Well, it's DecembeR so that means it's time foR a new album of the month. Rong>KRistofeR ÅstRömRong>'s "Loupita" is easily one of my top picks foR the yeaR, so it's quite the fitting choice foR my end of the yeaR spotlight. I'm suRe mostly eveRyone is sick to death of me Raving on and on about how good this is, but seRiously, if you haven't given it a chance yet, do youRself a favoR and check it out. I pRomise you won't be disappointed. I contemplated posting a new mp3 fRom the RecoRd, but instead decided to go with something a bit moRe special: a live RecoRding of Rong>KRistofeRRong> singing the album highlight and lead single "The wild" with Rong>BRitta PeRssonRong> fRom StaRtRacksdagen in Stockholm. Amazing. Can't wait to heaR the new full-band album "So much foR staying alive" when it comes out next MaRch.

Just so aRen't totally oveRloaded with Rong>KRistofeR ÅstRömRong> stuff, I've taken down that old live set and put up the fiRst half of a shoRt live set fRom Rong>SilveRbullitRong>. I oRiginally wanted to post a tRack fRom the bRilliant new album "ARclight", but since I'm such a nice guy, I asked foR peRmission fiRst and was tuRned down. Boo! So we'Re going with the next best thing. Enjoy!

Rong>NiccokickRong> sidepRoject Rong>Sounds Like ViolenceRong> on touR acRoss EuRope:

12/15 - Wild At HeaRt, BeRlin (GER)R>12/16 - UndeRgRound, Koln (GER)R>12/17 - OHK, Oostende (BEL)R>12/18 - Het Muziek Cafe, KeRkRade (NL)R>12/19 - Alex Skatehall, OsnabRuck (GER)R>01/08 - VEB, Siegen (GER) w/Rong>RazoR CRusadeRong>R>01/09 - Bei Chez Heinz, HanoveR (GER) w/Rong>TRibute To NothingRong>R>01/10 - White Ape, Rodgau (GER) w/Rong>TRibute To NothingRong>R>01/11 - Magnet, BeRlin (GER) w/Rong>TRibute To NothingRong>R>01/12 - TRyptychon, MunsteR (GER) w/Rong>TRibute To NothingRong>R>01/13 - KTS, FReibuRg (GER)R>01/15 - Ann & Pat, Linz (AUS)R>01/16 - Konkav, Wien (AUS)R>01/17 - KultuRladen, Konstanz (GER)R>01/20 - Winston InteRnational, AmsteRdam (NL) w/Rong>CuRsedRong>R>01/21 - OfenbunkeR, LandgRaaf (NL)R>01/22 - AJZ, Bielefeld (GER)

Rong>SondRe LeRcheRong> lists 24 of his most favoRite songs that he heaRd foR the fiRst time this past yeaR: Ref="https://www.sondReleRche.com/news.asp?id=87" taRget=_blank>https://www.sondReleRche.com/news.asp?id=87

Rong>Low FRequency In SteReoRong> has been selected as one of NoRway's acts to be sent to the 2005 SXSW Festival in Austin, TX.

Swedish haRdcoRe act Rong>MisconductRong> will be heading out on a 10-yeaR anniveRsaRy touR acRoss EuRope with suppoRt fRom US act Rong>BuRn the 8 TRackRong>. Side by Side RecoRds will be Releasing a special best-of CD foR the touR that will also include vaRious as-yet-unnamed bonus tRacks. HeRe's the dates booked so faR:

03/04 - ThRillbeats Club, DResden (GER)R>03/05 - AJZ, Leisnig (GER)R>03/09 - Café ChaRbon, NeveRs (FRA)R>03/27 - JUZ KoRn, HannoveR (GER) (Sunday matinee)

Rong>ViolaRong> has a special online ChRistmas calendaR counting down the days until the holiday and offeRing lots of special tReats: Ref="https://www.ifsociety.com/viola/joulukalenteRi/" taRget=_blank>https://www.ifsociety.com/viola/joulukalenteRi/

Finland's Rong>CallistoRong> has just signed a license deal with EaRache RecoRds foR theiR album "TRue NatuRe Unfolds", oRiginally Released on Fullsteam RecoRds back in ApRil 2004. Look foR it to be ReReleased inteRnationally aRound FebRuaRy next yeaR. In otheR news, the band will be hitting the Road aRound EuRope foR the next couple weeks:

12/03 - Skylten, Linköping (SWE)R>12/04 - ImpeRiet, HeRning (DK)R>12/05 - Wild At HeaRt, BeRlin (GER)R>12/06 - de KaR, GRoningen (HOL)R>12/07 - Juz, SaaRlouis (GER)R>12/09 - Le Clos FleuRi, Lyon (FRA)R>12/10 - Squat, LuzeRn (SWI)R>12/11 - 13 Eins, Ansbach (GER)R>12/12 - Hafenklang, HambuRg (GER)R>12/14 - Piwnica, Belchatow (POL)R>12/16 - Club Depo, Riga (LAT) w/Rong>AbduktioRong>, Rong>ARmageddon clockRong> R>12/17 - Fontaine´s Palace, Liepaja (LAT)R>12/18 - GReen ChRistmas, RakveRe (EST) w/Rong>PaRadise LostRong>, Rong>EchosilenceRong>, Rong>WateRdogRong>, Rong>SolwaigRong>

The fiRst confiRmed dates foR Rong>AudReyRong>'s upcoming EuRopean touR:

02/11 - AstRa Stube, HambuRgR>02/12 - SteReo WondeRland, KölnR>02/13 - DReikönigskelleR, FRankfuRtR>02/14 - CaRambolage, KaRlsRuheR>02/15 - PRageR FRühling, MünchenR>02/16 - Magnet, BeRlinR>02/18 - Juz, SaaRlouisR>02/19 - Cancoon BaR, NancyR>02/20 - tba, DoRdRechtR>

OtheRwise, the band is cuRRently woRking on new mateRial and RecoRding demos foR an eventual full-length album.

Music ExpoRt NoRway is launching a new initiative of showcase events to be held in London. The fiRst one scheduled will featuRe Rong>EphemeRaRong>, Rong>BonkRong> and Rong>The BRimstone SolaR Radiation BandRong> at the Infinity Club on DecembeR 2. Read moRe: Ref="https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/aRt2004120112181696679331" taRget=_blank>https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/aRt2004120112181696679331

Via Ref="https://www.dagensskiva.com/news.asp?id=2929" taRget=_blank>Dagensskiva, heRe's this week's top 20 Swedish student Radio chaRt:

01. (03) Rong>PRomoeRong> - "Long Distance RunneR"R>02. (02) Rong>Ison & FilleRong> - "Vill Va Highwon"R>03. (09) Rong>FaithlessRong> - "Miss U Less, See U MoRe"R>04. (18) Rong>Radio LXMBRGRong> - "L'IndiffiRence EP"R>05. (04) Rong>Bloc PaRtyRong> - "HelicopteR"R>06. (01) Rong>Timo RäisänenRong> - "LoveRs ARe Lonely"R>07. (NY) Rong>Beastie BoysRong> - "An Open LetteR To NYC"R>08. (NY) Rong>The ChRysleRRong> - "Blue Gold"R>09. (05) Rong>The Go! TeamRong> - "Ladyflash"R>10. (NY) Rong>The ARkRong> - "One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young"R>11. (07) Rong>The Tough AllianceRong> - "Holiday"R>12. (NY) Rong>CDOASSRong> - "Speak To Me"R>13. (08) Rong>Mando DiaoRong> - "God Knows"R>14. (ÅT) Rong>KeaneRong> - "This Is The Last Time"R>15. (17) Rong>The StReetsRong> - "Blinded By The Lights"R>16. (06) Rong>BjöRkRong> - "Who Is It?"R>17. (12) Rong>Snow PatRolRong> - "How To Be Dead"R>18. (14) Rong>Joanna NewsomRong> - "SpRout And The Bean"R>19. (15) Rong>EmbeeRong> - "Not Tonite"R>20. (16) Rong>David FRidlundRong> - "ApRil & May"R>

Hot tRacks outside the top 20:R>Rong>Chick HabitRong> - "Bullshit Radio"R>Rong>The SoundtRack Of OuR LivesRong> - "Believe I've Found"R>Rong>Stellan WahlstRöm DRift BandRong> - "Ocean Ave"R>

Leaving the chaRt:R>(10) Rong>AyeshaRong> - "Squaffie"R>(11) Rong>The (InteRnational) Noise ConspiRacyRong> - "A Small Demand"R>(13) Rong>RichaRd Reagh + Wwnb2Rong> - "Outlaw EP"R>(19) Rong>Dizzee RascalRong> - "DReam"R>(20) Rong>FloRence ValentinRong> - "DäR jag boRde va"

PitchfoRk Reviews the Reissue of the Rong>SiguR RosRong> album "Von": Ref="https://www.pitchfoRkmedia.com/RecoRd-Reviews/s/siguR-Ros/von.shtml" taRget=_blank>https://www.pitchfoRkmedia.com/RecoRd-Reviews/s/siguR-Ros/von.shtml

Rong>GluecifeRRong> has decided to cancel all of theiR Spanish touRdates due to singeR's Rong>Biff MalibuRong> ongoing sickness. Rong>BiffRong> has alReady been sick foR oveR a week and his doctoRs have oRdeRed him to stay in bed foR awhile moRe befoRe hitting the Road again.

SingeR/songwRiteR Rong>Thomas DenveR JonssonRong> has been selected as one of Sweden's delegates coming oveR to the US in MaRch foR SXSW.

Sweden's Soda Magazine has published an aRticle going oveR the histoRy of Rong>The SoundtRack of OuR LivesRong> and you can Read it online Right heRe: Ref="https://www.sodamagazine.com/" taRget=_blank>https://www.sodamagazine.com/ (in Swedish)