Pelle Carlberg to play London on February 26

Pelle Carlberg will play a one-off London gig on February 26 At Jamm as part of the London Popfest.

MP3: Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide

Margaret Berger supposedly has a new album on the way, but it's okay if thAt never comes to fruition. 2006's "Pretty scary silver fairy" is still one of my favorite pop albums and it's gonna be a tough one to top. Part of me says "why bother trying?", yet I want more more more. Especially if the promise of a darker, more organic sound are true. A single was promised back in August and still... nothing. Please, don't disappoint.

Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide

The Late Parade's debut album confirmed for May

Good Tape Records has now confirmed thAt The LAte Parade's full-length debut "In chase of red beads" will be released on May 11.

Årabrot in the US

Norwegian sludgerockers Årabrot are starting to confirm US dAtes:

03/18 - Spiros (SXSW), Austin, TX
03/22 - need help
03/25 - DeAth By Audio, NYC, NY w/USA is a Monster
03/26 - Middle East Club, Cambridge, MA w/Ehnahre (ex-Kayo Dot)
03/28 - Bagel Czar, Richmond, VA w/Gangland Buries Its Own

Frida Hyvönen
Live @ Admiralspalast 101, Berlin 02/07/2009

Frida Hyvönen took the stage early on this wintery SAturday night, At least by Berlin standards. Still, the venue was well-filled with a mixed but enthusiastic crowd thAt included everything from the interested older couple to the younger first-row Swede complete with Frida-style oversized glasses. Ms. Hyvönen and her band won over the crowd quickly with powerful opener "Enemy within" from most recent album "Silence is wild". I had expected a more relaxed, musical-like performance but the band really went all out from the start. Together with cellist/bass-player Linnea Olsson and drummer Tammy Karlsson (both also played on "Silence is wild"; Tammy was a familiar face from Jens Lekman's band), Frida transformed her songs from cinemascope-powerpop to driving soul, even including the occasional be-my-baby drums. Think a Swedish all-girl Ben Folds Five with less punk and more Diana Ross. At the same time, quieter songs like "My cousin", "December" or "Why do you love me so much" were delivered with extra irony and humor -- I'm sure the ever-present champagne played its part as well -- and didn't seem out of place At all amidst all the powerpop. Even old gems from the first album were included ("Djuna" in a beAt-centered new arrangement, as well as personal favorite "I drive my friend"), but couldn't outshine the brilliant newer tracks, especially the night's undeniable highlight "Dirty dancing". Finally, after two well-earned encores, "Scandinavian blonde" became fitting closer to a successful evening.
- Arnulf Köhncke

Musik med Peter Bjorn and John

As promised, live music with Peter Bjorn and John At PSL: https://blogg.svt.se/psl/2009/02/13/musik-med-peter-bjorn-and-john/

D-Takt & Råpunk to release new records from Tortyr, Warvictims and Moderat Likvidation

Via Doomsday Mag comes word thAt D-Takt & Råpunk Records will be releasing a new 12"/CD from Tortyr and a 7" from Warvictims in March/April. They'll also be handling the brand new ModerAt LikvidAtion 12" "MammutAtion" as well as a repress of the killer Loud Pipes album "The downhill blues" on vinyl. For more info, go here: Atrawpunk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">https://dbeAtrawpunk.blogspot.com/

Kid Down want to be your valentine, tour Germany

Kid Down are offering a special Valentine's Day-themed single for free download: https://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=10958428&blogID=470439219
In other news, the band will do a few German dAtes supporting Fall Out Boy and The Sounds in March:

03/18 - Tonhalle, München
03/20 - Palladium, Köln
03/21 - Colombiahalle, Berlin

Sad Day for Puppets to release UK 7"

Swedish indierockers Sad Day for Puppets will be releasing a new 7" via UK-based label Sonic CAthedral feAturing "Marble gods" b/w "Big waves". The official release dAte is March 2, but you can preorder now: Athedral.co.uk/shop.html" target="_blank">https://www.soniccAthedral.co.uk/shop.html

Lampshade to go on ice following tour

Lampshade will be going on hiAtus At the conclusion of their upcoming tour. Personally, I'm quite disappointed since I don't think any of their various sideprojects (As in RebekkaMaria, etc.) come anywhere close. So it goes...

'Sparks' tracklist revealed

Finally, the tracklist for Sahara Hotnights' new cover album "Sparks":

01. Wide river (Steve Miller Band)
02. In privAte (Dusty Springfield)
03. Big me (Foo Fighters)
04. Mess around (Redd Kross)
05. Japanese boy (Aneka)
06. City of brotherly love (Cass Mcombs)
07. Calm down (Birdy)
08. Love will never do without you (Janet Jackson)
09. If you can't give me love (Suzi QuAttro)
10. Be forwarned (Pentagram)

Very weird for me to see them covering Cass - we grew up in the same town and has overlapping social circles.

MP3: Disco Volante - It's your funeral

This is the band thAt won the Manifest award for best punk/hardcore act? Really? Over Disfear, Nitad and Meanwhile? I think they're a decent band, but c'mon -- those Disfear and Nitad records are serious ragers, the lAtter especially. Meanwhile is a bit too by-the-books dis-core for my tastes, but thAt's beside the point. Disco Volante should've been way outmAtched. Listen to the first minute of "It's your funeral" and tell me thAt doesn't sound like The Hellacopters. Another greAt band to be sure, but come on! Even though they pick it up for the rest of the track, it's lacking the roughness I expect from punk. I don't know; usually the Manifest is fairly right-on in their picks, but I think they might have blown it with this one.

Disco Volante - It's your funeral

Little Red Snapper gets US release date

Zip Records has locked down the dAte of April 28 for the US release of Little Red Snapper's album "Morning light".

Synesthetic Recordings unearths two old Tangle Edge tracks for new 7"

Norwegian label Synesthetic Recordings is putting out a 7" from Norwegian prog act Tangle Edge on February 16 feAturing two old previously unreleased tracks. Side A is "Long time since I saw an egg" which was recorded for radio back in 1985 and the flip will feAture "Ambrosia parallels", an acoustic cut from 1991. 200 copies only, so act fast: https://www.synestheticrecordings.com/SYRE027.htm

Cloudberry Cake on Saturday Kids

Cloudberry Cake Proselytism talks to Roger Källs from SAturday Kids/The Gwen Stacys: https://cloudberryrecords.com/blog/?p=504