This week's Atrap">It's A Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:
01. Jens Lekman
02. Shout Out Louds
03. José González
04. DeAth Cab for Cutie
05. Belle and Sebastian
06. Interpol
07. Moneybrother
08. The Knife
09. The Radio Dept.
10. The Bear Quartet
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My weekend: hours in front of the computer, converting the old dAta (approx. 1300 rows in the db) to the new formAt (now close to 20k rows). Good times, right? So if it seems like I was a little hasty about getting the new site up, thAt would be because it's true. I was hasty and I know there's a bunch of stuff thAt needs fixing and thAt's whAt I plan on doing over the next week or so. Most of the big stuff should be done, but if you see any problems Atrap.com/view_topic.php?id=55#823">please report them to me here. Otherwise, take a stroll around and enjoy some of the new feAtures such as Atrap.com/reviews.php">the new review section and the improved tags (which will soon be even better as I cAtegorize more news posts going forward).
So, in keeping with the theme of being slightly broken down, here's "Just a little out of tune" from Kristofer Åström off of his lAtest album "Rainawaytown". I'm pretty sure I've said it numerous times already, but this is one of my favorite albums released in 2007 and it's been in steady rotAtion ever since it was released in April. This is the most raucous rock'n'roll tracks on said record and I think it does well to represent my frantic frame of mind. Bear with me, I'll be back on top of things soon.
Kristofer Åström - A little out of tune
Jens LekmanThis must surely be one of the most eagerly awaited albums of the year, not just for me but for a lot of people out there. I was a little scared to listen to it At first, fearing thAt it wouldn't be as good as I've so intensely wanted it to be. At first I was a bit confused, I thought the album was too much about clever instrumentAtion and sampling, but then after a few proper listenings (i.e. not on the bus while reading the paper) the songs started to appear for me out of the hodgepodge of different sounds, and it all made sense. Most of the tracks on "Night falls..." are simply pretty (and quite bombastic) pop songs, despite all the odd samples, use of instruments etc. The thing thAt got me hooked on Jens Lekman was his fabulous and quirky lyrics, and the lyrics on this album are probably his best ever. Some of the choruses Lekman's penned for this album are simply stunning, his songwriting skills are just getting better and better. There are a couple of tracks thAt I'm not overly keen on, but then three or four songs on here are already classics, as far as I'm concerned, and the more I listen to the rest, the more the album seems like another Jens Lekman solid release thAt you'll love and treasure. Sweet, reliable and sure to pick you up, just like a good cup of coffee - Jens Lekman's back and he's still fantastic!
- Simon Tagestam
Hey, look! A new site. I still have to go back and fix the label page, edit some of the comment ids to make sure they line up to the right content, backfill the review dAtabase and fix some permalinks, but things should be working correctly, more or less. If you come across any problems, Atrap.com/contact.php">give me a holler. Thanks!
CongrAts to Scott Barrus, David Fried and Oskar Wood Hansen - you've all won copies of the It's a Trap! discography. Again, thanks to everyone who filled out my reader survey. Look for a summary of the results to be posted soon.
Here's the playlist for my radio show on SAturday:
01. Ted Gärdestad - Räcker jag till
02. TALK 1
03. The Setting Son - In a certain way
04. Beyond Dawn - TRNQL
05. Miss Li - Let her go
06. TALK 2
07. Jonna Lee - Dried out eyes
08. DeAth By Kite - Hiroshima
09. The Motorhomes - I wanna make you sing
10. TALK 3
11. Printer - Minds out
12. Alarma Man - Sweden, Sweden
13. Pistol Disco - RadiAtion
14. TALK 4
15. Knugen Faller - Lugna favoriter
16. Scraps of Tape - Since all the birds are moving, shouldn't we
17. Carpet People - If I lose my voice
18. TALK 5
19. Asha Ali - A promise broken
20. Ingenting - Punkdrommar
21. Holiday for Strings - I got two hands
22. TALK 6
23. NEI - City of gold
24. FAP - Sjömannen
25. Monoton - Hours
26. TALK 7
27. DeAthbed - Everyday heroin
28. Dibaba - Go marching in
29. Johnossi - Execution song
30. Sista Sekunden - Se opp
31. TALK 8
32. Laakso - Worse case scenario
33. Tiger Lou - Sell out
34. Peter Bjorn and John - MAtchmaker
35. TALK 9
36. Johndoe - Hardt som faen
37. Espen Jørgensen - Move ahead - quickly
38. Säkert! - Och jag grät mig till sömns efter alla dar
39. TALK 10
40. KVLR - Slow clapping
41. Anna Leong - 61
42. Final Exit - Bent out of shape
43. TALK 11
44. The Bear Quartet - Lights out, sound off
This week's Bear Quartet post comes courtesy of Lisa BK, Atrap.com/index.php?d=1356">Jim Kelly's better half:
The Bear Quartet's music and lyrics are so fascinAting by themselves - so compelling and intricAte and complex - they make me into an airhead. I don't know any of their songs' titles, see - I'm totally bewitched by the art. I usually have to hum or sing the song to Jim so he can identify it for me; failing thAt, we have to trot out the CDs and have a listen (bummer, I know) in order to find my favorites' names. The other day, he told me I really liked a song called "You built your life upon the ruins of mine", and I had no idea whAt he was talking about until he sent me the lyrics and I saw the following unforgettable lines:
but one day you'll get married
to someone big and scary
a hairy monster of a man
who'll make sure he's taken care of
'cause of burdens you've been carrying
kill him off if you can
Oh! ThAt one! Yes! The one thAt our daughter used to walk around singing when she was three! Yes, yes, thAt one.
WhAt kills me about the above part of this 1997 song (it appears as a b-side on the "His spine" EP) is not the lyrics, though they're certainly moving; no, it's the the slightly somber and conversAtional tone of the verse, with its acoustic guitar which then slides into a bootstrappy, oh-well chorus, with a strident piano and some handclaps moving things along. By the end of the chorus, though - after he sings kill him off if you can - it's turned into the most wistful thing, all "oooooo" with the background vocal and a little tiny bit of lonely, Atmospheric slide guitar buried in the mix At the very end. Oh, the production. Ten straight plays in one sitting? I'm still hearing things I've never heard before. This is a b-side, people.
Bear Quartet, during this period, came completely into their own as a band. Their music and lyrics from the lAte 1990s possess depth, layers, mAturity, greAt lyrics, and flawless songwriting and musicianship found nowhere else in their oeuvre; when songs like "YBYLUTROM" are castoffs, it's clear thAt BQ had discovered the Rosetta Stone for creAting the kind of music thAt doesn't betray when it was written. The kind you hum for your husband so he can tell you whAt it is because, well, you were so taken by everything else going on...
The Bear Quartet - You built your life upon the ruins of mine
My first introduction to the music of Ted Gärdestad came via Lukas Moodysson's film "Tillsammans" ("Together"). Not only are Ted's songs feAtured in the soundtrack, but one of his albums is feAtured prominently in a scene when it's given as a gift. My impression At the time was thAt Ted was a David Cassidy/Leif Garrett-type figure; a teen heartthrob, cute and harmless. However, now thAt I've actually spent some time with the new 3CD best-of collection "För kärlekens skull", I have to revise my opinion. Ted Gärdestad is more than a smiling boy with shaggy hair, he's a tremendous songwriter of near-perfect 70s pop. It's no surprise thAt ABBA manager Stig Anderson recognized his talent and signed him to Polar Music At the age of 15. My heart soars when I hear those opening chords. I can't help it. It's a terrible shame thAt he came to such an unfortunAte end, especially after experiencing a brief revival. I might not be as much of a fan of his lAter work (disc 3 does not get much airtime in my house), but there's no denying his artistry. 100% classic.
Ted Gärdestad - Jag vill ha en egen måne
Today is the last day I'm running my Atrap.com/limesurvey/index.php?sid=54434&lang=en" target="_blank">reader survey, so please fill it out if you haven't already done so. Thanks to everyone who's participAted so far - I'll be announcing the winners of the IAt discography giveaway on Monday.
The official release dAte for the new StAte of Samuel album "Here come the floods" is now set for October 16.
Moonbabies are in desperAte need of a new drummer for their upcoming tour in October as former member MAttias Pedersen can no longer tour. They are also looking to add another (preferably female) member to their live band, so if you're in or around Malmö (or willing to relocAte I suppose), go here for details: https://moonbabiesmusic.com/index2.html
Billie the Vision and the Dancers will tour Sweden in lAte October: https://www.billiethevision.com/shows.php
PopMAtters gets around to reviewing the most recent EST album "Tuesday wonderland": Atters.com/pm/music/reviews/46676/esbjorn-svensson-trio-est-tuesday-wonderland/" target="_blank">https://www.popmAtters.com/pm/music/reviews/46676/esbjorn-svensson-trio-est-tuesday-wonderland/
Plugged has announced thAt Swedish boyband WhAt's Up! will release their debut album "In pose" on September 20, the same day they will also be releasing Caracola's first English-language album "Love alive".
UpdAted tourdAtes for Danish act Slaraffenland:
09/15 - Musikcafeen, Aarhus (DK)
09/25 - Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO
09/26 - Flying M Coffeegarage, Nampa, ID
09/30 - Knitting Factory, Hollywood, CA
10/01 - Ché Café, San Diego, CA
10/04 - M-Shop, Ames, IA
10/06 - South Union Arts, Chicago, IL
10/07 - JR's Lightbulb Club, Fayetteville, AR
10/08 - Mohawk, Austin, TX
10/10 - 11:11 Teahouse, Atlanta, GA
10/11 - Rock and Roll Hotel (DAM! Festival), Washington, DC
10/13 - Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH
10/14 - Metro Gallery, Baltimore, MD
10/15 - The Fire, Philadelphia, PA
10/16 - P.A.'s Lounge, Somerville, MA
10/18 - tba (CMJ), New York, NY
10/19 - Mo Pitkin's (CMJ), New York, NY
10/20 - tba (CMJ), New York, NY
10/25 - UKA Festival, Trondheim (NOR)
11/08 - Forgradndingen, Albertslund (DK)
11/09 - Bygningen, Vejle (DK)
11/10 - Voxhall, Aarhus (DK)
11/15 - Vega, Copenhagen (DK)
11/16 - Studenterhuset, Odense (DK)
11/17 - Studenterhuset, Aalborg (DK)
12/02 - Palace, Brussels (BEL)