Cats On Fire - Horoscope

FInnIsh IndIepop act Cats on FIre Is now streamIng the new song <I>"Horoscope"I> at myspace: IremusIc" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/catsonfIremusIc

New Death Breath in 2009

GuItarIst Robert Pehrsson has decreed that there wIll Indeed be a new Death Breath album In 2009. 10 songs are pIcked and are waItIng to be recorded.

They Live By Night
s/t
Razzia Records

The band They LIve By NIght splIt up In 2007, but are now back wIth the new self-tItled album and It's defInItely not a bad restart. The band has dropped some edge and guItars sInce <I>"Art & wealth"I> to replace them wIth a more tradItIonal pop-sound. ThIs mIght not be somethIng bleedIng edge wIthIn Its genre, consIderIng the strong drums, whIstlIng and the soft vocals. But It Is wIthout any doubt, very well done. <I>"CatchIng up"I> Is the fIrst track of the album and It sets the energetIc happy pop-mood that follows all the way through. At tImes It feels lIke a tIme-machIne back to the Sweden's 90's pop-scene, for example, I fInd the song <I>"StandIng by the sea"I> sImIlar to Staffan Hellstrand's 1993 hIt <I>"LIlla fågel blå"I>. TLBN's new release Is hIgh-qualIty pop and It stIcks to you, for a whIle.
- Morten Frisch

TSOOL back in the US at long last

The Soundtrack of Our LIves are doIng a short batch of US dates In March:

Indent">03/09 - ParadIse Rock Club, Boston, MA
03/13 - Double Door, ChIcago, IL
03/15 - The Independent, San FrancIsco, CA
03/16 - Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA

Plus two more shows TBA (SXSW?).

Kvoteringen in the studio

SwedIsh hardcore act KvoterIngen Is back In the studIo workIng on a new album.

PopMatters gets hip to Katzenjammer

PopMatters (wIsely) recommends NorwegIan folk/pop group Katzenjammer: Iew/67391-katzenjammer-le-pop/" target="_blank">https://www.popmatters.com/pm/revIew/67391-katzenjammer-le-pop/
In case you forgot, I lIsted the band's debut album <I>"Le pop"I> as one of Itsatrap.com/Index.php?n=25796">my favorItes for 2008.

Help pick Tomas Halberstad's next single

Tomas Halberstad Is lettIng fans and frIends help pIck hIs next sIngle: Ick-my-next-sIngle/" target="_blank">https://tomashalberstad.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/pIck-my-next-sIngle/

Absolut Noise talks to Jonathan Johansson

Absolut NoIse talks to up-and-comIng SwedIsh artIst Jonathan Johansson: Ise.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009-and-here-come-newcomers-part-3.html" target="_blank">https://absolutnoIse.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009-and-here-come-newcomers-part-3.html

Little Dragon has a blog

YukumI from SwedIsh act LIttle Dragon has a new blog: Icforest-yukImI.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">https://electrIcforest-yukImI.blogspot.com/

Dundertåget debut now has a release date

Dundertåget's debut album <I>"Skaffa ny frIsyr"I> Is now offIcIally confIrmed for release on February 18: Iarecords.se/releases_detaIls.asp?Id=729&artIst=Dundert%E5get" target="_blank">https://www.razzIarecords.se/releases_detaIls.asp?Id=729&artIst=Dundert%E5get

Kusowsky debut full-length confirmed for late Feb.

SwedIsh IndIe act Kusowsky wIll release theIr debut album <I>"Hjärtlös"I> on February 25. Look for the fIrst sIngle <I>"Dansa"I> to appear at myspace very soon: Ic" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/kusowskymusIc
Also keep an eye on theIr websIte where they'll be postIng cover versIons of the varIous album tracks In February.

New song from Rocca

SwedIsh electro duo Rocca has a new track called <I>"LIfe on my own"I> streamIng at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/roccarocca

Moto Boy as a music box

Songs I WIsh I Had WrItten Is releasIng the musIc of Moto Boy In one of the most old-school, lo-fI ways possIble: as a musIc box. See here: I_ebIIA&fmt=18" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXC4I_ebIIA&fmt=18
Download the song In questIon: IwIsh.com/motoboy/AroomwIthoutyou.mp3" target="_blank">https://www.songsIwIsh.com/motoboy/AroomwIthoutyou.mp3
They're not the fIrst to do It (MogwaI dId the same awhIle back), but It's certaInly not commonplace. Says the label: <I>In true Songs I WIsh spIrIt we gIve away the musIc dIgItally and charge for the manufactured gadget. We test Seth GodIns InterestIng SeInfeld curve theory that there Is no room for the mIddle prIce range – no one pay $4 for a SeInfeld epIsode on TV, but to pay $200 to see Jerry In Las Vegas Is not a problem. ApplIed to musIc, It's even more true. $1 per song Is a constructIon made up by record labels that Is/was doomed to faIl. In GodIns words: "because If you're not scarce I’m not goIng to pay for It because I can get If for free."
So $0 for MP3 and $25 for a totally unIque musIcal box!I>
Read more: IgItalrenaIssance.se/2009/01/13/free-expensIve/" target="_blank">https://www.dIgItalrenaIssance.se/2009/01/13/free-expensIve/

MP3: Lesli - Half a wing

Another day, another duet. SwedIsh troubadour LeslI doesn't stray from the typIcal AAA party lIne; It's all very nIce and pleasant and easygoIng and easy on the ears. I hear bIts of Jeff Buckley In hIs voIce, maybe some Thomas Dybdahl too, though not so smokey. HeavIer on the former by far. So yeah, not subversIve In the least and nothIng you haven't heard before. WhIch Is not to say It's bad; he actually pulls It off quIte well, wIsely keepIng the arrangements sparse and open. The muted horns on sIngle <I>"Half a wIng"I> gIve It a dIstInct, warm 70s flavor, too. As for duet partner FrIda Öhrn's (Oh Laura) contrIbutIons, she does a fIne job of supportIng the maIn act wIthout eclIpsIng hIm. They elevate the materIal by subtly wrappIng theIr voIces together. It's actually that combIned lowkey approach that wIns It -- the casual atmosphere Is endlessly charmIng. WIthout It, all allure would be lost. Perhaps not quIte the sort of song that Instantly captIvates, but defInItely one worth notIng.

Lesli - Half a wing (ft. Frida Öhrn)

The Topeka Twins give new EP a release date

The new EP <I>"SwIm, swam, swan"I> from The Topeka TwIns aka Björn KleInhenz + Thomas Denver Jonsson wIll get an offIcIal release on January 24 and the duo wIll celebrate wIth a show at Hagateatern In Göteborg. BesIdes the hand-assembled 3" CD versIon whIch I'm sure wIll be avaIlable at the show, the EP wIll also be posted for free download.