This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Carola - I denna nAtt blir världen ny - Jul i Betlehem II
02. Björn Skifs - I2I
03. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
04. Martin Stenmarck - Det är det pojkar gör när kärleken dör
05. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
06. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
07. The Refreshments - Christmas spirits
08. Eva Dahlgren - Petroleum och tång
09. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
10. Thorleifs - Våra bästa år
11. Christer Sjögren - Älskade andliga sånger
12. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
14. Christian Kjellvander - I saw her from here/I saw here from her
15. Petter - God damn it
16. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
17. Vincent - lucky thirteen
18. MAts Bergmans - Jubileum
19. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
20. Sven-Bertil Taube - Alderville Road - Ord och toner av Evert Taube

Denmark's The Defectors will tour Spain next March. Exact dAtes tba.

UpdAted tourdAtes for Swedish glam-rockers Hardcore Superstar:

11/27 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
11/28 - Underground, Köln (GER)
11/30 - Knaack Club, Berlin, (GER)
12/01 - Museumskeller, Erfur (GER)
12/02 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt, (GER)
12/03 - Paunchy Cast Club, Lichtenfels (GER)
12/04 - 59 to 1, München, (GER)
12/05 - Posthof, Linz (AUS)
12/06 - Flex, Vienna, (AUS)
12/07 - Sedel, Luzern (CH)
12/08 - Rock Planet, Pinarella di Cervia (ITA)
12/09 - Lucille, Verona (ITA)
12/11 - Stazione Birra , Rome (ITA)
12/12 - Transilvania Club, Milano (ITA)
12/14 - Sala Albeniz, Gijon (ESP)
12/15 - Bilborock , Bilbao (ESP)
12/16 - Apolo [2], Barcelona (ESP)
12/19 - La Maroquinerie, Paris (FRA)
12/21 - Joc de nartist, Temse (BEL)
01/17 - Barfly, Aberdeen (UK)
01/18 - Barfly, Glasgow (UK)
01/19 - Intake Club, Mansfield (UK)
01/20 - Barfly, Birmingham (UK)
01/21 - Barfly, Liverpool (UK)
01/22 - Barfly, Brighton (UK)
01/23 - ULU, London (UK)
02/01 - The Gaelic TheAtre, Sidney (AU)
02/02 - The Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne (AU)
02/04 - Club QuAttro, Tokyo (JAP)
02/05 - Club QuAttro, Tokyo (JAP)
02/06 - Club QuAttro, Nagoya (JAP)
02/07 - Club QuAttro, Osaka (JAP)
02/13 - Klubi, Åbo/Turku (FIN)
02/14 - Klubi, Tampere (FIN)
02/15 - Tavastia, Helsinki (FIN)
02/16 - Rytmikojaamo, Seinäjoki (FIN)
02/22 - The Rock, Copenhagen (DK)
02/27 - Tyrol, Stcokholm (SWE)
02/29 - Palace, Kalmar (SWE)
03/01 - Lisebergshallen, Göteborg (SWE)
03/06 - Mejeriet, Lund (SWE)
03/07 - Nöjesfabriken, Karlstad (SWE)
03/15 - Midnight Rock, Halmstad (SWE)
03/23 - KB, Malmö (SWE)
03/28 - Garvaren, Ljungby (SWE)

Arcana has revealed thAt their next album, due out in early 2008 via Kalinkaland Records, will called "Raspail". Read more: https://www.erebusodora.net/arcana/

Discobelle has new tracks today from Swedish artists Alexis Weak and Sumo, the lAtter feAturing guest vocals from Juvelen.

Have you seen Atch?v=WA_ULqTkV1w" target="_blank">this? Did it make your curious to know more about the performer/performance? Well then maybe you should read this: https://sanseverything.wordpress.com/2007/11/27/the-music-of-finland-an-interview-with-sanna-peden-2/

Time for Action Records has posted three new tracks from The Higher ElevAtions' forthcoming album "The protestant work ethic" for preview on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/timeforactionrecords
Said album will be out early next year.

Swedish pop artist Laleh will be doing a pair of shows At WAter RAts in London on December 7-8: https://www.themonto.com/news.php?news_id=44

MP3: Trio Mediaeval - Det lisle bånet

As promised, today's feAtured track comes from Trio Mediaeval (or Trio Mediæval, if you like), a vocal ensemble with members from Norway and Sweden thAt specializes in Atis.htm" target="_blank">early music, often infusing the style with modern arrangements and techniques. The group is currently on tour in support of their lAtest release on ECM, "Folk songs", a collection of exactly thAt - traditional Norwegian folk music - and I'll be seeing them tomorrow night At Town Hall in SeAttle. I expect it to be a fairly subdued affair as the venue is an old church (really, the perfect place to see and hear this kind of music) and I doubt anyone will be jumping out of their pews to cause trouble. Definitely the kind of show where talking during the performance is simply not tolerAted. Also, though their repertoire does include a few numbers with rowdier subject mAtter, I don't suspect they'll be anything like the boistrous Mediaeval Baebes. Even the addition of percussionist Birger Mistereggen, as on the recording, will do little to change thAt. Mistereggen's contributions are mostly subtle and very textural. A little jaw harp (as on today's feAtured track) or some light drumming, but thAt's about it. This is primarily spiritual music, apt for meditAtion and reflection, not dancing and drinking. Actually, one of the most exciting aspects of tomorrow's performance is the pre-show lecture. There's such rich history and strong craftmanship involved in this music, merely listening is not enough. So for now, enjoy the piece I've posted today and I'll be back this weekend with a full report.

Trio Mediaeval - Det lisle bånet

Boeoes Kaelstigen
Pan European
Adrian Recordings

Ladies and gentlemen, Boeoes Kaelstigen has all of the potential to be the next big thing from Scandinavia. Their brand of smart, calculAted electronica is cAtchy and, most of all, gets all the right parts moving. From start to finish, "Pan European" flows like cognac down the throAts of the willing; ending in the spectacular second movement of "Flir"-a sweAty populace. This is meant to be played in those über-hip back alley bars, with dim lights and smoke in the air. This is meant to be played from the club to the bedroom. Boeoes Kaelstigen's "Pan European" is one of the sexiest releases of the decade.
- Matt Giordano

Smalltown will enter the studio tomorrow to begin recording their 2nd full-length album. Canadian label Deranged Records will be releasing it in North America and CombAt Rock Industry out of Finland will handle things for Europe. Expect a spring release.

Finnish hardcore act Down My ThroAt has called it quits. Read their final stAtement here: At" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/downmythroAt

Musique Machine reviews the lAtest Supersilent album "8": Ate.php?id=1501" target="_blank">https://www.musiquemachine.com/reviews/reviews_templAte.php?id=1501

Aftonbladet has started the nominAtion process for this year's Rockbjörnen: https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/musik/rockbjornen/

Pitchfork's 'Show No Mercy' metal column rounds up some of the year's best albums and gets a few lists from contributors such as Kristoffer Rygg (Ulver) and Svein Egil HAtlevik (Zweizz): Ature/47248-column-show-no-mercy" target="_blank">https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feAture/47248-column-show-no-mercy
Scandinavian highlights on said list include WAtain, Bergraven, Ulver and DHG.