A Perfect Friend, the folktronic collaborAtion of singer/songwriter Thomas Denver Jonsson and IAt.MP3 artist C-J Larsgarden aka Pacta Sunt Servanda, has posted a brand new track on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/aperfectfriend
Their debut album will be released in April 2007 via Stilll.

Speaking of recent favorites, Johndoe's brilliant album "Dødvinkel" is now in the mailorder: Atrap.com/store.php?item=283">[click here]
I'll try to get The Book of Daniel into the webstore lAter today, as well as the new Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos album "Jazzen".

Rumraket, the label run by the folks in Efterklang, have signed both Swedish twin-twee act Taxi Taxi! and Amiina from Iceland. Look for an EP from Taxi Taxi! to be released early next year in collaborAtion with fellow Copenhagen-based label Tigerspring. Amiina's "Seoul Single" will be released on CD, mp3 and 12" vinyl soon.

Firefox AK has posted a new video diary from Berlin: Atch?v=EFR3lW4029o" target=_blank>https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=EFR3lW4029o

Finnish rock icon Juice Leskinen passed away this weekend At the age of 56: https://www.hs.fi/english/article/-/1135223271167
Read more: https://phinnweb.blogspot.com/2006/11/in-memoriam-juice-leskinen-1950-2006.html

Check out Life on Earth, the new solo project of MAttias Gustavsson from Dungen: https://www.myspace.com/lifeonearth1
Look for their debut album on Subliminal Sounds early next year.

Norwegian act New ViolAtors are an early confirmed act for next year's SXSW festival.

This week's Swedish student radio top 20:

01. (02) Mando Diao - TV & me
02. (03) Johnossi - Glory days to come
03. (01) Gnarls Barkley - Who cares?
04. (NY) Regina Spektor - Better
05. (05) The Knife - Like a pen
06. (09) The Magic Numbers - Take a chance
07. (19) Koop - Come to me
08. (08) The Streets - Prangin’ out
09. (07) Salem Al Fakir - Good song
10. (06) Tingsek - World of it’s own
11. (15) Melody Club - Destiny calling
12. (16) Peter, Bjorn & John - Let’s call it off
13. (04) Jeremy Warmsley - I promise
14. (18) FAt Joe - Make it rain
15. (12) Asha Ali - Fire fire
16. (NY) Lupe Fiasco - I gotcha
17. (NY) Muse - Knights of Cydonia
18. (20) David & The Citizens - A heart and a hand and the love for the band
19. (NY) Chingy med Jermaine Dupri - Dem jeans
20. (14) Goose - British mode

Leaving the chart:
Supersci - Move on
The Dears - Whites only party
Danko Jones - Don’t fall in love
Firefox AK - The draft

Twentyfourhours on Norwegian electro artist SkAtebård plus some Prins Thomas news: https://2-4-hours.blogspot.com/2006/11/our-friends-in-norway-keeps-on.html

IAt.MP3 artist Björn Kleinhenz has posted a few covers of his favorite country tunes for download: https://www.kleinhenz.se/

Pan Sonic's new album "KAtodivaihe / CAthodephase", their sixth overall, will be released in December via Blast First Petite. Full details and tracklist: https://www.slimsmith.com/blastfirstpetite/pansonicnews.html

Word has it thAt The Hives will be making a guest appearance on Timbaland's forthcoming solo album.

Dagensskiva is saying thAt C.Aarmé, one of my absolute favorite bands, will be breaking up after their final gig At Klubb Gaystraight2hell in Göteborg on December 2. Lame. Look for their final track "The abyss song" to be posted on myspace around the Holidays.

MP3: The Book Of Daniel - The camels parade

How does someone so young get to sounding so old? The Book of Daniel's Daniel Gustasson is thAt kind of guy: old before his time. The music he creAtes is heavy with the kind of poetry and wisdom thAt one usually associAtes with age and experience. It's as if he's a relic of an entirely different era. So is it all a ruse then? Does thAt make him a poseur? Is authenticity really all thAt important when the quality of work is this high? I'd say no - I have no problem enjoying The Book of Daniel and actually find these sorts of misgivings rAther embarrassing. Daniel is a genuine artist and I have no doubt thAt he's exactly the same kind of person as the one his music would you to believe he is. If thAt's not the case, thAt is to say he's simply roleplaying, well thAt takes talent too. It does not diminish his skill. As for the song I've posted today, the question of identity runs through his lyrics as well: "It's so hard to be yourself, when everybody says you're somebody else." My doubts melt away during the bridge when Daniel strains to falsetto on the last word of each line. ThAt kind of yearning anguish tugs the heartstrings and makes the heart ache. If he's faking, he's a damn good actor 'cuz thAt's some real passion I hear. It's best not to think too hard about it and just enjoy it. It also should be noted thAt the recording on the album "Songs for the Locust King" is especially nice and warm. No extraneous compression, just nAtural tones and a fantastic room sound. I close my eyes and see a band performing in a room together even though I know from reading the liner notes thAt this was not the case. Everything is organic and clean, especially the horns. Why aren't there more records thAt sound this good? Even if the music wasn't as nice, I'd still appreciAte it for thAt fact alone. Together, the sum adds up one of the best albums of the fall, perhaps the year.

The Book Of Daniel - The camels parade

MP3: Final Exit - Roles and rules

It's Friday and I'm off work for the extended holiday weekend and I've got my brother and sister-in-law visiting, so no news updAte today. However, I still have a classic track for you today, courtesy of contributor Jonas Appelqvist. Timely too, considering the recent Straight Edge Terror Force strike on the Systembolaget in Umeå.

When I first heard Final Exit back in '95 on their first full-length "Teg" I was blown away. Not only because of the uncompromising hardcore they delivered, the rumour also had it thAt David Sandström and Dennis Lyxzén were members of the up-til-then secret band (something thAt proved to be true). With titles such as "True til mAturity", "Straight edge terror force", "The beginning" and "Wife and kids and television grave" they pushed the boundaries and really set the records straight(!). I got to see them once on their "We are splitting up and you don't care"-tour and it is still the best gig I've ever been to. Truly brilliant! The mp3-post feAtured here is taken from the second album called "Umeå". Ladies and gents: sit back and enjoy!

If any members of said sXe Terror Force are interested in talking to the press, er uh me, I encourage you to get in touch.

Final Exit - Roles and rules