Pfork reviews new album from Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Pitchfork reviews Wildbirds & Peacedrums second album "The snake": https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12943-the-snake/
The Legends
Over and over
Labrador
With his first three albums, The Legends' Johan Angergård slowly traveled through his enormous catalogue of musical references, from 60's rock to 80's wave and 90's pop. All the while, The Legends managed to show an originality in their genre-bending musicality that always made them more than a simple retro-act. Still, their musical development seems to leave The Legends with a dilemma for their new album: What should the next logical step be when reaching contemporaray influences in their musical journey. Fuzz R&B? Ringtone shoegaze? Maybe not so surprisingly, "Over and over" takes the opposite chronological direction. Only this time, with the first three albums up their sleeves, The Legends can move on from ordinary reference to actual self-reference. Accordingly, the new album contains bits and pieces from The Legends' previous periods -- fuzz-pop, synth-layers, and quite some Pet Shop Boys'isms -- amalgamated with influences from Johan Angergård's other projects Club 8 and Acid House Kings. Quite logically, "Over and over" therefore lacks the aesthetic uniformity and clear vision that made the first three albums stand out. This becomes most obvious when The Legends noisiest single ever, last fall's brilliant "Seconds away", only two songs later gives way to a clear-sounding, very 60's pop boy-girl duet. What the album lacks in coherence in its sound-design is, in part, made up by Johan Angergård's ever-impressive songwriting and fondness for melodies, especially during the record's strong first half. Still, considering their landmark earlier efforts, I'd expected a little more from The Legends than this motley crew of somewhat divergent reference-pop. But then again, maybe they're just surprising us by transforming from an album-band to a singles-band, just like in the old days.
- Arnulf Köhncke
This week's Last.fm chart
Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:
01. El Perro del Mar
02. Håkan Hellström
03. Loney, Dear
04. Jenny Wilson
05. Detektivbyrån
06. Bob Hund
07. Sahara Hotnights
08. Kleerup
09. Camera Obscura
10. Hello Saferide
Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: https://www.last.fm/help/
All About Jazz reviews RinneRadio
All About Jazz reviews the new RinneRadio album Pole stars": https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=32662
In the Country album cover, release date revealed
Rune Grammofon has posted initial details for their next release, In the Country's "Whiteout": https://www.runegrammofon.com/artists/in_the_country/rcd-2086---in-the-country_-whiteout
Plastic Strip presents 'Black is the color of my true love's hair - Norwegian Folk Jazz 1971-1977'
Coming out on May 18 via Plastic Strip Press: "Black is the color of my true love's hair - Norwegian Folk Jazz 1971-1977", a collection of classic Norwegian folk/jazz fusion from the specified era. I can't even begin to describe this enticing comp adequately, so head over to the label's site to find out more: https://www.plasticstrip.no/Black%20is%20the%20color.html
Stars in Coma - Underneath a fallen leaf
Now that the new Stars in Coma album "Sisters" is released, Music is My Girlfriend is offering a new track as a free download: https://musicismygirlfriend.com/audio/Stars_in_Coma-Underneath_A_Fallen_Leaf.mp3
Kirlian Crossing - Repeat and repeat vol. 9
The ninth and final edition of Kirlian Crossing's "Repeat and repeat" download series is now available: https://www.verdurarecords.com/kirliancrossing/repeat.htm
Gray Brigade - The little engine that could
Swedish indiepop act Gray Brigade has a new song called "The little engine that could" streaming at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/thegraybrigade
Been quite awhile since we've heard anything new from these guys.
Friendly Noise presents Sail a Whale
Friendly Noise (Testbild!, Differnet) has a new single from Swedish act Sail a Whale posted for free download: https://www.friendlynoise.se/fyn-101-sail-a-whale-find-me-a-boy-see-you-inside/
New downloads from DJ Silence
DJ Silence's blog has a new hip-hop mixtape for free download from Stor as well as Pato Pooh's new record "I work hard chronicles".
Callisto sign with Paper Tiger for the US, many other Finnish acts follow
Finnish doom act Callisto has announced that Paper Tiger AV is their new North American label home. Look for their new album "Providence" to get a release over here on May 26.
Also, after looking at the label's website, it appears that Paper Tiger will be representing a number of other Fullsteam-affiliated bands in these parts such as Disco Ensemble and Rubik. The former will have their new EP "Back on the MF streets" released over here on May 26 and Rubik's debut "Bad conscience patrol" will follow on June 23 along with their most recent record "Dada bandits" soon thereafter.
Emmon remix contest entries available for preview
All 43 of the entries in the Emmon remix competition are posted for streaming at Release Magazine's website: https://www.releasemagazine.net/
A jury will be working on narrowing down the competition later this week and then the winner will then be selected to have their version featured as the b-side for the upcoming 12" single.
New Liechtenstein on the way at the end of May
Swedish indiepoppers Liechtenstein will release their debut album "Survival strategies in a modern world" on May 26 via Fraction Discs/Slumberland Records and will be available on both 10" vinyl and CD formats. Hit up Fraction Disc's website for a sample tune: https://www.fractiondiscs.se/
Nom de Guerre - Everybody knows
A rough-mix version of the new Nom de Guerre track "Everybody knows", the first taste of their forthcoming album, is now streaming at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/mynomdeguerrespace