Fat Planet talks to El Perro Del mar: m.au/blog/2007/01/08/el-perro-del-mar-sweden/" target=_blank>https://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/2007/01/08/el-perro-del-mar-sweden/

The Fashion's new self-titled album will be released on February 19 with touring to follow in April and may. Listen to the first single "Letters from the ambulance" at myspace: myspace.com/thefashiondk" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/thefashiondk

Last Days of April has two brand new songs up on myspace: myspace.com/ldoa" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/ldoa

Wasted Sounds has new records (as in vinyl) on the way from Dödsdömd, Insurgent Kid and Blinds before the end of the month. Head to their website for mp3s and details: m/" target=_blank>https://www.wastedsounds.com/

Sahara Hotnights will be posting their new single on myspace on January 31.

Cut City's new website is finally open and you can stream their entire new album "Exit decades" there: m/" target=_blank>https://www.cut-city.com/
The CD comes out February 6 via GSL, the LP on Some Industries/Deleted Art. Highly recommended for fans of 1999 or The Kid.

New GAS tourdates for Swedish rockers Diamond Dogs:

01/19 - Wild at Heart, Berlin
01/20 - Real music, Lauchhammer
01/21 - Cobra, Solingen
01/23 - Valentin, Kempten
01/24 - Arena, Wien
01/25 - Rockhouse, Salzburg
01/26 - Suboptimal, Bamberg
01/27 - Gaswerk, Winterthur
01/28 - mitch, mitch
01/29 - Zwölfzehn, Stuttgart
01/30 - Sonic Ballroom, Köln

Speaking of things Diamond Dogs-related, living legend David Bowie is 60 today. I know this because he is born on the best day of the year, the same as me.

Sonomu has a nice review of Sonores posted today: mu.net/text/~sonores-elefante/" target=_blank>https://sonomu.net/text/~sonores-elefante/
Again, this is one of 2006's best releases and is highly recommended.

Swedish cult black-metal act The Black (ex-Dissection/Vinterland/etc.) has posted a new song on myspace, their first new material in thirteen (!!!) years: myspace.com/officialtheblack" target=_blank>https://myspace.com/officialtheblack
The band just finished recording their new album "Alongside death" at Erebus Odora with Peter Björgö (Arcana, Sophia).

Logh has posted some snippets from their new album on myspace: myspace.com/logh" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/logh
Sounds amazing, just like I expected.

Danish rockers The Coloursound Revolution have a few new songs on myspace: myspace.com/thecoloursoundrevolution" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/thecoloursoundrevolution

Profile: Schtimm

The Book Of Daniel
Songs for the Locust King
Black Star Foundation

Building upon last year's free downloadable EP, The Book Of Daniel have created quite a solid full-length album as their debut. That being said, if one is familiar with the EP, then you may be a bit disappointed to learn that four of the albums' ten tracks are repeated. What is most amazing about this album is that it sounds like the band has honed its craft for years and the mature vocals just exemplify this even more. The hooks prevalent in "The camels parade" and "Deadringer deadringer" lure the listener to chime in and sing along, especially with the group vocals on the latter track. This whole album is formal, steadily beautiful and just so confident, it's somewhat alarming to review. "Songs for the Locust King" is just fantastic; one of the more fully-realised debut albums I have heard in a long time.
- Matt Giordano

E.S.T. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio)
Tuesday wonderland
ACT

I reviewed EST's last album, "Viaticum", and I was pleased and impressed by their fusion of jazz and rock. "Tuesday wonderland" follows a similar pattern in bringing together the worlds of rock and jazz the way it was meant to be in the first place (Weather Report and Return to Forever be damned). The most significant difference with "Viaticum" is that "Tuesday wonderland" includes electric and electronic instruments, most notably electric bass, as a significant textural and leading instrument through some of the songs, although very little of the work done there could be described as "riffs". The album is also a lot more pop than the previous, without ever reverting to easy listening-Diana Krall-jazz that your father seems to enjoy. Though they do bring together two genres in a way that I have not heard before, they keep one foot firmly in the post-bop composition style that is heard often in jazz these days. Truly a trio that has reconciled two worlds.
- Simon Thibaudeau

Gösta Berlings Saga
Tid är ljud
Transubstans Records

Prog rock is a somewhat maligned genre these days and any group that chooses to head for the even more rarified air of instrumental prog is clearly confident enough not to worry about detractors. But Sweden's Gösta Berlings Saga are really quite good, and they've staked out a particular niche that listeners should know about. This debut recording offers up the expected banquet of energetic keyboards, propulsive percussion and layered guitars, but it's made more listenable than you'd expect because empty displays of virtuosity are kept to a minimum. The music goes somewhere; the dramatic flow is well anchored, and you can actually tap your foot to the rhythm most of the time. Sure, some of it gets a bit tedious in places, but the seven songs keep you engaged more often than not. Echoes of Yes, magma and Krautrock artists such as Neu! and Can abound and having a Swedish imprint on it makes for a freshness that really enlivens the sound. All four players reveal impressive chops, with captivating sequences on mellotron and Fender Rhodes standing out the most. No trippy dippy lyrics or dramatic vocals here, just disciplined instrumental work.
- Kevin Renick