The nominees for this year's Spellemann awards, the Norwegian Grammy, have been announced:
Female Artist: Christel Alsos - Tomorrow is () Ida Maria - Katla (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Susanne Sundfør - The brothel ()
Male Artist: Moddi - Floriography () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Thom Hell - All good things () Thomas Dybdahl - Waiting for that one clear moment ()
Pop Group: deLillos - Hjernen er alene i Operaen () I was a king - Old friends (/) Kråkesølv - Bomtur til jorda () Madcon - Contraband ()
Electronic: Bjørn Torske - Kokning () Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real life is no cool () Ost & Kjex - Cajun lunch (/)
Rock: Blood Command - Ghostclocks (/) Kvelertak - Kvelertak () Motorpsycho - Heavy metal fruit () Serena-Maneesh - No 2: Abyss in b minor () Tommy Tokyo & Starving for My Gravy - Go time, showtime & absolute war ()
Hip-Hop: Karpe Diem - Aldri solgt en løgn () Lars Vaular - Helt om natten, helt om dagen () Salvador Sanchez - Happy daze ()
Folk: Gjermund Larsen trio - Aurum (/) Ingvill Marit Buen Garnås og Per Anders Buen Garnås - Salme, segn & solbøn () Sondre Bratland/Annbjørg Lien - Alle vegne () Unni Boksasp Ensemble - Keramello ()
Jazz: Elephant9 - Walk the nile () Ivar Antonsen/Vigleik Storaas - Dialogues () Paolo Vinaccia - Very much alive () Supersilent - 10 () Trondheim Jazz Orchestra - Triads and more ()
Open Class: Beady Belle - At Welding Bridge () Jaga Jazzist - One-armed bandit () Karl Seglem - Ossicles (/) Pelbo - Pelbo () Petter Wettre/Audun Kleive - The only way to travel 2 ()
Lyrics: Bare Egil Band - I fyr og flamme (/) Erik Fosnes Hansen - Neste stasjon Grorud () Ingrid Olava - The guest (
Pop Composition: Gjermund Larsen - Aurum (/) Ingrid Olava - The guest () Odd Nordstoga - November (/) Susanne Sundfør - The brothel () Thom Hell - All good things ()
Newcomer: Bjørn Johan Muri () Frida Ånnevik () Kvelertak () Moddi () Thomas Eriksen ()
The nominees for the 2009 Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammy) have been announced:
Female Artist: Ane Brun - Live At Stockholm Concert Hall (, ) Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone () Julie Dahle Aagård - Stompin' Feet () Noora Noor - Soul Deep ()
Male Artist: Alexander Rybak - Fairytales () Martin Hagfors - Men and flies () Sivert Höyem - Moon Landing () Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (//)
Pop Group: Datarock - Red (/) Donkeyboy - Caught In A Life () Kings Of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence (/) Kråkesølv - Trådnøsting () Montée - Isle Of Now ()
Electronica: Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - 2 (/) Mungolian Jetset - We Gave It All Away (/) Röyksopp - Junior (/) Vinter In Hollywood - Outbreak (/)
Rock: DumDum Boys - Tidsmaskin (/) Heroes & Zeros - Simian Vices Modern Devices (//) John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt () Motorpsycho - Child Of The Future () Skambankt - Hardt Regn ()
Metal: Code - Resplendent Grotesque () Immortal - All Shall Fall () The Cumshots - A Life Less Necessary () Årabrot - The Brother Seed ()
Hip-hop: Chris Lee - Love Ghost (/) Lars Vaular - D'e Glede () Tommy Tee - Studio Time ()
Jazz: Håvard Stubø Quartet - Way Up () Kim Johannesen/Svein Magnus Furu/Tore Sandbakken - Kayak () Nils-Petter Molvær - Hamada (/) Solveig Slettahjell - Tarpan Seasons (/) Tord Gustavsen Ensemble - Restored, Returned ()
Open Class: Crimetime Orchestra - Atomic Symphony () Kristin Asbjørnsen - The Night Shines Like The Day (/) Knut Reiersrud - Gitar (/) Mari Boine - Sterna Paradisea (/) When - Homage Series Vol.1: Sun Ra ()
Lyrics: Anne Grete Preus - Nesten Alene () Kjartan Kristiansen/Aslak Dørum - DumDum Boys; Tidsmaskin () Stein Torleif Bjella - Heidersmenn () Sverre Knudsen - La Det Brenne () Tønes - Sobihob ()
Best Newcomer: Alexander Rybak Donkeyboy John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen Kråkesølv Vilde Frang
Hard to get around it: Ofag is a pure ego. Five friends convene in a recording studio to hang out, play a little improv music; someone hits record and then they release it on their own label. It's not as if the end result is unlistenable (it's not), it's more a question of why. Why waste the plastic? I'm sure it was tremendous fun for everyone involved and there's no reason they shouldn't be proud of their work, but why not make it digital-only? Or better yet, offer it as a free download? Do they honestly think that fans of their other bands (Heroes & Zeros, Superfamily, Balkansemblet) will be stoked on it? Or that they'll cross over into the already over-saturated experiment/freejazz scene? Doubtful. This is for friends and family, perhaps even the curious superfan, but most of all, it's for themselves. That's fine, but I can't recommend it for anyone else. - Avi Roig
Ofag