Check out the video for "When we were Indians" from Norwegian jazz vocalist Solveig Slettahjell: https://curlinglegs.no/wewereindians.mov
Combat Rock has posted updated US tourdates for I Walk the Line as well as Japanese dates for Bombshell Rocks: https://www.fireinsidemusic.com/ekeikat.htm
New tourdates for Franky Lee:
02/21 - Sticky Fingers, Göteborg (SWE)
02/22 - KB, Malmö (SWE)
02/23 - Kino, Karlskrona (SWE)
02/24 - The Tivoli, Helsingborg (SWE)
02/28 - Mittwoch, Nyköping (SWE)
03/01 - Arenan, Karlstad (SWE)
03/02 - Garage, Oslo (NOR)
03/03 - Millencolin Open @ Satin, Örebro (SWE)
03/15 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
03/16 - Kamp, Bielefeld (GER)
03/17 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
03/18 - Prime, Köln (GER)
03/19 - Ampere, München (GER)
03/20 - KAB-Usine, Geneva (CH)
03/21 - ISC, Bern (CH)
03/22 - Albert, Zurich (CH)
03/23 - Transivania, Milan (ITA)
03/24 - Rockplanet, Pinarella Di Cervia (ITA)
03/25 - The Szene, Wien (AUS)
03/26 - Substage, Karlsruhe (GER)
03/27 - Exhaus, Trier (GER)
03/29 - Debaser Slussen, Stockholm (SWE)
04/13 - Haffas, Ludvika (SWE)
04/14 - Lokomotiv, Trollhättan (SWE)
04/18 - Norrlands Nation, Uppsala (SWE)
04/26 - Kuudes Linja, Helsinki (FIN)
Not only does Last Days of April's new album "Might as well live" come out in Japan today on Imperial/Teichiku, there's also a new tribute album on Evol Records being released simultaneously. Tracklist:
01. Nature Living - All will break
02. Veltpunch - Bitter taste
03. Reach Up To The Universe - Will the violins be playing?
04. Pinkloop - Somehow
05. Even - Off the cliff
06. The Featherside - Too close
07. Everyday, It's Like Carnival - Playerin
08. Mule - Last Days Of April (eary 90'S style )
Via One Chord to Another comes word that Finnish indierockers Johnny Superhero have their entire recent album "Finally nowhere" available for download: https://www.johnnysuperhero.net/
Lots of other interesting Finnish indiepop tips at One Chord, so check the above link for more.
The video for the new Penniless single "Messenger" is now online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04eYcxXVD74
The track comes from the band's new album "The attraction", out today on A West Side Fabrication.
Sean from Said the Gramophone visits Iceland, almost dies: https://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/on_almosts.php
Kristofer Åström's new album "RainawayTown" will be released in April. Definitely looking forward to that one.
The video for Johndoe's new single "Hardt som faen" is now online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1UtvoxrJmY
The clip was filmed live by fans at a show in Oslo and the live sound was mixed by Swedish producer/engineer Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Fireside, The Hives, etc.). The track is the third single from "Dødvinkel", one of my favorite records from 2006.
Pitchfork reviews the new Shining album "Grindstone": https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/41234/Shining_Grindstone
MP3: Kristin Asbjørnsen - Ride up in the chariot
Conceptionally, this sounds like a terrible idea. Kristin Asbjørnsen is a Norwegian singer/songwriter whose debut solo album "Wayfaring stranger - A spiritual songbook" is a collection African-American spirituals she learned from Ruth Reese, a Chicago native who emigrated to Norway in 1960 (and passed in 1990). It would be very easy to dismiss it outright, but truthfully, it's not that bad. Kristin has a delicate, scratchy voice that fits the songs and her spacious, subdued arrangements suit the material well. Listen to the song I've posted today and two things should be readily apparent. Firstly, the percussion is nothing but hand-drums. Second, the backing chorus is very small, small enough that you can pick out the individual voices. In less talented hands we'd be hearing a full gospel choir and church band. The concept itself remains problematic, but seeing as how the project was treated with such reverence, it's harder to write it off. Nomatter what, it's impossible to deny that the artists are passionate about the music. Now I'm just waiting for an American gospel artist to record an album of Norwegian folk tunes.
Kristin Asbjørnsen - Ride up in the chariot
The Animal Five has record an English version of Säkert!'s single "Vi kommer att dö samtidigt" and posted it on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/theanimalfiveplease
Naturally, I think Annika's original is better, but it's nice to hear the lyrics for us non-Swedish speakers.
There's now a website for Ireland's Absolut Swedish arts & music festival which will be taking place February 28 through March 4: https://www.swedishfestival.ie/
As mentioned before, artists confirmed include Hello Saferide, Samuraj Cities, Juvelen, I'm From Barcelona and more.