Figurines
s/t
Morningside Records/The Control Group

As with "When the deer wore blue", the dreamy echoes of '60s pop continue on through Figurines' self-titled release, coloring the album in nostalgic, sun-bleached tones and textures and casting strange shadows across their music. As fans of the band have come to expect, the swells of the compositions, both with respect to instrumentation and emotion, are layered and intricate, but not inaccessible or pretentious. The bright, clean production is subtly subverted by pop songs that are not reliant on guitar or vocal hooks, and tracks that evoke a summery feel often turn from the sun to explore the shade created by so much light -- "Have you always been someone that you've never been?" This perspective does not feel staged, as if the songs were deliberately crafted to include funhouse mirrors distorting the images reflecting back out of the music -- there is a natural, effortless flow to the compositions, even when a track turns corners that, at first, take the listener by surprise. On "We got away", what opens as a "Pet sounds"-inspired track evolves into something else: a love song that feels distanced from its central premise, and painfully aware of this detachment, as the subtle, clever refrain "I love her like a lover should love her" suggests. There is something this band brings to the table that so many other acts just cannot, an originality that is hard to pin down, but is nonetheless on full display on "Figurines".
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Tomas Halberstad - 1989

Swedish artist Tomas Halberstad has been sitting on a pile of unused electronic instrumentals for awhile now, but no longer -- he's just released the cream of the crop as a full-length album entitled "1989". Stream the whole thing at Soundcloud: m/tomas-halberstad/sets/tomas_halberstad_1989/" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/tomas-halberstad/sets/tomas_halberstad_1989/

Honningbarna to release album in late March

Honningbarna, the winners of this year's NRK Urørt prize for best unsigned act, will release their debut album "La alarmane gå" on march 25. The first single "Den eldre garde" is out now.

The Bristles spelar Ebba

Swedish punks The Bristles pay tribute to Ebba Grön with a free two-track single: m/2011/03/pressmeddelande-fran-bristles.html" target="_blank">https://sirling.blogspot.com/2011/03/pressmeddelande-fran-bristles.html

The Attacks, Lars and the Hands of Light live in NYC and Austin

Danish acts The Attacks and Lars and the Hands of Light will be coming over for SXSW and will both be stopping in NYC along the way: https://blog.crunchy.dk/post/Lars-and-The-Hands-of-Light-and-Thee-Attacks-in-the-US.aspx

Desperat - DIS - Vad är det för krångel?

Swedish hardcore punks Desperat are back in the studio and have already posted one new track online for preview: m/2011/03/dis-vad-ar-det-for-krangel.html" target="_blank">https://dbeatrawpunk.blogspot.com/2011/03/dis-vad-ar-det-for-krangel.html

Atlas Losing Grip spring tour

Atlas Losing Grip will be heading out on an extended European tour to support the release of their new album, due out in may via Black Star Foundation:

03/30 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
03/31 - tba, Hannover (GER)
04/01 - Roots Club, mönchengladbach (GER)
04/02 - Ant Attack Festival, Dillingen/Saar (GER)
04/13 - Wild at Heart, Berlin (GER)
04/14 - Zimmer 04, Regensburg (GER)
04/15 - Backstage, münchen (GER)
04/16 - Overdrive Festival, Kapfenberg (AUS)
04/17 - Arena, Wien (AUS) w/millencolin
04/18 - Orto Bar, Ljubljana (SLO)
04/19 - Lazzaretto, Bologna (ITA)
04/20 - Palazzo Granaio, Settimo milanese (milano) (ITA)
04/21 - tba
04/22 - tba
04/23 - tba
05/12 - Villa, Rotenburg (GER)
05/13 - Volxbad, Flensburg (GER)
05/14 - tba (GER)
05/15 - Panda Bar, Ulm (GER)
05/16 - Kulturcafe, mainz (GER)
05/17 - tba (BEL)
05/18 - The Frontline, Ghent (BEL)
05/19 - Sojo, Leuven (BEL)
05/20 - Sputnik Cafe, münster (GER)
05/21 - Das Zentrum, menden (GER)
05/22 - tba (GER)

MP3: Faster Katt - Each dawn I die

I get the feeling that people don't take Faster Katt very seriously and unfortunately, hearing them cover manowar will probably not change that. Truth be told, Faster Katt are a great band, far better than most folk's false impression of them as a goofy "sideproject" would indicate and, likewise, manowar is/was also a great band. Yes, the self-proclaimed Kings of metal are ridiculous and over-the-top, but their early records are a perfect blueprint of True Heavy metal, especially "Hail to England", the release this song originally appeared on. make fun of them all you want, it's easy to do, but us fans know the truth. my question however, will the members of Faster Katt be at one of manowar's upcoming three (!!!) shows at Trädgårn in Göteborg? Will they hold the sign of hammer high? Or will they be wimps and leave the hall? my feeling: they've got the gubbestyrka, they will heed the call.
Check out the rest of the band's latest demo at Bandcamp: mp.com/album/demo-2011" target="_blank">https://fasterkatt.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2011

Faster Katt - Each dawn I die

Blood Mortized prepare 2nd album

Swedish death metal act Blood mortized report that they will soon begin work on their new album "The key to a black heart" and will once again be recording at drummer mattias Borgh's own studio Underworld Recording. The band has also added a new guitarist: Gustaf myrin, an ex-member of Pathalog and Apes IQ.

Symfoniorkestern - Sommardepression '11 (video)

Swedish indiepop act Symfoniorkestern pay tribute to summer, something I'm sure many of us are greatly looking forward to as winter drags on. Download the mp3 here: mfoniorkestern.se/musik/symfoniorkestern_-_sommardepression_11.mp3" target="_blank">https://www.symfoniorkestern.se/musik/symfoniorkestern_-_sommardepression_11.mp3

Agent Side Grinder/Suicide split CS coming

Swedish industrial act Agent Side Grinder are teaming up with their genre forefathers Suicide for a split live cassette recorded at a concert in Lausanne, Switzerland last year and released on ASG's own Klangarkivet label. The official release date is march 23 and it will be available m/" target="_blank">from the band's website or on tour.

ÅBE - New teeth, new echo (video)

The sound of the new Swedish noiserock underground? They have an album, ask around.

David Sandström, like a punk indeed

Remember m/n/36495-tensta-sandstrom-at-citypriset-video">this? Well, it appears that was just the beginning -- apparently David Sandström will be playing live drums for Adam Tensta throughout his upcoming tour and has also contributed songwriting material to Tensta's forthcoming album "Scared of the dark" which comes out on march 14.

Twiggy Frostbite - Written within

The new Twiggy Frostbite single "Written within" is being given away as a free download: mail/twiggy-frostbite_written-within.mp3" target="_blank">https://www.despotz.se/email/twiggy-frostbite_written-within.mp3

Ulver unveil "War of the roses"

Details have been revealed for the new Ulver album "War of the roses", now confirmed for release in April via Kscope: m/ulver/ulver.html" target="_blank">https://www.jester-records.com/ulver/ulver.html
Said album is the first in many years to not be released on the band's own Jester Records and it also stands as the first release since establishing themselves as a formidable live act. Needless to say, this is one of 2011's most anticipated releases.