All About Jazz reviews the latest from Scandinavian "power jazz" trio The Thing: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=22619
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
03. Robert Wells and His Rhapsody Lounge Orchestra - Full house boogie
04. Tomas Ledin - Plektrum
05. Patrik Isaksson - Patrik Isaksson
06. Sabaton - Attero dominatus
07. Eric Gadd - Eric Gadd
08. Peps Persson Oh boy - Det bästa med Peps Persson
09. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao på turné
10. Carola - Från nu till evighet
11. Amy Diamond - Still me still now
12. The Poodles - Metal will stand tall
14. Sofia Karlsson - Svarta ballader (sjunger Dan Andersson)
15. Marie Fredriksson - Min bäste vän
16. BWO - Halcyon days
17. Atomic Swing - The broken habanas
18. Totta & Wiehe - Dylan
19. Håkan Hellström - Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
20. Laleh - Laleh
Swedish singer/songwriter Jonna Lee will be heading to the US for a few gigs in October:
10/12 - The Saint, Ashbury Park, NJ
10/21 - Sully's pub, Hartford, CT
MP3: No Hope for the Kids - Angels of destruction
It sounds like something straight out of southern California 1984, but no - it's actually the latest 7" single from Denmark's No Hope for the Kids. Who would've thought that Cold War rhetoric would still sound so apt in 2006. Aside from Regulations, NHftK is easily one of the best punk-rock bands active in the world today. Retro, but still totally crucial.
MP3: Oceano da Cruz - Mr. Beerbourineman
Like labelmates Figurines, Oceano da Cruz plays the kind of by-the-numbers indierock that'll probably remind you of so many other artists. But also like Figurines, Oceano da Cruz does it with a certain level of finesse that makes them far superior to most of other dreck out there. So while it's not terribly original, it's charming, well-played and well-written. What more do you need? The new CD "Rocksploitation/No more Oceanomania..." is actually a double-album, so it runs a bit long for a single sitting, but if you break it up either by using the convoluted directions in the hard-to-read liner notes or splitting it in half down the middle, it's quite satisfying. Usually I'm all about artists trying to push boundaries and expand musical horizons, but there's something to be said for someone that can make well-tread territory sound fresh. Actually, that's often far more difficult.
Oceano da Cruz - Mr. Beerbourineman
Under Byen's most recent album "Samme stof som stof" will be released in the US on September 28 via Toronto based label Paperbag, home to artists such as Broken Social Scene and Stars. Read our review here and get excited. The record will also be released in Germany via Play It Again Sam (PIAS) in early October and in Benelux around the same time via Excelsior Recordings. Look for a European tour to be announced for the fall.
Irene's new 3-song single "Little things (that tear us apart)" has been confirmed for an August 30 release. The b-sides include the song "Baby blue" and a Mike Downey remix of the the title which, by the way, can be heard on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/ireneswe
The much-anticipated international release of I'm From Barcelona's album "Let me introduce my friends" on Mute/Interpop has been confirmed for August 18 in Germany, September 11 in the UK and September 25 in France. As for the US, who knows?
Some new dates for José González, including a new US tour:
08/12 - The Eden Project , Cornwall (UK) w/The Magic Numbers
08/13 - Summer Sundae, Leicester (UK)
08/13 - Picnic In The Park, Twickenham. (UK) w/Zero 7
08/14 - Roisin Dubh, Galway (IRL)
08/17 - Pukkelpop, Hasselt (BEL)
08/18 - Lowlands Festival, Biddinghuizen (NL)
08/19 - The Green Man Festival (UK)
08/20 - Flow Festival, Helsinki (FIN)
08/26 - House of Blues, San Diego (solo + w/Zero 7)
08/27 - Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, w/Zero 7, Gotan Project, Herbert
08/29 - The Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco (solo + w/Zero 7)
08/30 - The Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/01 - Wonder Ballroom, Portland (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/02 - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver (CAN) (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/03 - Bumbershoot, Seattle (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/06 - Gothic Theatre, Englewood (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/08 - Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/09 - Park West, Chicago (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/10 - V Fest, Toronto (CAN) (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/12 - Avalon Ballroom, Boston (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/13 - 9:30 Club, Washington (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/14 - Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/15 - Webster Hall, New York (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/16 - Webster Hall, New York (solo + w/Zero 7)
09/17 - Austin City Limits, Austin
09/20 - Starr Hill Music Hall, Charlottesville
09/21 - Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
09/22 - Orange Peel, Asheville
09/23 - The Earl, Atlanta
09/24 - Bijou Theatre, Knoxville
09/25 - Bottletree, Birmingham
09/26 - House of Blues Parish, New Orleans
09/29 - Limelight, San Antonio
09/30 - Gypsy Tea Room, Dallas
10/02 - Plush, Tucson
10/03 - Rhythm Room, Phoenix
10/04 - Casbah, San Diego
10/12 - Fillius Events Barn, Clinton
10/13 - German House, Rochester
10/14 - Wexner Center, Columbus
Danish indierockers Gravy will enter the studio on August 14 to begin recording their sophomore album. In the meantime, their self-titled debut is out now in France via Revolution Records/Socadisc and will soon be released in Germany through Cargo and in the UK through Independent Music Distribution/Shellshock. Buy why wait? I've got it for sale on both CD, mp3 and vinyl.