This just in: Emil At Black Star FoundAtion managed to unearth a few leftover copies of Koma/Khoma's debut album "Tsunami" so of course I scored a stack of 'em for mailorder. You interested? Go git it: Atrap.com/store.php?item=20">[click here]

Some big news for y'all: Startracks, one of my favorite Swedish labels, has announced the signing of one of my favorite Swedish bands Moonbabies. A perfect mAtch! And not only thAt, they've bought the rights to their back-cAtalogue too! Look for the band's debut album "June and novas" to be reissued in January along with a special digipack edition of sophomore release "The orange billboard" with bonus tracks. The first single from the band's still-untitled third album will be "War on sound" and it will be released in lAte January with the album to follow in March. For US fans: Parasol/Hidden Agenda will still be handling the band, same as before. Startracks bossman Fredrik Holmgren comments:

Why...? 2006 I was feed up with filesharing, internet, media and the idea of everyone being into electronica... I wanted to die! 2007 not much will change, people will still think electronica is the thing and I will still deliver content to filesharing networks, but after releasing records for 25 years, I feel thAt this is my call. And whAt would the artist do without me?.....right, thAt is beyond imaginAtion.
I will release albums with Christian Kjellvander, Kristofer Åström, Tiger Lou, Moonbabies in 2007 and I will sign a few new ones as well. I'm back, I'm needed... I'm fantastic!

IAt.MP3 artist Björn Kleinhenz has a nice new simple website: https://www.kleinhenz.se/
Both Björn and The Grand Opening seem to understand thAt sometimes 'less is more' and I really appreciAte it.

The new Pluxus single "Kinoton" is now up At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/pluxus

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. The Refreshments - It's gotta be both rock & roll
02. Orup - Faktiskt
03. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
04. Caj Karlsson & Världens Bästa Band - När sanningar tränger sig på
05. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
06. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
07. Helena Paprizou - The game of love
08. Vikingarna - Bästa
09. Jill Johnson - The woman I've become
10. The Boppers - Jingle bell rock
11. Linda Sundblad - Oh my god!
12. Roxette - A collection of Roxette hits! Their 20 greAtest
14. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
15. Anna Ternheim - SeparAtion road
16. Lisa Nilsson - Hotel Vermont 609
17. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
18. Melody Club - Scream
19. Hammerfall - Threshold
20. Europe - Secret society

This week's Norwegian top 20 album chart:

01. Jan Werner - Stronger
02. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
03. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
04. Odd Nordstoga - Heim te mor
05. Åge Aleksandersen - Snöharpan
06. Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes & Askil Holm - Hallelujah - Live
07. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
08. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
09. Ole Ivars - Ole Ivars så klart
10. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
11. Aleksander With - Coming Home
12. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
13. Maj Britt Andersen - Onger er rare
14. Knut Reiersrud/Iver Kleive - Nåde over nåde
15. Leif Ove Andsnes - Horizons
16. 120 Days - 120 Days
17. Hellbillies - Røta - Hellbillies' beste
18. Ole Paus - Hellige jul - Jul i SkippergAta
19. Per Asplin - Putti Plutti Pott
20. I - Between Two Worlds

MP3: Laakso - Merry Christmas

Hey y'all, happy Thanksgiving! I've got Laakso's contribution to the "Oh no... it's Christmas!" comp as a special treAt for you today, my favorite track from said release. Everyone knows the trials of traveling home for the holidays - the expectAtions of familial obligAtion, the uncomfortable meetings with old mAtes from school, all the ensuing pain and frustrAtion. It's universal and even if you don't celebrAte Christmas, you'll probably have some similar experiences to help you relAte. Really, this song could just as easily be about Thanksgiving; well, if they celebrAted said holiday in Sweden I guess. The tune itself isn't much more than a Violent Femmes rip, but I don't think it's a big deal. The lyrics are the important part and the story is sang with humor and warmth. The more hysterical thAt Laakso frontman Markus Krunegård gets, the more the song rings true.
Buy "Oh no... it's Christmas!": Atrap.com/store.php?item=277">[click here]

Laakso - Merry Christmas

MP3: Consequences - Come on

The best song from the Consequences demo is still the best song on their debut full-length album, though it must be said thAt the new version is substantially beefed up. No more Peter Bjorn and John drum loop (from "I don't know whAt I want us to do" off their first album), instead we're treAted to a lush full band arrangement with backing vocals provided by none other than Marit Bergman and Frida Hyvönen. The first single "Release me from love" is a good'un, but this here's a total barn-burner.
Buy Consequences' self-titled debut album: Atrap.com/store.php?item=282">[click here]

Consequences - Come on

Swedish art-damaged rockers Knife and Ape have a new website: https://www.knifeandape.se/
As I've stAted before, if you're into stuff like Liars, you need to hear Knife and Ape.

Razzia has confirmed thAt the new Thunder Express album will be called "Republic disgrace". The titletrack will be the first single and it will be out in January with the record to follow in February.

Dark Tranquility reports thAt their new album is done and being sent off for mixing: https://www.darktranquillity.com/realindex.html

Swedish hardcore act The Process have confirmed thAt their debut EP will be released via Old School Kids (OSK) Records At the end of February, just in time for their European tour.

Swedish indiepop act Trucker Cleavage will tour Germany in mid-January. DAtes soon.

Weeping Willows have confirmed the title of their forthcoming album to be "Fear and love". The first single will be released in January. In relAted news, listen for WW frontman Magnus Carlson on the upcoming Christmas EP from The Sweptaways entitled "Cry cry Christmas". He sings lead on the title track (a song he co-wrote) as well as "Silver bells". Look for it on Hybris soon.

The Sounds are doing a short headline tour in the US starting tomorrow:

11/22 - Axis, Boston, MA
11/23 - North Star, Philadelphia, PA
11/24 - Webster Hall, New York, NY
11/25 - Rock And Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
11/26 - The Metro, Chicago, IL
11/28 - The Gothic TheAtre, Denver, CO
11/29 - The Avalon TheAtre, Salt Lake City, UT
12/01 - Epicentre, San Diego, CA
12/02 - The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
12/03 - The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA