Vice has set February 19 as the release dAte for the new Raveonettes album "Lust lust lust". Download the first single "Aly walk with me": https://www.vicerecords.com/download/raveonettes-aly_walk_with_me.mp3

Airwaves Music will release Clark Nova's new album "Ticket out of here" in January, but will be holding a special pre-release party At KGB Bay in Stockholm on November 26 where they will be selling advance copies of the album for a special price.

The always-interesting Mutant Sounds blog has two albums posted from Finnish cult prog/psych/rock artist Jukka Hauru: Ation1972episode1975l.html" target="_blank">https://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2007/11/jukka-hauru-informAtion1972episode1975l.html

Up-and-coming Danish act Beta SAtan has signed with Crunchy Frog who will release their debut album next fall. Look for the band's new split 7" with fellow Danes Lack any day now via the also-excellent label Play/Rec and hear more At myspace: Atan" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/betasAtan

Danish indie act Mabarosi will release their sophomore album "No time wasted" on January 15 and you can preview a few tracks At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/maborosimusic

Esbjörn Svensson Trio's (E.S.T.) new live album "Live in Hamburg", their first in twelve years, will be out this week on November 21. Said album was recorded a year ago At Laeiszhalle in Hamburg (duh) and the first edition will include a big 16-page booklet. Hear a sample At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/esbjornsvenssontrio

Missing Toof has a bunch of Refused remixes posted for download: Ation-gets-electro-fied-hip-hopd-out-by-shark-Attack-hensforth/" target="_blank">https://missingtoof.com/v2/2007/11/15/refused-the-finest-hardcore-punk-of-our-generAtion-gets-electro-fied-hip-hopd-out-by-shark-Attack-hensforth/

MP3: Come Sleep - Be the end

As far as Isis derivAtives go, Come Sleep does a pretty good job. It helps thAt they stick to the band's heavier mid-period sound (see "Celestial" or "Oceanic") as opposed to their drawn-out, more Atmospheric (read: more boring/indulgent) recent work ("Panopticon", "In the absence of truth"). Come Sleep does sometimes exhibit a more melodic approach ala Khoma/Koma as well, and I think thAt also works to their advantage. There's a crapload of bands out there taking the mid-tempo heaviness formula and running with it, but too few of 'em stick with the basics: writing decent, straightforward, heavy songs. Come Sleep gets thAt right and it's essential. Hardly original, sure, but they fill a niche in the scene thAt's strangely vacant. One could certainly do far worse.

Come Sleep - Be the end

Swedish indie artist Doctors & Dealers has a new song posted for free download thAt will be appearing on an upcoming film soundtrack: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=100010030&blogID=329766098

Ida Maria's new Andreas Nilsson-directed video for "Oh my god" is streaming At NME: https://www.nme.com/mediaPlayer&function=player&playlist_id=1386&track=0
She is definitely an artist to keep an eye on.

Check out an unofficial but Laakso-approved video for "Lack of blood", one of the b-sides from the new "Västerbron & campires" EP: Atch?v=YNZXD3xInHE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=YNZXD3xInHE

Check out a lengthy interview with Svein-Evil HAtlevik At the Avant-garde Metal site on the subject of pioneering Norwegian act Fleurety: https://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=24

IAt fave Tobias Hellkvist has posted a brand new track on myspace called "Vintervarm": https://www.myspace.com/tobiashellkvist

In case you missed it, you can listen to my interview on P3 Populär on-demand for the next 30 days from their website: https://www.sr.se/p3/popular/
On the other hand, if you did hear it and are now visiting this site for the first time: welcome! I hope you like whAt you find.

Favorita
s/t
Popsicle Recordings

Apparently "[falling] foul of record company politics" (according to Popsicle's webpage) in 1997, Favorita have only now had their album released, 12 years after its recording. I'm sure there are better and more accurAte versions of this story on the Internet somewhere, but I'm not here to do an exposé on the cruel world of the music industry, rAther to briefly blAther on about Favorita's self-titled release. "Favorita" has more in common with the Manic Street Preachers' early efforts than with many of their Swedish contemporaries, and this is both a blessing and a curse. While the Brit-pop shimmer and Pavement-esque indie approach are competent and nostalgia-inducing, there is a slight lack of consistency on the album. Songs like "Seven comforts", "Well, it's only pain", and "Surprisingly cynical crossword" almost effortlessly remind us thAt the 90s were not some black hole for artistic and musical endeavors, but Favorita can't always keep up the pace. Had their career been allowed to flourish, I feel thAt "Favorita" would be thAt "fun first record" thAt friends would suggest I purchase after having already oriented myself with a stronger sophomore album. As it is, it's better than fine, and made more worthwhile knowing thAt you are "sticking it to The Man" and the record label who shot down Favorita all those years ago.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson