News updates may continue today depending on how I feel, being that I am still in NYC somewhere. Whatever happens, things will surely be back to normal come Monday. Oh, and the Swedish Music seminar was excellent. Big ups to Anders, Johan, Carolina, Dan, Brooke and everyone else I met up with. I'll try to gather my thoughts and write something about it this weekend.
MP3: Sahara Hotnights - Oh Darling!
Despite their seemingly best effort at destroying their legacy, Sahara Hotnights' debut "C'mon let's pretend" still stands a fantastic album. Seriously, I cannot thing of another act with such a strong start whose career trajectory went totally downhill thereafter. For comparison, Weezer fell pretty damn far, but at least they released two fantastic albums first. Let's be honest: "Jennie bomb" is okay, but it is a picture-perfect sophomore slump. Anyhow, that's enough bad-mouthing. The band is still around and I'm holding onto the hope that they'll be able to turn it around with whatever they do next. Sahara Hotnights are one of the many bands I discovered during the heights of the Napster era, when every day meant being wowed by some new Swedish band. I was being turned on to so much good music at the time and spent a bundle importing CDs of all my favorites, SH ranking quite highly among them. Of course, I eventually started up this thing here and have been raking in the cash ever since (hah! yeah right!). Okay, back to the point: "C'mon let's pretend" is a great album, maybe even classic. Download "Oh darling!" and reminisce with me.
Sahara Hotnights - Oh Darling!
MP3: Mana Mana - Mikä on sun taivas?
It's Thursday and I'm in NYC at this thing so your regularly scheduled news update has been preempted. No new video post either; deal with it. But! I do have an extra special guestpost from Teemu of Lupatarkastaja:
Today it would've been 15 years exactly from Mana Mana's singer/songwriter Jouni Mömmö's death. He died from a drug overdose at the age of 36 after years suffering from schizophrenia and depression. Mana Mana is a legendary Finnish band that has been cited as an influence by many later-day acts, mostly from music styles that require a certain dose of depression and anxiety.
Mömmö's earthly problems can be heard through his work in Mana Mana. The original line-up recorded only one full-length album in 1990. The track presented today, "Mikä on sun taivas?" (Finnish for "What is your heaven?"), is a typical Mana Mana track, with many guitar tracks provided by Otra Romppanen (Psychoplasma, Enter) and an overall dark feeling created by Mömmö's vocals. Finnish lyrics play a huge role, but still, I believe the atmosphere is universal.
Mana Mana - Mikä on sun taivas?
MP3: Detektivbyrån - E18
I've held off on posting a track from Detektivbyrån for a couple weeks now because I've been waiting for them to get back to me with responses to a few interview questions I sent them. Well, I can wait no more. Finding new music that's as unique and inspired as Detektivbyrån is a rarity and I knew as soon as I heard them that they'd be someone I want to share with you. A lot of their sound comes from their reliance on the accordion as the melodic lead. They often mix it up with various other non-standard instruments, but it's the squeeze-box that stands out, especially on the song I've posted today - the opening track of their debut EP "Hemvägen". It's not languid enough to be called Morricone-esque, but it's definitely soundtrack-worthy. Close your eyes and no doubt you'll be swept far away to some foreign land, perhaps embroiled in a spy chase or the like. It's not often that music can be this vivid. Very recommended.
Detektivbyrån - E18
Hybris' latest signing The Sweptaways are now on myspace, but unfortunately with no music yet: https://www.myspace.com/sweptaways
The video for The Alpine's latest oh-so-catchy single "No I in team" is now online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJGfroRF0uQ
The tracklist for Razzia's "Oh no, it's Christmas" compilation has been finalized:
01. Konie - "Oh yeah, it's Christmas"
02. Hello Saferide - "iPod X-mas"
03. Kristofer Åström - "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus"
04. Laakso - "Merry Christmas"
05. The Thousand Dollar Playboys - "A very sepcial Christmas"
06. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - "Jingle Hell (stuck in the chimney)"
07. Dreamboy - "Christmas kisses"
08. South Ambulance - "Hangin' in a tie"
09. Firefox AK & Tiger Lou - "Christmas eve"
10. Friska Viljor - "Oh no, this is what I feared all along"
11. Maia Hirasawa - "You were all there"
12. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "Jullåten 2004"
13. The Tiny - "No money (for X-mas)"
14. Grande Roses - "To bring back Christmas this year"
15. The Perishers - "Blue Christmas"
16. They Live By Night - "Lucia (I deserve some candles in my hair)"
17. Dogday - "Santa will never get here"
18. The Consequences - "Some kind of magic"
19. Indiekören - "Last Christmas"
Sibiria's new album "Inom familjen" will be out November 15 on Hybris. The first single "Det har varit svårare" is already out and includes two exclusive b-sides.
Finnish indierockers The Nancy Wha have finished their new EP and posted two songs on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/nancywha
Finnish post-rock masters Plain Fade (as heard with an exclusive track on "Reader's companion volume two") will finally release their second album "Aure" on November 15 through, as always, their own label Punos Sound. Can't wait to hear it.
Oslo-based act X.lover will finally release their debut full-length album "Transatlantic" on November 6. Samples here: https://www.xlover.no/media.php
I Am Bones on tour in Germany and beyond:
11/01 - Turmzimmer, Hamburg
11/02 - Bastion, Bochum
11/03 - Bett, Frankfurt
11/04 - Swamp, Freiburg
12/02 - Musikcafeen, København (DK)
Ola Salo of The Ark got himself into a diplomatic pickle at the opening of the new Swedish embassy in DC: https://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5314
The Tiny will have their most recent album "Starring: someone like you" Russian label Bad Taste in January, just about the same time as it is released in the US via Eyeball Records. Look for supporting tourdates in Russia to follow. In other Tiny news, "Kind of like you" will be the next European single and it will be released next week with the b-side "Last week end", a song by Tiny frontwoman Ellekari solo.
The dudes from 69-Hard and Jet Black Combo have a new punkabilly band called The Camtwisters. Check it: https://www.myspace.com/thecamtwisters