I'm still not that into pure Flash-based websites or splash pages, but Pimentola's new website is actually kinda cool: mentola.fi/" target=_blank>https://www.pimentola.fi/
The song "Hearts dementia" in the jukebox gives me chills.

Swedish singer/songwriter Racingpaperplanes has a new single available for free download: m/rpp_in_company_websingle.htm" target=_blank>https://www.tractrecords.com/rpp_in_company_websingle.htm

Updated tourdates for Jenny Wilson:

02/15 - Factory Theatre, Sydney (AU)
02/16 - The Prince, melbourne (AU)
02/17 - Perth International Arts Festival, Perth (AU)
03/30 - The Village, Dublin (IRL)
03/31 - Roisin Dubh, Galway (IRL)
04/02 - Water Rats Theater, London (UK)
04/03 - The Social, Nottingham (UK)

Besides doing quite a few Scandinavian dates later this month and in march, Asta Kask will also be going abroad to Germany in April: m/" target=_blank>https://www.astakask.com/

Hyacinth House, the virtually unknown Swedish roots act who released one of my favorite albums m/index.php?a=135">back in 2005, has finally posted some new songs from their forthcoming record: myspace.com/wwwhyacinthhousese" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/wwwhyacinthhousese
Entitled "Black crows country" and due in may, it will be the first of two albums on the way this year from main singer/songwriter marcus "mack" Johansson. The second is called "Cornbread and big tomahawks" and it should be out around summertime assuming everything goes according to schedule. Looking forward to it!

Updated dates for Norwegian powerpop act Beezewax:

02/09 - Doc Browns, middlesboro (UK)
02/10 - Independent, Sunderland (UK)
02/11 - Dog & Partridge, Bolton (UK)
02/12 - DnR bar, Sheffield (UK)
02/13 - The magnet, Liverpool (UK)
02/14 - The Gander, Bournemouth (UK)
02/16 - The Lido, margate (UK)
02/18 - Popin (acoustic show), Paris (FRA)
02/19 - Kitsch Pop club, Vitoria, Álava (ESP)
02/20 - Teatre municipal, Sant Feliu de Guixols (ESP)
02/21 - Sala Attico, Don Benito (ESP)
02/22 - Zero, Tarragona (ESP)
02/23 - Wah Wah, Valencia (ESP)
02/24 - Less Basses (mini Festival), Barcelona (ESP)

Alarma man has posted two new demo tracks on myspace, the first taste of what to expect from their next album this fall: myspace.com/alarmaman" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/alarmaman

Here's those US dates for Tina Dico I mentioned last week:

06/18 - Joe's Pub, New York
06/19 - The Drake, Toronto
06/20 - Largo, Los Angeles

120 Days will support Ratatat for a batch of North American dates in late march:

03/21 - Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago, IL
03/23 - Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
03/24 - In the Venue, Salt Lake City, UT
03/26 - Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
03/27 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
03/28 - Richard's on Richards, Vancouver, BC
03/29 - WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
03/30 - Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco, CA
04/01 - Glass House, Pomona, CA
04/02 - Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA
04/10 - Loft, Atlanta, GA

MP3: Kallioinia - Making out

I've been wanting to post some skweee, but since it exists solely in vinyl format for the time being, this might be as close as we're gonna get for now. One of these days I'll hook my turntable up to my computer again so I can rip and encode some records, but until that time comes, we'll just have to make do. Kallionia is the duo of matti and Simon Kallioinen. Sister Julia contributes to a song as well. But the thing that got my attention was that production duties were shared by Pavan. Perhaps you remember that Fattaru track "100:-" that I posted m/index.php?d=1105">awhile back? Well, that was also a Pavan production and probably one of the best songs I posted last year. Kallioinia doesn't quite bring the funk like Fattaru, but I do love the squiggly bassline on the track I've posted today. The goofy Peter Frampton ripoff vocals are fun too. Actually, "goofy" and "fun" are probably the two best adjectives to describe these guys. This isn't music that requires much thought - it's pure silly enjoyment and sometimes that's all I need, especially on a monday morning.

Kallioinia - Making out

MP3: The Bear Quartet - The Supremes

This week's post of The Bear Quartet comes courtesy of Aymeric from French music blog m" target=_blank>Absolut Noise, a site he characterizes as being solely dedicated to The Bear Quartet 'cept that he also covers other Swedish music sometimes. This is what he had to say:

Yesterday, I saw I'm From Barcelona live. I chatted a bit with their (very nice) singer Emmanuel. I mentioned The Bear Quartet to him. "They made so many records" he said. "They are not very famous in Sweden. They are underground," he added. That's pretty much it. You can be a popular (actually good) band with one single album or remain an underground band which released 14 albums (if I am right). Weird.

Like 99,99% of French people, I had never heard about BQ before moving to Stockholm in August 2003. I discovered them quite late then. Now they are my favourite band ever.

I remember the first time I listened to "Saturday night". Well, I knew BQ changed their sound for each of their albums. I knew they could make strange records such as "my war". But I could not expect that "Saturday night" would be THAT weird. At first I hated it. Where the hell were the guitars? Where the fuck were the melodies? Then, I got it. This is a piece of genius. And if "Saturday night" is an erratic trip to nowhere, it remains now my favourite BQ album (with "Angry brigade").

"The Supremes" is my fave song on this album. Not sure why. maybe 'cause it makes me wanna bang my head against the wall. Or jump through a window. Anyway, I am pretty sure an elephant shouts in the microphone several times on this track. Definitely not a healthy song.

For more BQ-related goodness, check out Absolut Noise's recent 1-year birthday celebration post which features live tracks from mattias Alkberg BD: m/2007/02/mabd-live-for-my-birthday.html" target=_blank>https://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2007/02/mabd-live-for-my-birthday.html

The Bear Quartet - The Supremes

I am still looking for more people to contribute to our weekly Bear Quartet tribute posts. Whether you want to praise your favorite song or express your disdain of their worst, I want you to share it. Email me!

Strip music has created their own homemade video for the song "24hrs" and you can see it here: music.se/videos#24alt" target=_blank>https://www.stripmusic.se/videos#24alt

Psychopunch will play a trio of shows in Ireland this coming march with The Rulers Of The Planet:

03/29 - Rosin Dubh, Galway
03/30 - Baker Place, Limerick
03/31 - Halfmoon Club, Cork

Pelle Carlberg's new album "In a nutshell" is now confirmed for release on march 28. See him on tour in Italy next week:

02/07 - morya, Cellatica
02/08 - Covo, Bologna
02/09 - Sintetica, Firenze
02/10 - Loop Cafè, Perugia
02/11 - Zuni, Ferrara
02/12 - No Fun, Udine
02/13 - Lego Cafè, Cesena
02/14 - La Casa 139, milano