Son of a Kid - Clearly now (video)

Son of a Kid, now signed to EMI and available via Spotify.

Susanne Sundfør
The silicone veil
EMI

"The silicone veil" is a lesson in contradictions -- it's a far warmer record than Susanne Sundfør's previous release "The brothel", but it's also far more electronic and synth-heavy. Likewise, it's more direct and approachable while also somehow remaining far more abstract and densely composed than anything she's done before, both lyrically and musically. The Joni Mitchell comparisons which were apt for her self-titled debut circa 2007 have been completely stripped away and what now remains is a performer that is uniquely her own self, standing alone among erstwhile peers. As always, the focal point remains her voice, and on this album she allows it to boldly soar through obtuse chord changes, rarely opting to take the route most easily travelled. It can be a daunting listen for the casual pop music fan or anyone else hoping for a friendly singalong, but at the same time, those challenges are a crucial part of what makes her so compelling. One never gets the impression that she is over-complicating things for its own sake either, rather the songs always flow effortlessly from one movement to the next and there's never a moment where a single note feels extraneous or out of place. Her compositions are a direct reflection of the complex notions she conveys and I couldn't imagine it coming out any other way. And besides, the moments I struggle to wrap my head around are precisely what keep me coming back for repeated listens -- even when I feel like I can't fully grasp the big picture, the music still affects me deeply at a raw, emotional level. That's how I know Susanne Sundfør is a truly great artist and her new album is a brilliant piece of work. This is the new benchmark.
- Avi Roig

Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O
s/t
EMI

This isn't really my thing; it's an Oslo thing. And it's my first time reviewing a band where I gotta tiptoe and use my indoor voice. Forthright impudence almost seems like it'd offend an entire national consciousness or institution, as revered as they are. But let's not forget- Oslo's music scene is the most comfortable place in the world. No political suffering, no industrial labor strikes, and no real equivalent to the dole. Hence, dozens of well-dressed boys running bars amuck and feeding off cultural-grant breast milk, or the titties of the finest groupies you'll ever see. No matter how disparate your black metal band A is from shoegaze band B to Top 40 act band C, "we're social equals" so hey, let's all hold hands, and let's be sure to do it on TV. Norgs often blur this crucial distinction between "style" and "fashion". It's like the difference between having Hepatitis B or C. Some ailments you can be born with like a genetic inclination. Style is one's raw talent, however bizarre or mutant, possessed and created only by you. Whereas fashion, like Hepatitis C, you can catch from any motherfucker.

The obvious nods by Madrugada cohorts onwards to Blixa Bargeld and Nick Cave fits extremely well into rich, dark and brooding Scandinavian territory, and has had the self-perpetuated effect of mounting them in a tiny, yet hierarchical scene as gods. But if The Bad Seeds have done it already, is the simulacrum just another fashion? The blues noir motif encompasses everything aspired in an artist's life -- glorified isolation, mystery, sexual energy, freedom. I remember my monumental realisation when Nick Cave's "God is in the house" DVD first came out. It was a signal of the times; the inexorable musicianship of this group of MEN turning something deeply of themselves into an awe-inspiring and transcendentalizing performance. The essence of "soul".

Soul is definitely not something you can just copy, it's not like you can hire a bunch of gospel-singers and assume you'll get that effect. My impression of this album is in fact, soul-searching, which is not to say it ain't solid. It's more like wandering and jamming in the key of retro-blues. At times, it does feel so grown-up and sterile I begin imagining folks in V-necked sweaters listening to the album in their living rooms on designer couches, hi-fi stereo systems and tons of high-end drugs.

But by solid, I really mean perfect. You gotta hand it to them, a total self-awareness shines through; they know who's gonna try to get a piece of 'em, so they're armed with deadly ammunition. Pristine production, fantastic percussive elements building gigantic drones, and the excellent saxophone-playing is a goodnight cherry on top. My favourite tracks, "I've been watching you (night and day)" has an infectious boogie, like Ethiopian music from the Sixties, Tilahoun Gèssèssè, Mulatu Astatqé, etc. and "After party killer" has a Bowie-air to it that's epic, classic and hit-worthy. In fact, most of these songs are.

But back to what I was sayin', KKKMEO's not exactly my thing. So why the 9? This is not a revolutionary 9. This is not a 9 for alienated subterraneans. This is a 9 for the masses. As a reviewer I tend to detect the moment in which my pure unadulterated love for music is betrayed. In this case, the flow of the album runs like butter, the tracks are easily digestible and honed to the Nordic ear. After being frustrated by many new albums of late, hearing a record that's so un-objectionable and on a higher level of musical professionalism makes me daresay I'm not allowed to object. So I do as any humble reviewer would. Give it a 9, quietly put it back on the shelf, blast "Transilvanian hunger" and make myself a cup of tea.
- Ann Sung-an Lee

Me and My Army
Thank god for sending demons
EMI

It was hard not to be intrigued by this album after reading that Me and My Army was made up not only of Andreas Kleerup, but members of Timo Räisänen's band. What I heard in my head when I read about Me and My Army was Kleerup making a guest appearance on Räisänen's "My valentine". This is not a good expectation to have going in. After the distinctly '80s-sounding opener, the band channel their inner Grateful Dead on the title track. This is not to disparage either Me and My Army or the Dead, but to emphasize the strange turns this album makes. There is a lot to like about "Thank god for sending demons", but very few of the album's highpoints have anything in common with the other standout moments: "Far, far away", with its fantastic female vocals and electro-pop sensibilities, feels very removed from the tracks surround it; "Chemicals" opens with Eagles-like swagger, tying it to some of the other Neil Young/'70s Americana-influenced tracks on, but distancing it from many of the other compositions. This album, while definitely worth a listen, is such a disparate collection of influences and attitudes that it is difficult to tell where the heart of the band lies. This is definitely a talented collection of musicians, but the album listens more like a soundtrack than a focused creative effort.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Swingfly
Awesomeness - An introduction to Swingfly
EMI

Seven of the ten tracks on "Awesomeness" (a retooling of Swingfly's 2009 album) have already been released as singles, so the album plays like a greatest hits collection. This is party music through and through -- a fusion of hip-hop, pop and rock. It's all pretty ridiculous, but that's part of the charm of Swingfly's sometimes goofy, always endearing persona. Anybody who uses the boast "hot like a fresh baked bun" is clearly not taking himself too seriously. As expected, the first half is the strongest, barreling out of the gate with four major pop hits, including most recent single "Me and my drum" (of the "fresh baked bun" fame). But the second half is no slouch either, highlighted by a pair of older singles (2006's "Something's got me started" remains deliriously fun and fresh four years on). It's a singular sound, but one that's surprisingly versatile. Things even get pensive on album closer "Let you go", with its spare, atmospheric electronics. Recommended for fans of Robyn and Teddybears (both of which Swingfly has worked with in the past).
- Nick James

Lykke Li
Wounded rhymes
EMI/LL Recordings

It's hard to cover this record since Mattias Alkberg already wrote the definitive review, but I'll do my best to sum up my thoughts without adding too much extraneous noise to the discussion. Though I wouldn't consider myself much of a Lykke Li fan, her debut album "Youth novels" had a cute, bright-eyed naivety that was undeniably charming and it wasn't hard to see why so many people made a big fuss over it. Now that she's an established artist, she's trying to position herself as a someone who's far more self-aware and serious and, frankly, I'm having a very hard time meeting her on that level. As much as she may feel authentically world-weary, it comes across as a bit of a put-on -- a different kind of youthful naivety that's far less appealing. My biggest problem with the record however, is that it has no sense of fun. A few solid tunes, sure, but more often than not it's a joyless trudge and, as much as that may reflect her mood while writing it, it doesn't compel repeated listens.
- Avi Roig

The Ark
Arkeology
EMI

The Ark has never been a band content to write songs. They write anthems, through and through. From their breakout top ten hit, "It takes a fool to remain sane", to newest single, "Breaking up with God", they've graced us with a string of the finest, most bombastic pop/rock of the new millennium. "Arkeology", spanning twenty tracks, spills over with hits. Stacked one after another, it's a staggering ride through 70's glam rock, emotional new-wave and heart-on-sleeves balladry -- always with a sing-along chorus at the forefront. While their albums were consistently top-notch, especially at the band's mid-decade peak, The Ark will always be remembered by their singles. And there are some giants here. The dizzying "Calleth you, cometh I"; the sneering "Father of a son"; the contemplative, rousing "One of us is gonna die young". If you're only familiar with the band from their glitzy 2007 Eurovision entry, "The worrying kind", you may be stunned by what else is on offer. This music will make you feel giddy. The Ark have a knack for taking simple pop ingredients and making them seem impossibly galvanizing. The band wisely curtail entries from their less-than-stellar 2010 album to a pair of singles towards the end of the compilation. Thankfully, "Stay with me" receives a remix, giving it a fuller sound more in keeping with the rest of the tracks. Two new recordings, "Breaking up with God" and "The apocalypse is over", bookend the collection. The former is a punchy pop confection proclaiming frontman Ola Salo's break with organized religion in his usual uplifting fashion. The latter manages to sum up The Ark's career in a triumphant, yet bittersweet swan song. It's a milestone when a band like this decides to call it quits, but I can't think of a better collection of songs -- er... anthems -- to leave as their legacy to the world.
- Nick James

Roxette
Charm school
EMI

Reunions are a tricky thing, especially if it's been a decade, a health scare and a few middling solo releases in between albums. Roxette will always be one of Sweden's most successful and beloved commercial pop bands; no one can take that away from them. Fans were understandably eager to see them reunite, but once you get past the "oh, it's Per!" and "ooh, it's Marie!" nostalgia trip of the new album's opening tracks, it's a long slog through shadows of former glories (chiefly, "Listen to your heart", repeated ad nauseum in slightly different formats). It all sounds like what I feared it might -- a Per Gessle album. Why, when you're known for your bright, shiny pop songs, record an album of plodding, quasi-rock grasping for credibility that it'll never achieve? To many critics, Roxette will never be "credible, and that's part of the reason we fans like them. I wish they would have embraced their glossy pop side (which pokes through on tracks like "Big black Cadillac" and the should-have-been-better lead single "She's got nothing on (but the radio)"). At least if you're going to repeat yourself, have some fun with it.
- Nick James

Niclas Frisk going solo

Atomic Swing mainman Niclas Frisk has signed with EMI for a solo album called "Deeper down in Chinatown", to be released in early 2011.

Eldkvarn
Hunger Hotell
EMI

What first comes to mind listening to Eldkvarn's new record "Hunger Hotell" is how their watermark, the lyrics, are still there; how nostalgia still dominates the music. Listening through the album, I soon realize most of Eldkvarn is left, nothing has really changed; they are still playing their blues-ish sound, just like before. They have added some extra edge that that does at times remind of the old Eldkvarn from the 80s; a guitar riff here and there, but the basics are the same. Just like with "Atlantis" and "Svart blogg", Eldkvarn has been cooperating with The Bear Quartet's Jari Haapalainen and the two have again produced a great and exciting album, one of the most energetic and aggressive records Eldkvarn has ever released and quite possibly the best. It's not hard to notice that Eldkvarn continues to be more and more productive over the years and it is very nice to see that after 30 years, they are still on the right track.
- Morten Frisch

Sigur Rós
Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
EMI

With first single "Gobbledygook" as the presupposed manifesto for the anti-"Heima" -- recorded in NYC, London, and Havana instead of the usual Reykjavík -- it's a bit disappointing to see Jonsi & Co can't avoid their own pitfalls, falling prey at various times to a retread of the idiosyncrasies that made "Agaetis byrjun" and "( )" great. The melodies remain memorable, and "Goðan daginn" with its middle-register acoustic guitar atop a feathered cadence, is a pristine example of "Heima" creative holdover. But their particular brand of four-to-the-floor pulses tiredly through the first half of the album, and the on-paper majesty of "Ára batur"'s full orchestra and boys choir turns out to be little more than bloated "Takk" fare. Their marketability, sadly, climbs ever upward as they half-manage to fit their Aleph of tinkling instruments into these smaller and smaller packages.

I guess after their 2006 tour of Iceland that championed their cultural and musical past, "Með suð..." seemed the perfect vehicle for a massive paradigm shift. My hopes buoyed by that gloriously playful first single, I saw this album marrying the time signature mystique of "Amnesiac" and the ornery appeal of "Sung Tongs" through their distinctive Icelandic style. Instead, all I got was an admittedly beautiful "Takk" remake, marked with the somber organs, plaintive strings, and playful glockenspiels of old.
- Nathan Keegan

Kleerup
s/t
EMI

Pop music can be about a lot more than shifting hundreds of a thousands of records and continuously rotating overly-glitzy music videos, and Andreas Kleerup's self-titled debut is verification of this idea. Holding more in common with The Knife's songwriting approach than that of Max Martin, and reveling in similar production tricks to that of Justice, Kleerup's compositions seem almost "accidentally" radio friendly; too much effort has been put into these tracks for them to be dismissed as pop fluff, and yet too much pop sensibility has gone into their writing for the songs to feel pretentiously avant-garde -- the album's strengths exist somewhere in between these two judgments. While the record is rather star-studded with tracks featuring numerous well-known artists: Robyn, Lykke Li, Neneh Cherry, and Marit Bergman, to name a few, Kleerup's own tracks stand up well on their own. "Thank you for nothing" runs cleverly between Europop-like catchiness and the allure of well-produced remixes of bands like Phoenix, and opener "Hero" is an engaging first look at the album, evoking a strange mix between Vangelis and Röyksopp. "With every heartbeat", the Robyn-featured single, is my favorite track, though the Marit Bergman led "3am" and Lykke Li's "Until we bleed" are not far behind. Overall, "Kleerup" is a skillfully produced pop record that's as much fun as it is expertly written and executed -- a pleasant departure from the soulless gloss of so many other pop albums.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Caesars
Strawberry weed
Dolores/EMI

When "Strawberry weed" is played in my iPod, the first association that comes to my mind is: Coldplay. This might be outlandish, but it's true. If we throw in some Beach Boys, Beatles and Rolling Stones, then we have a recognizable sound, describing Caesars' new album. I expected to hear something more rebellious and edgy, going more back to their hit "Jerk it out", but didn't. This isn't something you want to scream from the top of your lungs to at festivals, this is something more mature, and something you might want to listen to at a sunny day at the beach. The album consists of 24 songs, it's a double album and frankly, I ain't praising that, even if Ebbot Lundberg deserves admiration, doing a fine job producing this. My 'too much feeling' means that Caesars is that kind of band that can bore you, therefore one good, crammed CD could have been enough. However, in this case, "Strawberry weed", "Fools parade", "You nailed me" and "Boo boo goo goo", does it for me; they are catchy and, should we say, MTV material. But I still wonder why you want to throw in something such as "Solina": a 2:59 long, acoustic song, without César Vidal's easily broken but beautiful voice? It's a small pause in the middle of it all that gives me the feeling of a computer game. To the positive parts, the overall impression is that it makes me darn pleased that the band gives us something new, these dudes knows how to do it despite my words above, and let's face it, Caesars are Caesars and as in a salad, you will always get that little extra parmigiana that gives you a tasty experience and some energetic fuel in the end. "Boo boo goo goo" is a perfect example of that. In the end, after hours of listening somehow this poppy, indie sound gives me almost the same feeling as the beach boys, and it makes me say; Strawberry Field... you nailed me!
- Therese Buxfäldt

Pacific!
Reveries
EMI

Pacific has already built up quite a fan base on the strength of the singles they've released so far. Fans have come to expect two general styles from the duo. There's the Italo Disco flashback best represented by most recent single "Number one" and, in contrast, the beach-bum chill-out of tracks like "Sunset Blvd". The Göteborg duo shifts between these sounds effortlessly, delivering standouts in both genres on their full length debut "Reveries". Nothing here matches the strength of the previous singles and EP tracks, but those songs make up half of the record, so that's not really a big problem. There are times when the sleepy side of the duo's sound becomes a bit too sleepy ("Sunrise" and "Hold me"), but the album has a certified classic in "Hot lips", already a deserved success. There's a general airy charm to Pacific's music, even as they ratchet up the tempo for the more dance oriented tracks, and this definitely sets them apart from similar-minded synthpop groups. And, while the record as a whole may not be as consistent as the singles would lead you to believe, there is no doubt that "Reveries" will find a home on many a beachgoer's playlist this summer.
- Nick James

Madrugada
s/t
EMI

Guitarist Robert Burås left this world much too soon. And he will be missed. Those of us that got to see Madrugada live can certify that he was a main character in this otherwise so well put together combo. Being the sixth and final album from Norway's finest, this is nothing but pure genius. The intensity is evident throughout, both musically and vocally. On this self-titled full-length, the band has taken the atmosphere of foreboding that is their trademark to a higher level, which leaves us, the listeners, in a state of darkness that's indefensible. Simply put, we're reeled right in and I wouldn't want anything else. Frontman Sivert Høyem sings with such authority and grace, it makes my eyes fill up with tears. And seeing that I'm into The Birthday Party and Nick Cave, it's difficult not to compare, but Sivert has a hypnotizing way of taking each song to perfection, something Mr. Cave is missing at times. "The hour of the wolf" is a straight-forward rock song with howling guitars, powerful drums and a showcase of one of the shapes that was Madrugada. It's rock'n'roll in its purest form. The more acoustic "Look away Lucifer" is a dark and eerie song that sort of sums up the album as a whole. The uncanny feeling of this swan song is charming in a way that you never want to end. But, all good things must come to an end and I can't think of a better way than this. Kudos. And R.I.P.
- Jonas Appelqvist