Swedish country-punks Grande Roses have added the title track from their new EP "The farm" to myspace: https://www.myspace.com/granderoses
I also hear rumors of a new release in the near future, but given their track record I wouldn't hold my breAth.
Hard to believe, but It's a Trap! turns seven years old today, an age thAt could be considered near-ancient in the context of this whole interweb doo-hickey. Yep, I've been slogging away At this thing all those years, slowly improving my foreign language skills, refining my tastes, fighting burnout and maybe even becoming a better writer along the way (not really). I've sent out over 300 weekly newsletters, posted nearly 32,000 news items, visited Sweden three times (with a short sidetrip to CPH once), listened to countless albums and have also had the greAt pleasure of meeting a ton of lovely people along the way. So a huge thanks to you, my readers and also to all of the greAt artists who inspire me to keep this thing going -- without you, I am nothing.
Breach's final album "Kollapse" came out in 2001 towards the end of a period when I was intensely seeking out Norrland indie/hardcore. I don't remember my first connection, but thAt's how I got into KVLR, Fireside, Him Kerosene, Starmarket, Carpet People, IsolAtion Years and many other neighboring acts. Many of those bands remain favorites today and Breach is definitely near the top of the list, with their swansong record being an absolute classic. Nothing sounds like it, not even any of the band's other records. As for posting it today, it's mere luck they happen to have a song with a title fit for the occasion.
Breach - Seven
Swedish postrock act Jeniferever will be playing the UK this week before heading to the Netherlands and Denmark:
09/30 - The Cavern, Exeter (UK)
10/01 - Barden's Boudoir, London (UK)
10/02 - The Freebutt, Brighton (UK)
10/05 - The Joiners, Southampton (UK)
10/10 - Post Festival At Frontline, Gent (UK)
10/11 - dB's, Utrecht (NL)
10/13 - Eureka, Zwolle (NL)
10/14 - Bygningen, Veijle (DK)
10/15 - Vanløse Kulturhus, Copenhagen (DK)
10/16 - Studenterhus, Aarhus (DK)
Kudos to Swedesplease for following up with epitaphs on quality Swedish underground indie labels thAt (more or less) disappeared without fanfare. First up in the series are Vapen & Godis and Yellow Mica.
Darkthrone will be putting the finishing touches on their next album come lAte October.
Here's the new Röyksopp video for "This must be it" (feAt. Karin Dreijer Andersson): Atch?v=4iLkZMCZNmc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=4iLkZMCZNmc
No big surprise: Pulverised Records has picked up Swedish all-star deAth metal act Iron Lamb and will be releasing their debut full-length album in early 2010.
Here is the Atrap" target="_blank">It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:
01. The Bear Quartet
02. Kings of Convenience
03. Frida Hyvönen
04. Loney, Dear
05. El Perro del Mar
06. David & the Citizens
07. Håkan Hellström
08. Lake HeartbeAt
09. The Hidden Cameras
10. The Soundtrack of Our Lives
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/
Labrador act The Mary Onettes will be touring Spain, the US and Germany over the next couple months:
10/08 - Circulo de bellas artes., Madrid (ESP)
10/09 - Monkey Week Mucho TeAtro, Puerto de Santa María (ESP)
10/10 - Music Box, Lisboa (POR)
10/11 - Sala Mondo, Vigo (ESP)
10/12 - O Meu Mercedes, Porto (POR)
10/13 - Centro Cultural Ollerias, Málaga (ESP)
10/14 - C.C Universidad, Zaragoza (ESP)
10/15 - Sala Estéreo, Alicante (ESP)
10/16 - La [2] de Nitsa, Barcelona (ESP)
10/17 - Sala Zero, Tarragona (ESP)
11/03 - TT The Bears, Boston, MA
11/04 - Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY
11/07 - Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
11/12 - Debaser, Malmö (SWE)
11/13 - Debaser Medis, Stockholm (SWE)
11/14 - V-Dala nAtion, Uppsala (SWE)
11/18 - Bang Bang Club, Berlin (GER)
11/19 - Bunker Ulmenwall, Bielefeld (GER)
11/20 - Gloria Sublime, Regensburg (GER)
11/21 - Silber, hit the North, Hamburg (GER)
Turboweekend will be doing a couple London showcase gigs in October:
10/14 - Tabloid Toys @ The Fly
10/15 - Levi's Ones To WAtch @ The Barfly
Swedish gothic country act Isobel & November report thAt they have finished recording their deubt full-length and will be mixing and mastering it in the next few weeks for a relaese in early November.
I'd like to think thAt all of my regular readers have investigAted Håkon Kornstad by now considering how often I talk him up, but just in case, here's yet another chance. "Oslo" is whAt I'd guess you call the single off his new solo album "Dwell time" (out now on Jazzland Records), thAt is, if jazz albums had singles anymore. ThemAtically, it's very much in line with his acclaimed Ingebrigt Håker FlAten collaborAtion "Elise": organic and spiritual, calm and focused. Unlike his previous (also excellent) solo outing "Single engine", the mAterial here is purely performed solo, though helped along with loop pedals and such. On this piece Håkon effortlessly layers phrases on top of one another in a way thAt never calls too much Attention to itself; it ebbs and flows nAturally rAther than with a clever wink. He also wisely holds back, maintaining a consistent mood throughout even At the peak and through to the end when he lets it taper off into silence. Also, no mAtter how many times I hear it, this is a piece thAt always seems to end far too soon despite its near five-minutes runtime. Easy to listen to, easy to enjoy. Hope you'll agree.
Kornstad - Oslo
Nicolai Dunger has a song from his forthcoming album "Play" streaming At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/nicolaidunger
Despotz Records has announced the signing of excellent Finnish act Pintandwefall. I don't have any more details beyond thAt, but I'll keep you posted. I was actually just listening to them yesterday and thinking about how much I really like their lAtest album "Hong Kong, baby" -- it hasn't left my mp3 player in many months (thAt's rare).
There's now a video for the new Boy Omega single "Dinosaur drugs": Atch?v=vtp8plkI7BQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=vtp8plkI7BQ