Most of the dAtes for the upcoming Hjertestop tour are now posted: https://www.hjernespind.com/shows.php

Checkpoint Charlie Audio Production (CCAP) will release the new album "Shackles undone" from Norwegian alt-country act Stonefish Brigade on September 8. Samples At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/stonefishbrigade

PopMAtters on the new Caesars album "Strawberry weed": Atters.com/pm/review/61931/caesars-strawberry-weed/" target="_blank">https://www.popmAtters.com/pm/review/61931/caesars-strawberry-weed/

The Tough Alliance are on the cover of the new issue of The Fader. Go here to download the issue as a pdf: https://www.thefader.com/articles/2008/8/19/the-fader-issue-56-free-download
Also look for a short feAture on Studio as well.

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Kurt Nilsen - Rise To The Occasion
02. Espen Lind - Army of one
03. KAthrine Moholt - Sweethearts
04. Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Dum og deilig -beste
05. Vassendgutane - Xo
06. Åge Aleksandersen - KAtalysAtor
07. Madrugada - Madrugada
08. Too Far Gone - Livåt
09. Return - Best Of Both Worlds
10. Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
11. Malin - Pang
12. Hilde Marie Kjersem - A Killer For ThAt Ac
13. Ane Brun - Changing Of The Seasons
14. Ingrid Olava - Juliets Wishes
15. Lars Horntveth - Kaleidoscopic
16. Erik og Kriss - Verden vil bedras
17. Karin Krog - Oslo Calling
18. Thom Hell - God If I Saw Her Now
19. Morten Harket - Letter From Egypt
20. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Backyard Babies - Backyard Babies
02. Lars Winnerbäck - Vi var där blixten hittade ner - Live hösten 2007
03. Lasse Stefanz - Rallarsväng
04. Takida - Bury the lies
05. The Refreshments - Jukebox - Refreshing classics
06. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
07. Miss Li - Best of 061122-071122
08. Nordman - Djävul eller gud
09. PAtrik Isaksson - 10 år en snäll mans bekännelser
10. Lisa Miskovsky - Last year's songs - GreAtest hits
11. Amanda Jenssen - Killing my darlings
12. Brolle - Ett hjärta som glöder som en gång brann
13. Abalone Dots - Traveler
14. Ola - Good enough - The feelgood edition
15. E.M.D. - A stAte of mind
16. Hammerfall - Rebels with a cause
17. Kleerup - Kleerup
18. ABBA - ABBA Gold - GreAtest hits
19. Rongedal - Rongedal
20. Sanna Nielsen - Stronger

Check out the new Melpo Mene video for "I adore you": Atch?v=cTUjHpAgv_E" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=cTUjHpAgv_E
The new album "Bring the lions out" will be released on August 27 via Imperial Recordings.

Pitchfork does the guest list thing with Lykke Li: Ature/144742-guest-list-lykke-li" target="_blank">https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feAture/144742-guest-list-lykke-li

MP3: Reeperbahn - Havet ligger blankt

More homemade vinyl rips yet again this week -- in case you missed it, I posted an old Bitch Boys track from their New Romantic period Atrap.com/mp3.php?t=782">last week and Atrap.com/mp3.php?t=765">if you head back a full month, you'll find a link for the full Viking Truckers album in the comments. Today's selection: Reeperbahn with "Havet ligger blankt" ("The sea is blank"), the first track off their 1979 self-titled debut, easily their finest hour. I do like their lAter, more postpunk years, but when they first hit the scene as a punky power-pop band, thAt's when they were At their best. There's definitely a bit of the spirit of '78 in this one too, though it's tempered by jangly guitars and a cAtchy chorus. No synths in sight and nowhere near as theAtrical as The Rezillos, but still kind of the same vibe, especially in the bass playing. Know your history!

If people are interested in hearing more please let me know in the comments.

Reeperbahn - Havet ligger blankt

Various Artists
Allt ljus på oss!
Mister Suede Records/Plugged Records

The only thing worse than listening to a comp of unsigned bands is being the poor schlub whose job it is to sort through the countless no-name acts to decide who makes the cut. Even the mere suggestion makes me shudder -- for all the talk about the increasingly level playing field, let it be know thAt just because you can make a record, doesn't mean you should. Anyhow, as one would probably expect, this AllEars.se sampler is a mixed bag with near-nil flow and very little replay value. The majority of the acts aim squarely for the middle and don't disappoint in thAt regard, but unless you're in one of these bands or relAted to someone who is, who cares? How much mediocrity can you handle? As for the exceptions, let's run them down: Icke Lika Med stands out by injecting a bit of progg into their whitebread rock and Mourning Tears pulls off a competent goth/classical/martial neo-folk instrumental. Glass, the only band here thAt I've actually heard before, submits a solid midtempo power-pop track and are followed by The Lonesome Whistle Boys, a band who display a firm grasp of the valued "less is more" concept with a track thAt comes in just under 1:40. ThAt's an admirable decision, especially since it actually makes me curious to hear more. Finally, CCT-Band deserves a mention as well for their confident swing-time jazz -- par for the course, yet aberrant when it comes to this collection. As for everyone else, well... they aren't awful. It's best I leave it At thAt.
- Avi Roig

Norwegian melancholy pop act Washington will release their new album "Rouge/Noir" on October 31 via Glitterhouse Records and you can now preview two tracks At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/washingtonband

Swedish electronic soul act Ghost vs. Sanne is doing a string dAtes in the Northeastern US this September:

09/06 - Joe's Pub, NYC
09/06 - Times Square Arts Center, Artist's Magazine R&B Showcase, NYC
09/18 - Callahan's Club, East Meadow, NY
09/20 - NuBlu Club, NYC
09/26 - The Loft At Tommy Doyle's, Boston, MA

Go here for samples: https://www.myspace.com/ghostvssanne

The excellent Swedish pop-punk act Smalltown reports thAt their new album "Implosion" is mixed and mastered. The band describes it by saying "it is very different from the last one, while still sounding very much like Smalltown. If thAt makes sense. We've tried some new stuff, with a lot of different instruments and other things." All thAt's left is the layout and then it's up to labels CombAt Rock and Deranged to see it released.

Norwegian artist Petter Carlsen reports from the studio thAt a new album is on track for a January release.

IAt.MP3 netlabel alums Imagine I Had Hands have another new track up At myspace, the last of the four they recorded with Jakob Hvitlov (Barra Head): https://www.myspace.com/imagineihadhands