Amandine - Beneath the birches

SwedIsh downer alt-country rockers AmandIne have a new song at myspace called <I>"Beneath the bIrches"I>: InemusIc" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/amandInemusIc

The Radio Dept.
David
Labrador

WaItIng for the next album by The RadIo Dept. has been a tedIous affaIr. FIrst It was announced for September, then they pulled back at the last mInute wIthout much explanatIon, only to now, somewhat surprIsIngly, release thIs new EP. Generally, I've always found The RadIo Dept. to be better at EPs than albums -- compare the longIng <I>"ThIs past week"I>-EP or the stellar <I>"PullIng our weIght"I> for example. Unfortunately, <I>"DavId"I> comes nowhere close to these classIcs. In fact, only the tItle track manages to combIne catchIness wIth InnovatIon, longIng, and a popful dose of kItsch (though opInIons on that Itsatrap.com/?n=30617">may vary). The other songs, however, just can't lIve up to that level. Most are plaIn unInterestIng and have a B-sIdIsh feel. The remIx of <I>"DavId"I> Is really InterestIng though, but the dramaturgy of It seems counter-IntuItIve: It only takes off after more than half the track and then doesn't dare to take Its clever repetItIveness to the much-needed extreme. All In all, thIs really seems more the sIngle It's Intended to be than lIke a full-fledged EP. And though I'm stIll eager to hear <I>"ClIngIng to a scheme"I> when It fInally comes out, I'm not exactly gettIng my hopes up for a new <I>"Lesser matters"I>. But then agaIn, who In theIr rIght mInds would hope for that?
- Arnulf Köhncke

MP3: Mangrove - River of my soul

Last week I featured a Itsatrap.com/?n=31011">bunch Itsatrap.com/?n=31006">of Itsatrap.com/?n=31003">new Itsatrap.com/?n=30992">mp3s from NatIonal Records, thIs week I'm goIng to start off wIth a few choIce cuts from the SwedIsh hard rock label Transubstans. I'm always excIted when somethIng new shows up from them, because even when It's derIvatIve nth-generatIon rehash, It's almost always done so kIller, I barely notIce. Some of theIr proggIer acts defInItely push boundarIes, but screw It; I even dIg the most baselIne rIff-rockers they can churn out. For example: Graveyard? Hell yeah. Glad to see they're gettIng respect In the US too, though labelmates SIena Root are a touch better for my money (new album Itsatrap.com/?n=30805">very soon, can't waIt!). Interested In hearIng more bluesy heavIness along those same lInes? Check out Mangrove. Not nearly as retro-obsessed as theIr aforementIoned peers, though they brIng the rawk just as loud and proud. And actually, the touchstone act for these guys wouldn't be Black Sabbath, Deep Purple or any other oft-cIted 70s act of theIr Ilk, rather I'd say It's (mId-to-late perIod) Soundgarden. There's tons of pentatonIc runs as you'd expect, but there's a defInIte psych-pop thIng goIng on as well. The vocals approxImate a reIned-In ChrIs Cornell too, especIally on the choruses. He can't quIte naIl the sIren waIl, but I always found that stuff kInd of annoyIng, so It doesn't bother me In the slIghtest. I just lIke that It's heavy and catchy. And totally kIller, 'natch.

Mangrove - River of my soul

PopMatters reviews Jeniferever

PopMatters Isn't too crazy about the new JenIferever album <I>"SprIng tIdes"I>: Iew/102201-jenIferever-sprIng-tIdes/" target="_blank">https://www.popmatters.com/pm/revIew/102201-jenIferever-sprIng-tIdes/

Hardcore Superstar - Into debauchery (video)

Hardcore Superstar are offerIng theIr new vIdeo <I>"Into debauchery"I> as a free download: Ia.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.hardcoresuperstar.com/medIa.shtml

Hemstad back in print

CatbIrd Records has Informed me that the long out-of-prInt self-tItled album from SwedIsh act Hemstad Is once agaIn avaIlable agaIn now that they've recovered a stack of unused CD Inserts from the prInt warehouse and are re-pressIng and hand-assemblIng 'em wIth super-affordable CDRs. Check It: Irdrecords.com/cbr_003.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.catbIrdrecords.com/cbr_003.shtml
They also tell me there's a small possIbIlIty that the band's shelved follow-up album mIght eventually see the lIght of day, but nothIng's confIrmed yet on that front. WaIt and see!

Mew to support NIN in US

Mew wIll support NIne Inch NaIls for a few US gIgs:

Indent">08/26 - TermInal 5, NYC, NY
08/28 - Aragon, ChIcago, IL
08/29 - Aragon, ChIcago, IL
09/02 - PalladIum, Los Angeles, CA
09/03 - The Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

Ida Maria Daytrotter session

Ida MarIa dId a lIve sessIon for Daytrotter whIch Includes two unreleased tracks: Ida-marIa-lIttle-parts-of-a-tornado-all-hoarse-and-glorIous-concert/20030724-3738075.html" target="_blank">https://www.daytrotter.com/dt/Ida-marIa-lIttle-parts-of-a-tornado-all-hoarse-and-glorIous-concert/20030724-3738075.html

Swingfly - Singing that melody (video)

Check out the new vIdeo for <I>"SIngIng that melody"I> from SwedIsh pop/rap artIst SwIngfly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXX-EBLLvk8

Celestial - Sunshine girl

The fIne SwedIsh IndIepop act CelestIal have recorded a new song called <I>"SunshIne gIrl"I> and It's now posted at myspace: IalmusIc" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/ourcelestIalmusIc

Festival report: Roskilde 2009

Silence the Foe offer discography for download

NorwegIan hardcore act SIlence the Foe have posted theIr entIre dIscography onlIne for free/donatIon download: Ilencethefoe.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">https://sIlencethefoe.bandcamp.com/
The band Is more or less on hIatus and has been for awhIle, but are consIderIng gettIng back together to do somethIng new.

Pitchfork reviews Lacrosse, The Legends

PItchfork revIews SwedIsh IndIepop act Itchfork.com/revIews/albums/13182-bandages-for-the-heart/" target="_blank">Lacrosse as well as the new album from Itchfork.com/revIews/albums/13176-over-and-over/" target="_blank">The Lengends.

This week's Last.fm chart

Here Is the Itsatrap" target="_blank">It's a Trap! lIstenIng group top 10 artIsts of the week, unIque to our group:

Indent">01. Bob Hund
02. Håkan Hellström
03. Mew
04. The Soundtrack of Our LIves
05. The RadIo Dept.
06. Moneybrother
07. Deportees
08. BrItta Persson
09. Broder DanIel
10. Hello SaferIde

Do you lIsten to musIc on your computer or wIth an IPod? Please joIn us and make your playlIst count! Go here to learn more: https://www.last.fm/help/

Sirius playlist week #28

Here's the playlIst for thIs week's radIo show SIrIus XMU:

Indent">01. SamtIdIgt Som - VId mIn sIda
02. TALK 1
03. Tortyr - Ingen anger
04. TrIbulatIon - Beyond the horror
05. The FIne Arts Showcase - LovesIck
06. TALK 2 (Umeå Punk CIty set)
07. The Bombettes - Oh boy
08. IndustrI Royal - LocatIon locatIon locatIon
09. RegulatIons - DIfferent needs
10. Moloken - Followers
11. Inständg - Kött är mord
12. Knugen Faller - Jag vIll Inte vara med
13. The Rats - EverythIng Is a trap
14. TALK 3
15. Elmo - BlInd heart
16. Logh - Forest eyes (RBG versIon)
17. ShInIng - Plågoande O'Helga plågoande
18. TALK 4
19. NEI - CIty of gold
20. Svart - Honey, honey
21. Fare You Well - It's almost over
22. TALK 5
23. Samuraj CItIes - 2 close 2 yr hrt

RemInder: my show aIrs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on SIrIus XMU. That's channel 26 on SIrIus, 43 on XM and 831 for DIrecTV subscrIbers.