Ed Greene back with new music, no label

Stockholm-based twang/indie act Ed Greene is back with a new album, but no label to release. Check out three brand new tracks over at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/edgreene

     

Easy - It's ok to cry

Classic Swindie act Easy is back with a brand new track, their first in nearly 10 years: http://blogs.playgroundmusic.com/intlpub/easy-is-back-with-a-brand-new-track

     

Mindy Misty - Volcano sea

Yes, I am a total sucker for noisy indierock, especially if it has a distinct 90s bent, and Norway's Mindy Misty fit that bill to a tee. Not that I want to get all grumpy-old-man about it, but I like what I like and there's no getting around it and this stuff goes straight to the heart. Anyhow, they've apparently been kicking around for awhile already since the upcoming record "Generic communion" will be their 3rd release (due out September 6 via their own Handmade Records), but this is the first I've heard of them and I'm way, way into it. They've got tons of thick Sonic Youth-esque harmonies and when they combine it with that oh-so-Scandinavian sense of melody, they can't lose. Give me slightly buried vocals and a hard-driving rhythm section on top of that and I'm sold. Easy and done! So if you dig KVLR, early Motorpsycho, Unwound, Dinosaur Jr., etc etc... you will be into this. And you should.

MP3: Mindy Misty - Volcano sea

     

New Harrys Gym album in September

Norwegian indie act Harrys Gym will release their new album "What was ours can't be yours" on September 6. Hear a sample: http://soundcloud.com/up-front-artists/old-man

     

CEO - No mercy

I like CEO best when he goes for a more ominous tone as opposed to the now-typical Balearic Plague sweeping the world. "No mercy" does retain some of those summer beach vibes, but the first 30 seconds or so before the vocals come in sounds like Death in June and I love it. I know I shouldn't be surprised, considering the title, but then again, I suppose that surprise is the name of the game for Sincerely Yours. They're constantly in danger of painting themselves into a corner and I'm doubtful that anyone in that circle of artists will ever be able to deliver a confident live show, but once in a while they do something so right that it's worth taking notice. Even for someone like me who could usually care less about this sort of indie/electro pop.

MP3: CEO - No mercy

     

The Megaphonic Thrift on tour

Norwegian indie act The Megaphonic Thrift are touring Europe next month:

09/09 - PopKomm, Berlin (GER)
09/10 - Berlin Festival, Berlin (GER)
09/12 - Trix, Antwerpen (BEL)
09/14 - Karlstorbahnhof, Heidelberg (GER)
09/15 - 59 to 1, München (GER)
09/16 - Lido, Berlin (GER)
09/19 - Bodega Social, Nottingham (UK)
09/20 - Captain's Rest, Glasgow (UK)
09/21 - Static Gallery, Liverpool (UK)
09/22 - Barfly, London (UK)
09/24 - Das Bett, Frankfurt (GER)

     

New Figurines album in late September

Danish indierockers Figurines will release their new self-titled album on September 27.

     

Ludwig Bell - Kärlek slutar alltid med bråk

xxx: Ludwig Bell sounds so lame
xxx: Like fucking Jumper
me: hahha
xxx: it sounds exactly the same
me: wow
me: it does
xxx: swindie was not always amazing

It's true: Ludwig Bell really does sound a lot like Jumper, though I disagree with my friend's implication that it's not that great. Yes, prime-era 90s Swindie really wasn't always top-notch and sure, maybe Jumper are justifiably relegated to the list of also-rans, but I really don't mind them at all and neither do I mind Ludwig Bell. It's not "amazing", but it's still good pop music as far as I'm concerned. Probably helps that I didn't grow up subjected to the stuff though; chances are high I might not be so charitable in such a case. But who knows? I find myself enjoying a lot of music I once hated as a surly teen.

MP3: Ludwig Bell - Kärlek slutar alltid med bråk

     

EP's Trailer Park to get UK release

Swedish indie/folk act EP's Trailer Park will see their album "Scissors and knives" released in the UK on October 20 via Folkwit Records: http://folkwit.com/ep.htm

     

EL-SD - Hille

I haven't been posting too many mp3s lately because there hasn't been too many releases that I'm really excited about. Of course I could keep on posting negative reviews of stuff I dislike, but that's extremely depressing, not to mention needlessly tedious. I still have to listen to the stuff, y'know? So what I'm going to do is what I've been doing (more or less) which is post more tracks from bands I've already talked up. I pretty much have only been listening to the same dozen-plus bands anyway, so it logically follows that my playlist here reflects that. Anyhow, EL-SD impressed me a lot with their side of their Axe split from a few months back and the group is now working on a full-length album. I've been lucky enough to receive a few preproduction samples and lucky for you, I've been given permission to share one. "Hille" doesn't differ much from the template on display in "Walking sideways"; they're still building walls of discordant noiserock anchored by a heavy rhythm section, but oh man, do they have hooks too! I wouldn't think it possible with such weird vocals, but they pull it off exceptionally well. I guess you could say that weird = memorable in this case. I'm told the band is currently seeking label support and though I'm not optimistic for them, I'm eager to be proven wrong. Personally, I'd go DIY in the face of so few indie labels putting out actual indierock, but hey, like I said, I'm happy to be refuted on the subject. Don't let my negativity rub off on you. Spread the word/music.

MP3: EL-SD - Hille