Datarock is offering up the track "New rave anthem" as a free download: music.com/download/newraveanthem.html" target=_blank>https://www.datarockmusic.com/download/newraveanthem.html

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
02. BigBang - Too much Yang
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Samvirkelaget - musikk
05. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
06. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
07. TNT - The New Territory
08. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
09. Superfamily - Warszawa
10. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
11. magnet - The Simple Life
12. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
13. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
14. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
15. Steinar Albrigtsen - moments of Peace
16. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
17. my midnight Creeps - Histamin
18. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
19. malin - malin på månen
20. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik

Both myspace.com/elenette" target=_blank>Elenette and myspace.com/nancywha" target=_blank>The Nancy Wha have added multiple new tracks to their respective myspace pages. I think I prefer the spunky energy of the latter over the psuedo smooth R&B sounds of the former.

Blodårstid says that the debut album "An eternal dark horizon" from Norway's Throne of Katarsis is the best black metal record they've heard so far this year: m/blod/2007/06/07/throne-of-katarsis-an-eternal-dark-horizon-cd/" target=_blank>https://www.holyterror.com/blod/2007/06/07/throne-of-katarsis-an-eternal-dark-horizon-cd/

Samuraj Cities have posted a live version of the song "my modest ones" over at myspace: myspace.com/samurajcities" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/samurajcities

MP3: Thunder Express - Vegas

It's more back-to-basics rock'n'roll today courtesy of Thunder Express, the band led by Hellacopters guitarist Robert "Strings" Dahlqvist. It's not a big departure from the 'Copters big-guitar sound. Perhaps a little less arena-rock? more New York Dolls than Journey. There's still plenty of triumphant guitar riffs, but they're more at home in a seedy bar than in some cavernous coliseum. Which is not to say that I'm dissing the Hellacopters either! many folks get down on their increasingly polished sound, but I'm totally okay with it.
Anyhow, Thunder Express' new record "Republic disgrace" is chock-full of solid tracks and "Vegas" is one of the standouts in my mind with it's simple, effective chorus. The shakers give it a little extra boogie-woogie and there's some sweet slide-guitar leads as well. Like I said, totally solid.

Thunder Express - Vegas

MP3: Aktiv Dödshjälp - Tysta vittnen

maybe it's because I've been on a bit of nostalgia trip, but Swedish crust act Aktiv Dödshjälp reminds me a lot of brutal mid-90s metalcore, stuff like Fall Silent, Gehenna (US) or maybe morning Again. The kind of stuff that's definitely more metal than 'core and heavy on the breakdowns. On the other hand, Aktiv Dödshjälp is probably far more rooted in d-beat and death metal. Despite the verse-chorus-breakdown/no-bullshit arrangements, the record "4:48" is chock-full of dark, ominous leads and fierce tremelo picking, sometimes even breaking into melodeath harmony. Lyrically, I don't think I've heard a more pessimistic record in a long while (until I get the new Shining, I guess). Take the name Aktiv Dödshjälp - active euthanasia. And "4:48", the album's title? That's the time most people commit suicide. Today's song "Tysta vittnen" ("Silent witness")? Actually one of lighter tracks in that it only deals with repression and subordination, not a pointless life lived in pain. Heavy stuff all around.

Aktiv Dödshjälp - Tysta vittnen

Kristofer Åström
RainawayTown
Startracks/V2

A new Kristofer Åström release is always something I make a mental note of, as he has long been a sentimental favourite of mine, Fireside being the band that really got me into Swedish music. "RainawayTown" may come as a bit of a surprise, as this is the first full-length to be recorded without his long-time backing band Hidden Truck. To compare this album to one of his peers, It would be safe to say the consistency prevalent on this album, his first full-fledged alt-country venture, is that which Ryan Adams has been searching for, as this surpasses his excellent "Cold roses". After the stellar (and very indie) "So much for staying alive", I wasn't sure what Kristofer Åström had in his bag of tricks, but I'm very glad that he'd still got a lot in there.
- Matt Giordano

Barr
s/t
Barr Inc.

This Barr, not to be confused with the American band Barr, plays quite the relaxing psych-folk with amazing vocal harmonies reminscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash. At four songs, it's easy to recommend listening to the whole lot, as it's sa ixteen minutes long breeze-by like the afternoon bottle of wine you enjoy on the porch. With a light, airy feel that would fit in between José González and the Kings Of Convenience, Barr is surely to become more well-known, and I can only hope to hear a full-length by them before the summer's out (specificially August), as it could make the appropriate closing to anyone's summer.
- Matt Giordano

Marit Bergman
Live @ Highline Ballroom, NYC, 06/05/07

marit Bergman played a short, yet very stellar set last night opening for Smoosh and The Pipettes. With her on guitar and flanked by three background singers dressed all in white, whom she intrduced as Joy, Nina (Persson) and Kat. Sticking mostly with mellow numbers from her most recent album "I think it's a rainbow", she breezed through a very brief twenty-five minute set. Highlights included absolutely gorgeous and intimate versions of "Today will be the day when mourning ends", "No party", "I will always be your soldier", "Eyes were blue" and "mama, I remember you now" and she closed with a new song. The trio of backing vocalists aided the whole set, either by emphasizing the hook of "No party" or by making "Today will be the day when mourning ends" one of the prettiest songs I have ever heard performed. marit was the perfect opener for a great night of pop music and was given quite the reception by the crowd at her set's completion.
- Matt Giordano

Shout Out Louds
Our ill wills
Bud Fox Recordings/Merge

It's finally here: the Shout Out Louds second album. I was wondering when the band would stop touring and record and last fall they entered the studio with Björn Yttling. In contrast to their debut album "Howl howl gaff gaff", where I thought the production overshadowed the both the songwriting and performance, everything is hit in stride and the songwriting has grown up a bit. With the single "Tonight I have to leave it" invading clubs and venues worldwide, the album is being set up to be one of the biggest indie releases of the year. Standout tracks such as "You are dreaming", "Normandie", "Time left for love" and "Blue headlights" (keyboardist Bebban Stenborg's singing debut) really connect with the listener, with both strong hooks and great lyrics. The album closes out in style with "Hard rain", a track that is most akin to "Howl howl gaff gaff" in feel, but not overpowered by production. Instead the production values allow the song to breathe and unfold before your ears. Although I thought the band should have gotten better known with their debut, this record surely will; and has been one of the records I have listened to the most so far this year.
- Matt Giordano

Slagsmålsklubben
Boss for leader
Djur and Mir/Dolores

This is not the impression I have of those prankters in Slagsmålsklubben. Frej and Co. always equals party-startin' and joyful madness! Or they used to at least. "Boss for leader" shows a much darker and stern side of the lads originally from Norrköping, Östergötland. Although "Hänt" and "malmö beach night party" resembles somewhat of the 'old' Slagsmålsklubben (with hits like "Övningsköra", "Wellington Sears" and "SmK hittar munspelet", all taken from "Den svenske disco", a great album), "Boss for leader" never really becomes that great album I'd hoped for. And that's a shame, since this was going to be their big introduction to the masses. "Boss for leader" just ain't a fair representation of the band. Not that I think the hardcore fans will ever care, to them (and me) Slagsmålsklubben will always be the band to start up parties and "Övningsköra" will always be the song on max volume on everybodys boombox on every festival you go to.
- Christian Stenbacke

Sleeping Beauty
Embrace
Attaboy/TMC

There are records, and then there are records. Petter Seander, one of the two Sleeping Beauties, said it himself in a recent interview "There are lots of bands, especially in this British punk/rock-hype that's going on right now, that initally makes me go 'Fuck yeah!'. But when you listen to the record for the fith time everyting just sounds the same." After listening to "Embrace" for the fifth time, everything definitely don't sound the same. On the contrary, "Embrace" needs at least five spins before you're able to penetrate the beautiful thing that it is. At first sight, Sleeping Beauty comes on like a band with a problem deciding what they actually want to sound like. They mix everying from blues and Americana to easy-listening pop and roots rock. But that's not nessecarily a bad thing - given time, "Embrace" grows on you tremendously. The wide spectra of the songs becomes somewhat of a strength and it keeps you interested. Each song affects the other, the first couple are quite the kick start with grand gestures, where the ballads are genuine ballads, slow and oozing with heart-stricken emotions. As a whole, "Embrace" will take you for quite a ride.
- Christian Stenbacke

The Spy In the Mes
And that's why I breathe through the illusion of wanting
Polynation

This record has been tough for me to listen to, not necessarily as a result of the music, but to even open up the case to put the cd in the player. The artwork is so atrocious (which is an understatement) that I really struggled to get past that barrier to listen to what's underneath. It's a bit of a shame too, because some of the tracks on here ("Episode 3 1! 2! 3! 4!", "SmallBlondeFreakymother" and "Dearest dearest") are pretty good. But it's just left me a bit confused, because if a band puts this much effort into writing songs and compiling them into an album, they'd have better artwork (that would actually refelct their indie/alt rock circus sound) rather than really, really bad graffitti sketches that would even look out of place in the early nineties. In the music industry, (sadly) image sells as much as the recorded output, and if they're projecting themselves to be bad visually, then one would assume the plastic circle inside is bad as well, which is quite defeatist, and ultimately disappointing to me.
- Matt Giordano

David Åhlén put on a great show in Seattle last night, though I did end up missing the first song. I should've figured that a show at a church-run coffee house was more likely to start on time, but early? Unheard of! Anyhow, it was great to see him play in-person on his final US date. I also snagged the last few copies of his new 7" that he had with him and have m/store/product.php?productid=486">posted them for sale.