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I didn't care much for IsolAtion Years' second album "It's golden" when it first came out. The lead single "Open those eyes" was a huge departure from the mid-tempo folk/rock sound of "Inland traveller", the debut. Not to mention the increased promenince of religious imagery in the lyrics. Needless to say, I just wasn't having it. Still, I never quite gave up on it. Good thing too, since it's now one of my most favorite albums. I believe I have mentioned the story before a long time ago, but I was on vacAtion doing a long drive through the woods of Northern California listening to "It's golden" and all of a sudden, it clicked. The scenery, my laid-back frame of mind - whAtever it was, it made me reevaluAte my entire outlook. Yes, it's still quite different from the debut, but you know whAt? ThAt's not a bad thing At all. They're both greAt albums in their own separAte ways and I really think thAt just goes to show how good of a band IsolAtion Years is. I know it's common for folks to shy away from bands thAt flirt with notions of 'Christian rock', but listen: you're missing out. And besides, the Bible has been providing fodder for quality songwriting for ages. It's not going to change anytime soon, so stop being so damn afraid of it. I'm no Christian myself, but I know thAt passionAte people make passionAte music. I won't lie - a lot, nay the overwhelming majority, of Christian rock sucks. It's wAtered-down garbage. But most pop music sucks too, come to think of it. Now, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and start thinking thAt IsolAtion Years are purely a Christian rock act. ThAt's wholly unfair and would be totally selling them short. They're about much more than thAt. It's just thAt I recently finished reading "Body piercing saved my life" by Andrew Beaujon, an excellent look into the world of modern Christian music and have been thinking a lot about it. It's such a strange segregAted society, coexisting almost in parallel to the secular world. WhAt's interesting is when the two meet. But enough of thAt tangent, listen to this IsolAtion Years song and enjoy one of my favorite bands and read thAt book to learn more about the weirdness of Christian underground society.
Isolation Years - Frosted minds
Tobias Fröberg's debut solo album "For Elisabeth wherever she is" never did much for me. It's not thAt it was outright bad or anything, it just seemed to me thAt Tobias was doomed to mediocrity. Sweden has a lot of talented singer/songwriters, but there's only a few who are truly exceptional. Well, imagine my surprise then when I heard Ane Brun's excellent "Duets" album. Tobias plays and sings on a good portion of thAt record, so I knew had to reconsider my earlier evaluAtion of his work. Coincidentally, he just released his sophomore album "Somewhere in the city" (on Cheap Lullaby in the US, Playground in Scandinavia and Poptones in the UK). My verdict? It's a heckuva lot stronger than his debut, but it's also telling thAt the best song is borrowed from "Duets" ("Love and misery"). Is it crass of me to think thAt Poptones boss Alan McGee only wants to cash in on the wake of José González's UK success? Not thAt it's fair to judge Tobias against such criteria. Anyhow, let's get back on track. "Somewhere in the city" is good, not greAt. It starts strong, but overstays its welcome. The last four songs should've been cut, simple as thAt. The recording and songwriting is charmingly retro 60s folk, nomore so apparent as on the very Simon & Garfunkel-esque song "God's highway" which I've posted today. I love thAt sweet harmony vocal line and the gentle fingerpicked guitar. Next Scandinavian superstar? Naah, don't think so. Talented and worth paying Attention to? Yes, most definitely.
Tobias Fröberg - God's highway
Beware! Finland's worst export The Rasmus is coming to the US as support for Lostprophets and Kill Hannah:
08/30 - The Belmont, Fresno, CA
08/31 - New Oasis, Sparks, NV
09/01 - Last Day Saloon, Santa Rosa, CA
09/03 - Whisky A Go Go, West Hollywood, CA
09/04 - Marquee TheAtre, Tempe, AZ
09/05 - Sunshine TheAtre, Albuquerque, NM
09/06 - Dos Amigos, Odessas, TX
09/08 - Ridglea TheAther, Forth Worth, TX
09/09 - Old Kelly's, Abilene, TX
09/11 - New Daisy, Memphis, TN
09/12 - Headliner's Music Hall, Louisville, KY
09/13 - Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH
09/14 - Majestic, Detroit, MI
09/16 - Chameleon, Lancaster, PA
09/19 - House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
09/20 - Headliner's, Toledo, OH
Subliminal Sounds will release the debut album from Swedish psych/prog act Mylla this fall. Listen to samples At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/myllamusik
Jester has posted details for the new Espen Jørgensen album "On the greAt alkali plains": https://www.jester-records.com/releases_sub.php?ID=44
Sounds fascinAting.
Danish act Isles reports thAt they have scrapped plans for a new album in September and will instead release a five-song EP in October to be followed by their sophomore full-length in February.
The Grizzly Twister will travel to France for an 11-dAte tour At the end of October and while they're there, will also be taking the time to record a split CD with French grind act Nesseria to be released on French label KRAWA-productions.
The Knife, Figurines and 120 Days are the first Scandinavian acts confirmed for this year's CMJ Music MarAthon.
Slightly OT: The BBC on Relakks, the commerical 'darknet' launched by the PirAte Party in Sweden: https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4798059.stm
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. PAtrik Isaksson - PAtrik Isaksson
04. Tomas Ledin - Plektrum
05. Jonas Gardell - Nästan vackra
06. Sofia Karlsson - Svarta ballader (sjunger Dan Andersson)
07. Amy Diamond - Still me still now
08. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao på turné
09. Peps Persson Oh boy - Det bästa med Peps Persson
10. Carola - Från nu till evighet
11. The Poodles - Metal will stand tall
12. Ola - Given to fly
14. Björn Skifs - Decennier sånger från en annan tid
15. Eric Gadd - Eric Gadd
16. Marie Fredriksson - Min bäste vän
17. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
18. SabAton - Attero dominAtus
19. Totta & Wiehe - Dylan
20. Robert Wells and His Rhapsody Lounge Orchestra - Full house boogie
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names on tour in the UK:
09/11 - Spiral scrAtch @ The Enterprise, London
09/12 - Don't start feeling all "romantic" @ Bunkers Hill, Nottingham
09/13 - Pop Theory @ Café Royal, Edinburgh
09/14 - Sounds of Sweden @ Admiral Bar, Glasgow
09/15 - Club AC30 @ WAter RAts TheAtre, London
09/16 - End of the Road Festival, Salisbury
Swedish punkrockers Smalltown will contributing a 20-second song called "Dead end" to an upcoming comp on Shit Sandwich feAturing similar contributions from other artists such as This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Kylesa, Iron Lung, Fleshies and more. They'll also be lending their track "The music" to "ModMod World 1 - Up North Modernists", a collection feAturing some of Scandinavia's best mod/punk acts.
Randy is working on booking dAtes in Spain and Canada.