeyboy - Ambitions
Spoon Train spring sampler
Norwegian label has posted a spring sampler comp in time for by:Larm: http://spoontrain.no/blog/audio/2010/02/spoon-train-sampler-spring-2010
It's worth grabbing for the Monzano tracks alone.
Einar Sjurso interview at Avant-garde Metal
Avant-garde Metal interviews Einar Sjurso of Beyond Dawn/Virus//etc., a strong persence on the Norwegian underground scene: http://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=153
MP3: Susanne Sundfør - The brothel
This is only song that matters right now. I've been spinning it multiple times daily trying to find my way inside, but it yields next to nothing. The video adds extra layers of darkness and mystery. Snow swirls in night, figures walk through empty streets, visions become layered and kaleidoscopic. Everything goes up in flames and fireworks and now it seems that God has left us and so where exactly does that leave us? "Is anybody listening?" I am, on the outside trying to find a way in.
Susanne Sundfør - The brothel
Pitchfork Guest List: Lindstrøm and Christabelle
Lindstrøm and Christabelle do the Guest List thing for Pitchfork: http://pitchfork.com/features/guest-lists/7768-lindstrm-christabelle/
Kakkmaddafakka - Your girl (general)
Preview a new track from Norwegian act Kakkmaddafakka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6oar6Rw9AA
The band has just finished a new album with producers Kåto Ådland (Sondre Lerche) and Erlend Øye (Kings of Convenience, this is his first producer credit) which will be released via Erlend/The Whitest Boy Alive's label "Bubbles" sometime later this year. They will also be premiering much of the new material at their upcoming by:Larm live appearances where hopefully it'll sound much better than the tepid mush that is on display in that video.
Pirate Love unveil new single, plan another
Pirate Love are streaming their new single "Space doubt" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thepiratelove
Said track will appear on a split 7" with Little Girls to be released by Canadian label . The band will also have another 7" on in March featuring the track "Sick of you" b/w "A kiss hello".
1349 sign with Prosthetic in US
will be handling the American release of the new 1349 album, due out April 13. will be handling things back home.
Casiokids - En vill hest (video)
Casiokids have a new video for the song "En vill hest": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMlwr0_wlV4
Thomas Dybdahl finishing up new album
Thomas Dybdahl says that final mixing of his new album is set for late February. Expect samples online soon thereafter.
Bloodlights e-card
Here's an e-card for the new Bloodlights album "Simple pleasures": http://bloodlights.indierec.net/
Donkeyboy - Ambitions (new video)
Norwegian pop hopefuls Donkeyboy have created a new video for their song "Ambitions": http://www.warnerwall.no/?p=2238
Were any of those kids even alive in the era those 80s references are from?
Kings of Convenience tour postponed
Kings of Convenience's upcoming US tour has been postponed due to sickness. Look for reschuduled dates in June.