Dusted reviews Swedish hard-rockers Graveyard: https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4102
Danish act Alphabeat will be taking part in Popjustice's "The Wonky Pop Tour" which will hit te UK in April. Dates and details: https://www.popjustice.com/wonkypop/
Danish psychobillies PowerSolo will release their latest album "Egg" in the US on April 8, complete with the two bonus tracks "Dumb, dumb, dumb" and "I know this girl". Look for East Coast tourdates to be announced for late May.
New Finnish label Rabbit Ilsn has a posted their very first release from drone artist Kipul for free download: https://www.myspace.com/rabbitilsn
MP3: Anti-Cimex - Scandinavian jawbreaker part I
Pitchfork has elected Disfear's new album "Live the storm" to their esteemed recommended list today, an accolade that's well-deserved, though I still consider Victims to be my favorite current Swedish d-beat act. I haven't heard their new record "Killer" yet (out now on Combat Rock Industry), so I figure this is a good opportunity to listen back to a classic track from Anti-Cimex instead. Now, I know that I really should be stretching way back to the 1980s for something off an early 7" such as 1983's "Raped ass", but I tend to prefer the early 90s stuff as it's a bit cleaner and more controlled. One thing I really enjoy about good d-beat is that it shares a stubborn single-mindedness akin to Krautrock in that they both endlessly cycle riffs until they're drilled deep into your head. Really, what else would you expect from a genre named after a drum beat? It thrives on relentless repetition. The recipe can be mixed up a bit, but that's what it boils down to. Dynamics? Overrated in this context. Keep it short and simple and that's all you need.
Anti-Cimex - Scandinavian jawbreaker part I
The Bombhappies
Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok
Gården Recordings
The Bombhappies may strike you as quite a surprising band to emerge from the Swedish music scene. Why, do you wonder? It's because they owe a rather large debt to R.E.M. as well as the early 90s US college rock scene. Sonically speaking, they are very raw/live sounding and said textures are, for the most part, carried throughout the album. It's a sound that is most successful on tracks such as "And at the bed bell inn I told you", "Nothing at all", "Madness" and "Brief delight". However, the true gem of the album is "When I'm asleep", with it's über-catchy chorus, lyrical romantic pondering and quick but potent guitar solo. Overall "Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok" is a good album and, while it may lack a bit in original ideas, the bands execution surely makes up for it.
- Matt Giordano
Watch video clips of Swedish Americana act Hyacinth House live in Amsterdam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kceZvSCq7BY
Download a few tracks from The Extended Head new-wave sideproject Extended Heads: https://www.theextendedhead.com/Extended%20heads.html
Check out this trailer for Pacemaker, a new pocket-size DJ system featuring visuals from Kristofer Ström aka Ljudbilden & Piloten and music from Teddybears: https://www.vimeo.com/690607/l:embed_690607
If Society is offering up a couple new Frivolvol tracks for free download: https://www.ifsociety.com/news.php
The new Doktor Kosmos album "Hallå?" will be released on April 2 via NONS. Look for them to tour Sweden in April as well.
24:hours has a whole bunch of Kleerup remixes posted for download: https://2-4-hours.blogspot.com/2008/02/thanks-for-all-answers-sent-for-hot.html
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Madrugada - Madrugada
02. Secret Garden - Inside I'm singing
03. Sie Gubba - Sånn e livet
04. Anne Nørdsti - Livli på låven
05. Madcon - So Dark the Con of Man
06. Hellbillies - Spissrotgang
07. The Margarets - Twenty Years Erased
08. Beady Belle - Belvedere
09. Celine - Bæstevænna
10. Bertine Zetlitz - In my mind 1997-2007 Best of
11. Something Sally - Familiar Strangers
12. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord & Øgonblick
13. Venke Knutson - Crush
14. Kurt Nilsen - Push push
15. Raga Rockers - Ubermensch
16. Animal Alpha - You Pay For The Whole Seat...
17. Tina Turner - Live In Europe
18. Ila Auto - Over The Next Hill
19. Henning Kvitnes - Stemmer i gresset
20. Tine Thing Helseth - Haydn/Hummel/Albinoni/Neruda
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
02. The Cardigans - Best of
03. Lykke Li - Youth novels
04. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
05. Jill Johnson - Music Row
06. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
07. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
08. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
09. Säkert! - Säkert!
10. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
11. Hästpojken - Caligula
12. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
14. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
15. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
16. Björn Skifs - I2I
17. Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day
18. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
19. Marie Picasso - The secret
20. Takida - Bury the lies