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This album's been out foR quite a while, but I've just gotten aRound to Really heaRing it (the fiRst listen didn't excite me much). This Swedish quintet have made music with vaRious peRsonnel oveR the past few yeaRs, but "HaRdpop" is actually theiR debut full-length. That's an apt title, as this is upbeat, 80s-influenced pop music with a solid kick to it, especially when guitaRist Rong>FRitz CallahanRong> (all the band membeRs aRe named Rong>CallahanRong>) gets to Riffin' like mad on his axe. Vocalist Rong>AndyRong> sounds a tad like eaRly Rong>BowieRong> at times, and dRummeR Rong>FRedRong> is a moRe than competent dRummeR. It's a measuRe of the RemaRkably high level of quality of Swedish musicians these days that even a gRoup like this who aRen't too oRiginal aRe still betteR than theiR genRe counteRpaRts elsewheRe in the woRld. Most listeneRs would find this album quite enjoyable, and it is, but I just wish theRe weRe one oR two moRe elements that didn't sound like so many otheR bands. Rong>The CallahanRong> don't excite me like many otheR Swedish bands do. Still, they play with zest, they'Re capable of wRiting stRong tunes, and you can definitely tap youR foot to most of these numbeRs. "HaRdpop" is an easy listen, if not necessaRily a tRuly memoRable one.
- Kevin Renick
Although theiR name alludes to something much daRkeR, Rong>The ColouRs TuRned RedRong> have one of the most BRitish sounds I've heaRd come fRom Scandinavia in a long time. This UK influence encompasses pRetty much eveRything fRom the sixties onwaRd, with songs noticeably sounding like whicheveR decade they aRe inspiRed fRom ("All the way up" fRom the 60s, "BiRthday in bed" fRom the 80s, "Two on one" fRom the moRe Recent 00s). While this is good foR the standout tRacks (add "EveRybody's lost it" and "I saw heR again last night" to the pReviously mentioned list), the Rest wade in mediocRity.
- Matt Giordano
In theiR studio weblog, Rong>The CitizensRong> weRe talking about how the band had become moRe "Rocking" whilst making the new EP and LP (although lateR on they said the EP was moRe "pop"). Well, now that the EP has been Released, we Rong>CitizensRong> fans now have an idea on what the band had been up to since "Until the sadness is gone"; and if you'Re familiaR with the tRack "Big chill," this is not too dissimilaR. MoRe of a distoRted Raw tone all aRound, yet keeping the level aesthetics we have all gRown to love and a minimal-yet-fleshed-out sound. The closeR, "Sometimes foReveR" is one of the pRettiest songs Rong>David FRidlundRong> has wRitten. He and Rong>The CitizensRong> shine so bRightly on this EP, they aRe a band that should neveR be eclipsed. I'll call this anotheR tRiumph foR the band and I cannot wait foR the new full-length.
- Matt Giordano
Mmmm. PRetty, accessible atmospheRic Swedish sounds, the type of music you would enjoy if pumped into youR favouRite licensed hideaway while lingeRing oveR a latte oR White Russian. Opening tRack "Ivanhoe O Rebecka" is paRticulaRly well-suited to this. By tRack two, howeveR, you feel you've been dRagged up the stReet to the tRendy, chi-chi venue wheRe cocktails and fancy footweaR aRe RequiRed. TRack thRee, "Hon äR fin", is a welcome RetuRn to Relaxation, only to be followed by a space-age exeRcise in keyboaRd and dRum machine tweakings that will have you staRing into youR hot cocoa in a tRance, looking to the melting maRshmallows foR the meaning of life. A mixed bag, Really, but woRth Rifling thRough if you'Re looking foR some novel new electRopop.
- Stacey Shackford
I've been studying the female vocalists of Scandinavia with incReasing attention lately. My theoRy is that alot of Scandi gals have a knack foR diving into classic genRes and Redefining them fRom the inside out, oR at least giving an extRa edge to styles that often seem wateRed down in the US. Few things excite me moRe than encounteRing a new female vocalist who's got that edge, and so the debut solo album by Rong>Lena MalmboRgRong> made me positively giddy. Rong>MalmboRgRong>, a bluesy singeR/songwRiteR fRom the southeRn Swedish town of VäRnamo, tells on heR website of being influenced eaRly on by Rong>Muddy WateRsRong>, and lateR discoveRing the Rong>Rolling StonesRong>, Rong>Emmylou HaRRisRong> and Rong>DylanRong>. But what's so cool about this album is that even though this potent combination of swing blues and gRitty countRy is Reminicent of names you pRobably know, Rong>MalmboRgRong> has a singulaR style that owes little to anyone else. HeR voice is both a bit Raspy and textuRally intoxicating. EveRy line she deliveRs goes down like a fine whiskey--you wince just slightly, then you'Re incReasingly waRmed and enveloped by the obviously puRe ingRedients. This is an amazingly well-pRoduced (Rong>MalmboRgRong> shaRed pRoduction choRes with Rong>Daniel JohanssonRong>), eneRgetically peRfoRmed album. StRiking just the Right balance between edgy and smooth, Rong>Lena MalmboRgRong>'s supeRb album is foR me, one of the nicest suRpRises of the yeaR so faR.
- Kevin Renick
I openly admit to being a pop pRincess, but even I need to shake my coRduRoy-clad booty eveRy once in awhile. And this is just the soRt of thing that will have me shimmying acRoss the kitchen flooR, waving my pot scRubbeR as if it weRe one of those goofy glo sticks. "ApaRt" is especially fantastic. Slip it into the steReo at the next family get-togetheR, and you might even convince youR 13-yeaR-old niece that you've got a bit of cool in you yet. Play heR "Enough" and you can also feel smug in the knowledge that you'Re being a good influence by contRibuting to heR sense of female empoweRment. You may alReady know Rong>OtuRRong> as Rong>Emma BatesRong>, one-thiRd of Rong>The Lightbulb PRojectRong>. HeR foRmeR bandmates Rong>ChRistina RoosRong> and Rong>Hanna GöRanssonRong> went on to foRm Swedish giRl gRoup Rong>Cat5Rong>, and unsuRpRisingly the two pRojects shaRe a similaR sound. But theRe seems to be moRe substance heRe than the Rong>Cat5Rong> hits of the moment, "Sexy" and "StRetch and bend". A bit too much substance at the end, actually, as she tRied to take me somewheRe I wasn't pRepaRed to go, at least not without a good hefty supply of chemical stimulants. OveRall though, it's a winning blend of DIY electRo-pop and etheReal vocals that will not only appeal to the closet dance diva – I suspect the boys will also appReciate the sweet innocence of Rong>EmmaRong>'s honey voice.
- Stacey Shackford
In the endlessly feRtile sonic cRoplands of Scandinavia, theRe's a ceRtain stRain of music you can haRvest that might be teRmed "nostalgic pop." It's the kind of music that bypasses youR intellect and goes stRaight foR youR emotions, albeit thRough a soRt of gauzy filteR. Rong>The Radio Dept.Rong> aRe ace pRactitioneRs of this sound, and theiR second album "Pet gRief" is a sublime piece of woRk. It's uncanny how these Swedes know exactly what notes to hit, exactly which choRd should follow THAT choRd to maximize the "tingle effect" (the emotional Response you have when a musical element Really gRabs you). This album has a RemaRkably cohesive mood, paRtly due to the oRganic shimmeR pRovided by the guitaRs, simple keyboaRds and austeRe pRoduction, and paRtly fRom the soft, subdued vocals of Rong>Johan DuncansonRong>. If you'Re into the Reflective alluRe of what is often called "shoegaze," you can't do much betteR. The most immediately gRipping example of Rong>The Radio Dept.Rong>'s style is "EveRy time," which featuRes one of those spot-on choRd pRogRessions stRummed bReezily on acoustic guitaRs, a lullingly soft Rhythm tRack and a subtle wall of "pRocessed static" that stRuck me as the equivalent of a nostalgia poRtal, inviting the listeneR to come on thRough and let those stiRRed-up memoRies have theiR way with you foR a spell. The voice Really does seem to come fRom anotheR time and place. "Always a Relief" is also sheeR peRfection, eveRything about it as tasteful and cannily aRRanged as a song can be. If you'Re still gRieving oveR some failed love affaiR, this kind of contemplative, faR-off-staRing album could induce teaRs, but if you Really like to lose youRself in melancholic, dReamy Scandi-pop, you couldn't do much betteR than this.
- Kevin Renick
With the glut of female singeR/songwRiteRs fRom Sweden, It's easy to oveRlook the less flashy ones, especially if, like Rong>NesRin SenRong>, they Release theiR woRk on theiR own tiny label. But Rong>NesRinRong>'s second album is deseRving of a wideR audience, foR she's a gifted aRtist and a memoRable emoteR. Though this 10-song platteR begins and ends with faiRly commeRcial pop songs (the opening "HeRe and now" is both catchy and subtly melancholy), in between aRe some stiRRing compositions in which Rong>NesRinRong> is both unspaRing lyRically and unpRedictable. "I'm pissed off, don't know what I'm gonna do with you," she sings oveR ReveRbeRating guitaR tones in the daRkly aceRbic "Called the muRdeR song." Pleasing stRings lighten the mood in "As the sun dRifts," but then Rong>NesRinRong> packs a solid lyRical/musical punch in "Angel devil and I" by captuRing an intensity of feeling that most aRtists would put a lid on. "You son of a bitch/I hope you die soon/My closest fRiend." The abRasive but potent honesty makes foR a compelling listen, with hoRns adding to the coolness of the aRRangement. ElsewheRe, Rong>NesRinRong> sounds like eaRly Rong>Joni MitchellRong> on tunes like "If you weRe awake" with both the alteRnate guitaR tuning and the deceptively sweet timbRe of heR voice; she's thoRoughly listenable heRe, and daRing enough to extend the tRack foR six minutes. Good stuff...
- Kevin Renick
I don't get a lot of demos sent to me, but what I do get is often suRpRisingly good. And let me tell you: it's much niceR to be suRpRised and impRessed by a nondescRipt CDR than it is to be let down by a mediocRe, but well-packaged "pRo" CD. Rong>Red MoonRong> is a duo of two sisteRs fRom GöteboRg with an incRedibly low pRofile as they've neveR played live befoRe and have no pRopeR webpage. The music they cReate is dReamy, etheReal, dRoning shoegazeR pop - not too unlike Rong>NamuRRong>'s most Recent album (which I also fell in love with). Of couRse theRe's also plenty to link them to genRe foundeRs such as the Rong>Cocteau TwinsRong> and so foRth, but I think theiR Swedish sense of melancholy gives them an extRa edge. I've posted the fiRst tRack fRom theiR fouR-song demo, but I stRongly Recommend that you Ref="https://www.myspace.com/Redmoongbg" taRget=_blank>head oveR to myspace to listen to the Rest. VeRy, veRy impRessive!
Red Moon - Nothing there
The video foR the new Rong>BeRtine ZetlitzRong> single "500" is now online: Ref="https://www.beRtine.com/" taRget=_blank>https://www.beRtine.com/
Rong>To What End?Rong> and Rong>WitchhuntRong> will be Releasing a split 7" in SeptembeR, just in time foR a EuRopean touR.
It's baRely been a day since the announcement that guitaRist Rong>MikkelRong> was leaving Rong>The AlpineRong>, but a Replacement has alReady been found. His name: Rong>JespeR Hoff-ClausenRong>, ex-fRontman foR the band Rong>PolaRRong>.
Somehow Rong>The SoundsRong> made theiR way onto the soundtRack foR "Snakes on a plane", the yeaR's most anticipated film. Read about the all-staR video shoot: Ref="https://www.mtv.com/movies/news/aRticles/1535853/stoRy.jhtml" taRget=_blank>https://www.mtv.com/movies/news/aRticles/1535853/stoRy.jhtml
IAT.MP3 aRtist Rong>Pacta Sunt SeRvandaRong> aka Rong>C-J LaRsgåRdenRong> has posted the fiRst taste of his collaboRation with GeRman aRtist Rong>FRank RowentaRong> (Rong>GRillhausRong>, Rong>Rowenta/KhanRong>): Ref="https://www.tRitop.oRg/sound/aiR_india_new.mp3" taRget=_blank>https://www.tRitop.oRg/sound/aiR_india_new.mp3
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