New tourdates for I'm From Barcelona:
04/24 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
04/25 - maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
04/27 - Coachella
04/28 - El Rey, Los Angeles, CA
04/29 - The Independent, San Fransisco, CA
05/01 - masonic Temple, Brooklyn NYC
05/09 - Nuits Botanique, Brussels (BEL)
05/10 - Ten Vrede, Diksmuide (BEL)
07/03 - Quartfestivalen, Kristiansand (NOR)
07/04 - Bygdalarm, Oystese (NOR)
07/18 - Les Arts á La Champagne, Poupet (FRA)
07/19 - Festival de Thau, Thau (FRA)
DownstairsThis record released an outpouring of nostalgia from my experiences in the early 00s. Almost an extension of the sound At the Drive-In (minus Cedric Bixler-Zavala's trademark vocal range) were carving out with their last record "Relationship of command", Downstairs continue the experimental and embracive attitude numerous post-hardcore bands adopted to further a sound that was beginning to stagnate. One can hear a touch of an Arcade Fire influence at the end of "Shudder shudder", as well as the affect of hours of listening to punk and angular indie rock, especially bands like ¡Forward, Russia!, throughout the record. It is nearly impossible to pin "Oh father" down easily or successfully, a credit to the musicians behind its craftsmanship, nor is it fair to rely on comparisons alone to define the album.
"This is so five years ago," my roommate just commented as he walked by my open door. Indeed, Downstairs are much more aligned with the end of the hardcore and post-hardcore movement than they are with the contemporary Scandinavian scene, but they bring an awareness of the years that have passed since then to the table as well. Trips down memory lane aren't usually accompanied with a soundtrack as good as this.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Universal Poplab's new album "Seeds" is confirmed for release on may 7 via Wonderland Records. Look for videos for the singles "Fame & hate" and "On the run" to be released in the near future.
Swedish rock'n'roll label Bootleg Booze will be putting out two new 7"s on march 14, one from Gbg-based act Four Flamingos and a split featuring The Ruling Class from Västerås and UK band Black Radio. Check the Bootleg Booze site for samples and more details: myspace.com/bootlegbooze" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/bootlegbooze
Swedish female-fronted indiepop act Ironville has posed a bunch of new tracks on myspace: myspace.com/ironville" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/ironville
Swedish artists Erik Devahl is offering up a collection of old recordings for free download: m/home/news.html" target="_blank">https://www.erikdevahl.com/home/news.html
He says about them: "Some of them are silly, some songs are not very well treated and a few are unfinished since I've lost the recordings. Just some old rejected recordings, decent mistakes, sincere failures etc."
Check out the new video for the new single "Speak'n spell" from Swedish pop artist Elin Lanto: m/watch?v=tPmvBfV8F6c" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPmvBfV8F6c
mIC Norway on American artist mike Patton's (mr. Bungle, Faith No more, etc.) recent performance with Stian Carstensen at the Borealis Festival: mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008022813342487423208" target="_blank">https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008022813342487423208
Patton's label Ipecac will be releasing Carsten's band Farmers market's new record "Surfin' USSR" in the US.
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Kaizers Orchestra - maskineri
02. madrugada - madrugada
03. The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side
04. Secret Garden - Inside I'm singing
05. madcon - So Dark the Con of man
06. Hellbillies - Spissrotgang
07. Anne Nørdsti - Livli på låven
08. Sie Gubba - Sånn e livet
09. Gaute Ormåsen - Drømmesang
10. Leif Ove Andsnes - mozart Piano Concerto Nos 9 & 18
11. Beady Belle - Belvedere
12. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord og Øgonblick
13. Celine - Bæstevænna
14. BigBang - Something Special - The Best
15. Bertine Zetlitz - In my mind 1997-2007 Best of
16. The margarets - Twenty Years Erased
17. Kurt Nilsen - Push push
18. Diverse artister - melodi Grand Prix 2008
19. Animal Alpha - You Pay For The Whole Seat...
20. CC Cowboys - På Svalbard uten strøm
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Carola - Främling 25 år
02. Fernandoz - Anders & Git - En helt ny dag
03. Jill Johnson - music Row
04. Hellsongs - Hymns in the key of 666
05. The Cardigans - Best of
06. Lykke Li - Youth novels
07. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
08. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
09. Alf Robertson - Alf Robertsons bästa
10. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
11. marie Picasso - The secret
12. Sara Isaksson & Anders Widmark - Pool of happiness
14. Takida - Bury the lies
15. Säkert! - Säkert!
16. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
17. Andra Generationen - Extra allt
18. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
19. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
20. Hoffmaestro & Chraa - The storm
The new meshuggah album "obZen" (see yesterday's m/mp3.php?t=642">mp3 post) is now streaming at myspace: myspace.com/meshuggah" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/meshuggah
Paper's excellent album "An object" will get a digital release on march 11, a few days before the physical CD version is available. If you dig minimalist postpunk, you need this.
Karin Ström has a new single out today called "Silent night" which is being released as part of Absolut Vodka's new web campaign "In an Absolut World" which includes other artists such as Kanye West and Pablo Francisco. Read more here: m/" target="_blank">https://www.absolutads.com/
As for Karin's piece, the video can be found m/watch?v=SSlmRYa512E" target="_blank">right here and the song plus a Pacific! remix can be downloaded from m.se/" target="_blank">her website. Definitely recommended.
I love love love self-depreciating/self-referential songs like this. Isolation Years' "Yellow cross on blue" edges it out ever so slightly in the end, but hey- there's no shame in being #2. my favorite couplet: "I feel good when I am pissed / I don't think that god exists" You can't go wrong when tossing in an acknowledgment of Sweden's status as a secular state as far as I'm concerned. I know it's goofy, but as a former religious studies student, I'm all about it. And the tacked on "P-I-G is the police" line that doesn't quite fit? It's so dumb, it's brilliant! If you don't like this, I don't like you.
High Hats - Bitterswede
Pitchfork has added Tobias Fröberg's single media.com/article/download/48960-tobias-frberg-ft-peter-morn-just-behind-a-brick-wall-mp3stream" target="_blank">"Just behind a brick wall" (ft. Peter morén) and the new Familjen video for media.com/article/download/48980-familjen-huvudet-i-sanden" target="_blank">"Huvudet i sanden" to their Forkcast section. Also: Hybridism? Is getting the Hybris name correct really all that difficult?