Absolut Noise got this one dead-on: "Nice but a bit too nice."
Which is a shame because I actually really like Jonas Game's singles "ADHD" (posted today) and "New city love" and was fully expecting the rest of the album to be just as good. Sadly, this is not the case. With a total running time of just over 30 minutes, that's even more frustrating. The energy level is low low low and even at the peak moments, it can feel strained and forced. Compared to the other new ex-Bad Cash Quartet band Hästpojken, the deficit is even more apparent. Not that I expecting a rehash of the past, but c'mon now - let's have a little more liveliness, okay?
Anyhow, like I said above, I do really enjoy the singles, especially "ADHD". It's a great upbeat number that's ripe with enthusiasm, optimism and even a touch of swagger. A little more rawness would be welcome, but screw it - it's still a fine pop song despite any complaints I might have and I imagine it's probably way better in a live situation. Good enough!
Jonas Game - ADHD
9
I've begun to lose all faith in people who proclaim that there's nothing happening musically these days. So far this year, I've completely fallen in love with CS Nielsen, Aerial, Immanu El, the new Shout Out Louds, amongst numerous other releases - and this is limiting myself to Scandinavian bands. Seabear are now firmly in the running for the best effort of 2007 with their wonderful "The ghost that carried us away". Just as many were wondering if Sigur Rós would be the defining watermark of Icelandic music for the foreseeable future, especially given the lukewarm reception to Benni Hemm Hemm's most recent work, Seabear powerfully demonstrate that there is life outside of Sigur Rós and Björk, and that Icelanders have just as much control over warm, acoustic numbers just as powerfully as arctic, sweeping efforts. "I sing I swim" is by far the best number on the record, and amongst the best songs I've heard this year. "Lost watch" displays that Seabear's talents aren't merely limited to the warm and present, but also to detached and ambling explorations. Overall, "The ghost that carried us away" is more than ample evidence that the contemporary music scene is far from stagnant or inadequate, and that Icelanders don't need to play electric guitars with bows or have a voice as powerful as an avalanche to create exceptional pieces of music. It's an exceptional album, and worth parting yourself from a few dollars to own.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Swedish punks Uncurbed have confirmed the title of their next album will be "Back from the ditch". Look for demo tracks on myspace before the end of the year with the album to follow a bit later as the band won't be entering the studio until January.
Stars in Coma will be releasing a new album in collaboration with Music Is My Girlfriend and Plastilina entitled "You're still frozen in time" which will include both new songs plus older material from various CDR releases. No release date yet, but soon they say. Also on the way is a new EP for upstart indie label Popfabriken entitled "Soldiers". That one comes out on December 14 and will be celebrated with a release party at Rundgång in Malmö along with labelmate Lisa Bouvier whose own new EP "Princess of aggravation" comes out the same day.
Vice Music has signed Danish duo The Raveonettes and will release their new album "Lust lust lust" in the US in early 2008.
Check out a teaser clip for "Dark floors", the upcoming cinematic debut from Finnish Eurovision champs Lordi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJFCgg7qK1k
Björn Dixgård (Mando Diao), Miss Li, Norma Bates and The Gain are the acts confirmed to play this year's Swedish Rock Days in Spain this coming December. More details: https://www.myspace.com/swedishrockdays
Half-Norwegian (?) electronic/postjazz duo Origami Tacet 3" CD "e.xtrem t.on" is now available as a free download: https://www.ambolthue.com/mp3_releases/mp3ambolt9.html
Søren from Danish indie Play/Rec talks a bit about the label's upcoming plans for 2008, including German promo and download sales via Dropcards: https://blogs.playrec.dk/default.aspx?section=show&id=48&userid=6
NRK lists 40 Norwegian bands confirmed for by:Larm, most of them unsigned: https://www.nrk.no/musikk/1.3961244
Jens Lekman is doing an in-studio performance at KEXP this morning: https://www.kexp.org/
See you at the show tonight?
Opeth will be supporting Dream Theater on the upcoming "Progressive Nation" tour. Read the press release at Lambgoat: https://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=9695
Check out Crowpath's new video for "Chased, caught and charged": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymTLNlxj63A
I'm not a big fan of Crowpath's music, but the video is very entertaining.
Dusted on the new Sigur Rós album "Hvarf / Heim": https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/3944
Seabear