This week's m/group/itsatrap">It's A Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:
01. Interpol
02. Feist
03. Stars
04. Håkan Hellström
05. The Shins
06. The Knife
07. Spoon
08. Wilco
09. Shout Out Louds
10. The Radio Dept.
Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Join us! Go here to learn more: m/help/" target=_blank>https://www.last.fm/help/
Sally Shapiro's "Disco romance" album will get a proper US release on October 30 via Paper Bag Records in a new version that will include three bonus tracks ("Skating in the moonshine", "He keeps me alive", and "Jackie Jackie (Spend this winter with me)") and an extended mix of "I'll be by your side".
Aftonbladet runs down some of the fall's forthcoming new releases: ml" target="_blank">https://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,1129739,00.html
The playlist for my radio show this week:
01. Paper - my life is going under
02. TALK 1
03. mr. Suitcase - You don't smile anymore
04. Camouflage - Violetta du
05. majessic Dreams - Black out
06. TALK 2
07. Amorphis - Towards and against
08. Beyond Dawn - Among the sedatives
09. Don't Be A Stranger - Perfect problem
10. TALK 3
11. Totalitär - Nej vi ska inte ha nåt
12. miss Li - I'm glad I'm not a proud American
13. Tiger Lou - A lucky escape
14. Oskar Schönning - Fraid
15. TALK 4
16. Karsten Pflum - Draworder
17. Anna Ternheim - Lovers dream
18. Front and the Factory Lies Beneath - Drown in misery
19. TALK 5
20. midaircondo - Could you please stop
21. Pg.lost - Yes I am
22. The Perishers - Carefree
23. TALK 6
24. Pistol Disco - Upside down
25. Nasum - The system has failed again
26. Sweatmaster - mystery
27. The Second Band - The modern age
28. Träd, Gräs och Stenar - In kommer gösta
29. TALK 7
30. Ultralyd - Low waist
31. Ambulance - Forever friends
32. The Social Services - Up in arms
33. TALK 8
34. Barra Head - Overseas
35. Sivert Høyem - Exiles
36. Viola - Imaginary times
37. TALK 9
38. Kornstad - Turkey, Texas
I trudged through quite a few of the usual downer Bear Quartet tunes before switching tactics and deciding on "Number" as this week's mp3 post. An initial listen might have you thinking of Faster Pussycat's "Bathroom wall", but that would be off on the wrong path. The sex part is only a backdrop to its true intentions, about living up to your full potential. Listen:
I am entitled to speak my mind about what you do
I'm not patronizing, I am merely endorsing:
do what you want to / not what others expect from you
you are a person / and should demand some respect
Which is to say: I may not approve of your actions and think you could do better, but I admire the way you carry yourself. "You're so much more... you could be anything at all." As for the music, it's classic BQ in full slacker indie mode. Jangly chords over roughshod drums and lots of wanky, tossed-off and out-of-tune leads. Then it breaks at the end and the smooth vocals of Kristofer Åström carry us out. Easily the highlight of the often-rambly "Ny våg".
The Bear Quartet - Number
Nothing says summertime to me like some good-time punk rock'n'roll and no one's better at that than Randy. "Summer of bros" is the obvious perennial favorite, but since I've been jamming 2005's "Randy the band" this past week or so, I'm going with "Better than art" as today's mp3. It's an easy choice, especially when you consider that the lyrics spell out exactly why Randy is one of Sweden's best bands.
I don't consider myself all that smart / I've come this far by using only my heart
I wear my intentions on my sleeve / I'm not cynical I'm naïve
I try to be as honest as I can
What you now hear / is the same thing you hear
When you put your ear / close to my heart
And that's why why I like music better than art
It's ridiculous that these guys are currently without a label. Lord knows that if I had money I'd step up, but my fortunes don't seem to be changing for the better anytime soon. For now, I'll just try to abide by these words and try to stem the tide of my own cynicism.
Randy - Better than art
New reviews posted today: m/index.php?a=314">[click here]
Here's an entertaining review of the Lasse marhaug live album "Alive": m/article.asp?nObjectID=4861" target=_blank>https://www.rockfeedback.com/article.asp?nObjectID=4861
A Tune A Day has a brand new track from Darkthrone: m/2007/07/26/darkthrone-canadian-metal/" target="_blank">https://dalen.wordpress.com/2007/07/26/darkthrone-canadian-metal/
Norwegian/UK metal act [code] has enlisted Adrian Erlandsson (ex-At the Gates/Cradle of Filth) as their new drummer.
Wasted Sounds has posted a hi-res sample mp3 from the new Auktion record "Jag nekar i graven": m/mp3singlar.php?id=3" target="_blank">https://www.wastedsounds.com/mp3singlar.php?id=3
Otherwise, keep an eye out for the upcoming Enemy Alliance (ex-Satanic Surfers) / Indecision Alarm (ex-Adhesive) split CD to be released later this year. If you dig melodic punk in the vein of Hüsker Dü or Hot Water music, you'll definitely want to check that one out. Look for them to tour together in late August too.
Norway Rat reports that the new Årabrot 7" "HGSD" is just about ready for release. Listen to the b-side at myspace: myspace.com/arabrot" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/arabrot (track #4)
In other news, the debut album "marionette you are mine" from hardcore act Kambodsja will be out on August 27. Listen to samples from that one here: myspace.com/kambodsja" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/kambodsja
The ever-prolific Circle will be releasing the new album "Katapult" on September 11 via No Quarter along with a reissue of "Sunrise" on October 23. Even better, they'll be touring the US in support:
09/11 - middle East, Boston, mA
09/12 - Soundlab, Buffalo, NY
09/13 - Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH
09/14 - Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
09/15 - Lisa’s Oak Street Lounge, Louisville, KY
09/16 - Springwater, Nashville, TN
09/17 - Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
09/18 - tba
09/19 - Twisted Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville, VA
09/20 - Rock N Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
09/21 - Latvian Hall, Philadelphia, PA
09/22 - Knitting Factory, New York, NY
09/23 - BAR, New Haven, CT
09/24 - Chop Suey, Seattle, WA
09/25 - Rotture, Portland, OR
09/27 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
09/28 - tba, Los Angeles, CA
most East Coast dates are with Endless Boogie, out West we get Grails and Assembled Head in Sunburst Sound.