Oskar Schönning, the Stockholm-based bassist/bandleader who released one of my favorite records of 2006, has a new project with the Stockholm Strings and pianist Jonas Östholm. Listen to two demo tracks here: https://www.myspace.com/stockholmstringswithoskarschonning
My wife commented that it sounds like an Ingmar Bergman soundtrack and I'm inclined to agree. Very nice!
Thirdimension has put together a promo site where you can preview their new acoustic live album "Before the end begins": https://www.thirdimension.nu/
Not only is the music great, but IAT's own frequent contributor Nancy Baym wrote the liner notes. How cool is that?
It was only last Friday that I was wondering what was up with Paola and guess what? I've got an update! Finnish act Tigerbombs just wrote to tell me that she helped out with arrangements and songwriting on the band's new album "Things that go boom", due out March 28. She also sings of course and will appear on two duets tracks.
Turbonegro has posted an update regarding the progress of their new album and the possibility of a few shows in Texas in March: https://blog.myspace.com/turbonegro
Upcoming dates for Finnish doom/hardcore act Callisto:
02/17 - Bar&Boos, Leiden (HOL) w/Otis, Daily fire
02/18 - Romeijn, Leeuwarden (HOL)
02/19 - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam (HOL) w/Amenra
02/20 - Eureka, Zwolle (HOL) w/Otis, Daily fire
02/21 - Ex-Haus, Trier (GER)
02/22 - Orange House, Munich (GER) w/Last Grain in the Hourglass
02/23 - Bunker, Bolzano (ITA)
02/24 - Arena, Wien (AUS)
02/25 - Subway to Peter, Chemnitz (GER)
02/26 - Knaack, Berlin (GER)
03/09 - El Mocambo (Canadian Music Week), Toronto (CAN)
03/11 - Sin-é, New York, NY
03/14-16 - SXSW, Austin, TX
03/21 - Klubi, Tampere (FIN) w/Swallow the Sun
03/22 - Bar Kino, Pori (FIN) w/Swallow the Sun
Pitchfork inducts Göteborg-based pop duo Studio into their hallowed halls of recommended records: https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/41151/Studio_Yearbook_1
Wasted Sounds will be reissuing Final Exit's discography on vinyl. The legendary Umeå-based straight-edge band included both Dennis Lyxzen and David Sandström pre-Refused and will be performing a one-off reunion show at this year's Umeå Open. In other Wasted Sounds news, the label will be sending off new LPs from Knugen Faller, Blinds and Asta Kask to get pressed in the next week or so. For preorder info and tons of tourdates for all Wasted Sounds-affiliated acts, go to their website: https://www.wastedsounds.com/
The Faintest Ideas
What goes up must calm down
Magic Marker
Short and sweet. Or, spastic and speedy. Songs with guitar riffs that race ahead while the singer struggles to keep up with lyrics about sinister hearts and missed phone calls. Most hover around the two-minute mark. The Faintest Ideas (nee Javelins) produce power punk-pop, of the variety more often heard in the hallowed halls of Glasgow than Göteborg. C86 fans will be kicking up their Converse-clad heels at this catchy collection, and even pop princesses like me will love "Nosebleeders on the track". And what about that title? Worth five points alone, I reckon.
- Stacey Shackford
Pär Hagström & Cirkus Transmopol
We are music
Adore Music
I couldn't wait to get my mitts on Pär Hagström & Cirkus Transmopol's debut album after falling in love with "I'm not going home tonight", an empowering, air-punching, hip-swaying highway hit that teeters only a wee bit precariously on the line of 80s anthem rock. "Sing and dance" not only crosses that line, however, it penetrates deep into the heart of Cheeseville, and I don't think I was ready to take that trip. The remainder of the album strays elsewhere – into Eastern Europe, to collect a bit of the gypsy folk that seems to be picking up momentum thanks to Beirut and Gogol Bordello. With Cirkus included in the name of the band, I suppose it shouldn't come as any surprise that there's also a hint of the theatrical, with some songs verging on cabaret, but it wasn't a combination I was expecting from this mysterious Göteborg collective who describe themselves not as a band, but "more like an orchestra, or a joyful funeral procession… a huge mass of people tumbling around on a mysterious stage or as a calm sea of milk with two lonely sailors upon it." Yeah. Weird.
- Stacey Shackford
Laleh
Princessor
Warner Music Sweden
Second album from hippiechick-come-eccentric who can sing like bat out'a hell, and is named after the fifth Tellytubby (allegedly). Brace yourself, it's a full on affair. That I set the player to random seems to have made no difference because 'random' is the operative for "Prinsessor". Warped classical, circus bigtop, singer/songwriter mark a few of the turns - and don't she just love la-la-la-la's, ma-ma-ma-ma-ma's and bird song sound effects. Note the dual assault of English and Swedish language songs. There's lots of movement to "Closer"; bombastic to begin then insipid McDonald's equivalent of Dub is: "Call on me".
A horrendous mish-mash of styles and so ear bashingly provided; but she does have these flashes between keys throughout. Bear in mind Laleh is one massive pastiche, and that "Step on You" could be called 'The world's best song by the greatest session musicians ever' - Fleetwood Mac would have been proud! It's preposterous, but The Knife ought to get Laleh's vocal sampled - not least on the first few versus of "I know this". This album is genuinely good when ambling, but hideous when clever.
- Jason Christie
Saint Thomas
There's only one of me
YesBoyIceCream
It's no secret that Saint Thomas (aka Thomas Hansen) has had some problems grappling with substance abuse, psychological issues, and the bad behavior those things too often entail. On this record, he lays it all out with 14 sad short songs that reference many of his lowest moments. The result is poignant and at times beautiful, reminiscent of masterpieces like Big Star's "Third: Sister Lovers", a heartbreaking wrencher of a dark sad record. Unlike that one, though, "There's only one of me" lacks the variety to keep it interesting across its total length. Saint Thomas's high voice starts sounding more whiny than tortured about half way through and the simple acoustic arrangements don't bring any excitement to the mix. It has some magnificent moments that capture the pain, confusion, and sense of loss in depression and addiction, but as a complete listening experience, it falls short.
- Nancy Baym
Sekvens
Live in Moskva
Hwem
Drone, when done right, is transcendent. When done wrong, few things are worse. This two-track live document of a performance in Moscow falls squarely with the former. I'm not sure how much of the set was composed in advance versus live improv, but the pacing is excellent. The approach is very minimalist with slow, subtle shifts in texture over time, gradually building the tension before descending into the sounds of despair. Even better, it lets up before overstaying its welcome. I can't say that it would have been exciting to see this live and in-person, but it's quite nice on record.
- Avi Roig
Sofia Talvik
Street of dreams
Makaki Music
The overall feel to this album is decidedly downcore. It would be perfect to play during the Saturday night/Sunday morning lull. A lot of these tracks could easily fit onto one of those late nineties, early noughties compilations encompassing the short-lived New Acoustic Movement genre. This isn't a bad thing. In fact, there's some beautiful orchestration on this record. The first single, a duet with Bernard Butler called "Love", wouldn't sound out of place on Suede's 1994 magna opus "Dog man star" – perhaps the record that kick-started the trend for indie bands to use orchestras in their work. A lot of the tracks on the record have a real yearning quality, which comes across in their lyrical content and spiritual mood. In short, if you're having a bad day, put on this record to elevate your mood.
- Nick Levine
MP3: Depressive Art - How to breathe
Depressive Art is a misleading band name. A few of the songs are imbued with your standard lovelorn melancholy, but depressive art? C'mon now - get a grip! This is rock'n'roll, not mopey goths dressed in black. The crooning vocals and abundance of organ immediately bring to mind The Doors (as do songtitles such as "Psychedelic ghostride"), but it's not all a flashback trip. In a lot of ways, Depressive Art remind me a lot of what I like about Mando Diao. They've got the same retro/garage vibe, but lack the squeaky vocals and overbearing attitude. "How to breathe", the song I've posted today, is by far the hottest track on the album "Bye bye dear everything". I love those silly falsetto backing vocals and the pounding beat. The extended pickslide into the chorus is pretty great too. Definitely not what you'd expect from a band with this name.
Depressive Art - How to breathe
MP3: Coldworker - Heart shaped violence
Does anyone really like Valentine's Day? I love my wife, but you won't see me rushing out to buy her flowers today simply because Hallmark told me to. I can't help but be suspicious of people who revel in celebrating this 'holiday'. In that spirit, I've decided to preempt the song I was originally going to post today in favor of doing something completely anti-Valentines. I've been listening to Coldworker a lot recently, so I would've gotten around to posting about them eventually, but who can resist a song called "Heart shaped violence" on a day like today? It's too perfect. As mentioned in pretty much every damn Coldworker review, the band was founded by ex-Nasum drummer Anders Jakobsson, but don't listen to this expecting all-out grindcore. Nope, the blastbeats are just as raging, but the music is way more steeped in classic death-metal. And we're not talking typical weak-ass, played-out melodic Swedish metal either - this is pure, no-frills brutality. Deep guttural vocals, fierce atonal riff after riff and even a few tasty pinch-harmonics. The guitars break into harmony every once in a while, but it's the exception - not the rule. In a word: siiiiiick, with six i's.
Coldworker - Heart shaped violence