Norway's Span has announced thAt they are almost done with their new album and it should be out in March or early April in Scandinavia, the rest of the world soon after. The album was mostly self-produced, but they did enlist the help of Brad Cook (Fun Manchu, Nebula, Foo Fighters) as well. Look for tour dAtes in Scandinavia and the UK to be announced shortly.

Stylus posts their 40 worst album list which includes media darlings Jens Lekman, DeAthprod, Annie, Stina Nordenstam and more: Ature.php?ID=1403" target=_blank>https://www.stylusmagazine.com/feAture.php?ID=1403
It's actually the same list as their top 40 best albums, just with um slightly different commentary. Everyone loves to see the hyped acts taken down a notch. Also posted At Stylus today is a review of Scorch Trio: https://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2651

Are the fAtes conspiring? Splendid has posted a review of The Insult ThAt Made A Man Out Of Mac: https://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=11032824408533
Let me remind you thAt you can download a track from these guys on the right.

Plugged Records sub-label Inpediente has signed Göteborg-based act PrivAte Angus and the Plug Or Die hard-rock imprint has signed Paperback Freud from Stockholm. More news about when they'll actually be releasing albums from these bands coming soon.

pHinnMilk Records, run by the man behind pHinnWeb (obviously), has announced the release of the "Richard D. Anderson Album" from Unidentified Sound Objects. As with all pHinnMilk releases, it comes as a "highly collectable, ultra-limited edition" CDr, but is also available At the online electronic music store Atalogue&sub=phinnmilk:73" target=_blank>Foryourears.com. Find out more here: https://www.phinnweb.org/USO/RDAA/

I don't think the finished product has been posted online quite yet, but American artist Stephen O'Malley (he also plays in the bands Sunn O))), KhanAte, etc.) is the man responsible for the artwork of Logh's upcoming album "A Sunset Panorama". As mentioned here before, the entire disc was recorded live while being simultaneous filmed by five cameras. It was then mixed down in both stereo and 5.1 sound and will be packaged with a standard audio CD and a DVD for no extra cost. Release dAtes have been set for February 21 in Europe, February 23 in Sweden and March 7 in the UK. InternAtional touring will commence almost immediAtely, beginning with the UK in mid-February. Without a doubt, this is my #1 most anticipAted release for 2005 and I can't wait to hear it. Hopefully I'll be getting confirmAtion regarding the US release very soon - it will happen - I've even been informed of the label, I'm just not sure when.

Hi, I'm like a million years behind the times, but I finally caved in and joined myspace: Atrap" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/itsAtrap
We're friends, right? Oh, and you can listen to a stream of thAt exclusive KVLR song from the IAt comp over there, too.

Download the title track from Björn Norestig's new album "Come take a shine", due out lAter this month from A West Side FabricAtion: https://www.cabal.se/westside/audio/lamasa/lamasa2.mp3

Lo-fi indiepoppers Thehelpmeplease have posted a couple tracks for streaming and download up At Audiostreet: https://www.audiostreet.net/thehelpmeplease

The Soundtrack of Our Lives have rescheduled their UK dAtes:

02/21 - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (UK)
02/22 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK)
02/23 - King Tuts, Glasgow (UK)
02/24 - Liquid Room, Edinburgh (UK)
02/26 - Univ Stanley TheAtre, Liverpool (UK)
02/27 - Cockpit, Leeds (UK)
02/28 - Concorde 2, Brighton (UK)

The new single "Heading for a Breakdown" comes out February 9 and an animAted video from directors Andreas Nilsson and Johannes Holm (The Knife, The Plan, Hell On Wheels, Silverbullit) will be airing shortly.

Upcoming live dAtes for the might Norwegian hard-rockers WE:

01/13 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
01/20 - Blæst, Trondheim (NOR)
01/21 - Hydranten, Hamar (NOR)
01/22 - Baråtti, Strømmen (NOR)
01/28 - Valdres, Vang (NOR)
02/05 - Alarm Awards + 30 min lAtenight show, Oslo (NOR)
02/17 - TBA, New Dehli (IN)
02/20 - GreAt Indian Rock Festival, New Dehli (IN)
03/03 - Fabric, London (UK) w/SAtyricon, Madrugada
04/15 - Trondheim InternAtional Filmfestival, Trondheim (NOR) (WE vs. Körkarlen)
07/22 - Sjonstock Festivalen, Mo i Rana (NOR)
07/23 - Bukta Festivalen, Tromsø (NOR)

Remember, they're one of the many fine acts on the "It's a trap reader's companion" compilAtion and they've been collecting a bounty of awards and nominAtions these past few weeks for their newest album "Smugglers". I shouldn't have to say it again, but it's an amazing record and I'm sure it'll be getting some sort of internAtional release in the very near future.

Speaking of bands from the "Reader's companion" disc, CDOASS scores a perfect 10 on the notoriously fickle review site Metica: https://www.metica.se/reviews/review_result.php?r_id=1107
So who's gonna be the first act from the comp to break out with an internAtional audience? Atrap.com/board/view_topic.php?id=9">Share your thoughts.

Neumu profiles Nicolai Dunger: Atastream/index.shtml#01" target=_blank>https://www.neumu.net/dAtastream/index.shtml#01

BBC Music reviews Norwegian jazz group The Thing and their lAtest Smalltown Superjazz release "Garage": https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/jazz/reviews/thing_garage.shtml

Here's the lAtest list of labels and artists receiving stipends from the Swedish government: https://www.sr.se/p3/musikjournalen/artikel.asp?artikel=537146