Top 10s for 2007, a new one each and every day from here on out until 2008. Today's guest: Ola Frick from Moonbabies. And don't forget yesterday's contributor, the very talented Marit Bergman. Check 'em out!
For those that might be curious, my review of Friday's Trio Mediaeval performance has been posted in the comments section of last week's mp3 post: [click here]
FWIW, the New York Times has selected "Folk songs" as their #1 classical pick of the year: https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2007120315385557372396
Friday Bridge
Intricacy
But Is It Art?
"Manners and Mannerisms" is the subtitle of Friday Bridge's myspace page and indeed, a lot of conceptualism and personal aesthetics define her debut album "Intricacy". Singing in French and English, Ylva Lindberg's soprano hovers over 80's synth strings and drums while harpsichords and flutes dance minuets in the background. The Swedish press finds that "incredibly elegant" (P3Pop), but to me, the record lacks overall substance. A few standout tracks prove Ylva's talent for writing very catchy pop songs (current single "Love and nostalgia", or the older "It girl" for example) while others really showcase the potential of doing baroque arrangements of modern pop. Still, it's not that she's not clever (she rhymes give away with Jean Genet) or that I don't enjoy music that focuses foremost on similar 80's-esque aesthetics (such as The Embassy or Nicolas Makelberge). I just feel that, minus the standard-issue synth pop songs, this album would have been a great collection of cleverly-arranged catchy and timeless pop.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Soviac - I got the ribbah
02. TALK 1
03. Downstairs - Peephole city
04. Moonbabies - At the ballroom
05. Tar... Feathers - You are lucky to have nothing
06. TALK 2
07. Truckfighters - Atomic
08. Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Corny waltz
09. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Quiet
10. TALK 3
11. Norma - The dark
12. Karin Ström - Klaustrofobi
13. Vapnet - Tjernobyl
14. TALK 4
15. Montt Mardié - The windmill turns all the same
16. Motorpsycho - Hyena
17. Musti Laiton - Tämän iltainen
18. Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night
19. TALK 5
20. Rigas - It's a shame
21. Repoman - Jawbone night
22. Iisole - The words
23. TALK 6
24. The Fine Arts Showcase - Modern love
25. Kasper Bjørke - Back & spine (Fidel Astro remix)
26. Promoe - Headache
27. TALK 7
28. Viola - Imaginary times
29. New Decade - While tonight still is
30. Promise and the Monster - Sheets
31. Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Choking on teeth
32. TALK 8
33. Totalitär - Nej vi ska inte ha nåt
34. Him Kerosene - Whatever get you by
35. The Social Services - Up in arms
36. Jens Lekman - The opposite of hallelujah
37. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Flir
38. TALK 9
39. Maia Hirasawa - And I found this boy
December is upon us! That means it's time once again for our annual top 10 extravaganza! Every day for the entire month of December, I'll be publishing a new year-end list from a different guest contributor. Kicking things off, Magnus Bjerkert from Adrian Recordings! Check it out!
A new month also means a new Record Club selection! December's pick:
Jonna Lee - 10 pieces, 10 bruises (Razzia)
Look for an mp3 on Monday!
There's only a few Saturdays left in 2007, so if anyone out there has been considering a contribution to our weekly Bear Quartet posts, now is the time! Get in touch!
MP3: The Bear Quartet - Blizzard
We're supposed to get our first snow here today. It doesn't snow much here, but I'm happy to get anything. Really, anything will be better than the endless cold, dark and dreary rainy days that are the norm for the Pacific Northwest. As the song says, "hey blizzard light up the sky, light up the ground" - that's what I want to happen. I want it to blanket my world with a luxurious shine.
In The Bear Quartet's world, the blizzard is far more cathartic. Matti calls to be buried completely, to disappear in the snow's cold embrace. The song is a slow walk into bleakness, not exactly the mood I'm after, but still, quite beautiful. Like the snow itself, there's danger lurking within said beauty. Don't get too comfortable.
Note for completists: this is the later version from the "I don't wanna" EP, not the original from "Cosy den".
The Bear Quartet - Blizzard
Herr Nilsson
Downhill thrill
Karisma Records
Any record that starts off asking, "Would you trade a dysfunctional kidney for a broken heart?" has my immediate attention. As far as opening tracks go, Herr Nilsson put an inspiring foot forwards with "Camera for an eye", a tune whose competence and peculiar drive brings "Downhill thrill" completely alive and kick-starts its strange exploration. While comparable in many ways to Shout Out Louds and Figurines, and quite prone to the unusual bursts of energy that endear Laakso to their fans, Herr Nilsson are almost a distillation of everything that makes quirky Scandinavian pop so damned appealing. Title track "Downhill thrill" dances a little into Of Montreal's territory in its midsection before sealing the deal with thin guitar chords, building strings, and anthemic lyrics. It was "Huskies", though, that completely won me over, four tracks into a record I was already stirred by. "Downhill thrill" does meander into more bizarre terrain as it reaches its conclusion, quite markedly during the Beatles-esque, Consciousness Expansion-era duo "On the road again" and "Killerbee", but overall it is yet more proof that the Scandinavian music gods have smiled fondly upon 2007.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Absolut Noise has a new Samuraj Cities remix of the track "Thxa1000000": https://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2007/11/merci-alain-delon.html
Satyricon drummer Frost has broken his leg, forcing them to cancel their appearance at the Arnhem Metal Meeting this weekend: https://www.satyricon.no/news.asp
The nominees for the Danish Radio P3 Guld Awards have been announced: https://www.dr.dk/P3/P3Guld/2007/1122132636.htm (in Danish)
Morningside Records has posted a huge slew of new tourdates for Figurines, Oh No Ono, I Am Bones plus a bunch of other news: https://morningsiderecords.dk/?p=116