Norway's Casiokids make Pitchfork's Forkcast: media.com/article/download/147078-new-music-casiokids-togens-hule-stream" target="_blank">https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/147078-new-music-casiokids-togens-hule-stream

m/store/home.php?cat=21">The November CD blowout continues! Not only have I marked down an incredible amount of inventory, I'm also offering 10% off for all purchases over $50 and 20% off for everything over $100. Help me clear out merch to make room for 2009!

Peter Bjorn and John
Seaside rock
Wichita/V2

To be rather honest, I haven't really kept up with Peter Bjorn and John since they became everyone's favorite Swedish pop act with "that whistling song". Due to my negligence, I was completely taken aback by the instrumental nature of "Seaside rock" -- not just because there are few vocals (and the ones present are treated like instruments), but because a decent amount of the tracks on the album would be much improved by the introduction of a lyrical voice. It's hard to fully settle into the album. my mind keeps recalling tracks like "Objects of my affection" and "Up against the wall" from "Writer's block", and comparing those songs with the efforts on "Seaside rock" (I hope the rhyming nature of the two album titles was not intentional), this new record doesn't fare too well. It's not awful, not by a stretch, but the sudden and strange shift of tone is... well, awkward (and not in a cute way). The lush pop layering of Peter Bjorn and John has been replaced by avant-garde, postrock-inspired tendencies -- it's like Shout Out Louds following up "Our ill wills" with an album of Godspeed! You Black Emperor covers. There are some fantastic results -- "Barcelona", for example -- but the overall, lasting impression is the question, "Why?" "Seaside rock" is interesting, but it should have been released under a different band name; it's just not a Peter Bjorn and John record, but it has to be judged to that standard... and, sadly, it doesn't live up.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

There's a new Rumskib track called "Secrete" posted on myspace: myspace.com/rumskib" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/rumskib

Opeth will tour South America in the spring: m/index.php/news/show/id/97" target="_blank">https://www.opeth.com/index.php/news/show/id/97

NORCD is releasing a new version of the classic medieval Norwegian ballad "Draumkvedet" featuring Berit Opheim Versto on vocals and Karl Seglem on ram's horn and electronics. Sounds fascinating - read more: https://www.norcd.no/DisplayArticle.php?id=369

Check out the new video for "martian arts" from Icelandic act Singapore Sling: m/watch?v=BnWDQUUj23w&fmt=18" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnWDQUUj23w&fmt=18

The new self-titled album from Norwegian act I Was A King is confirmed for release on January 19 via Hype City. Samples at myspace: myspace.com/iwasaking" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/iwasaking

Halo of Pendor, the solo act of Daniel Öhman (Ef, Convoj, When We Fall), will be heading out on a European tour in a few days:

11/21 - Hasenschaukel, Hamburg (GER) w/The Gentle Act Incident (acoustic)
11/22 - Az Conni, Dresden (GER) w/Kom 11/23 - Gallerie Durchlauferhitzer, Halle (GER)
11/24 - Take Five, maastricht (NL) w/The Gentle Act Incident (acoustic)
11/25 - Steinbruch, Duisburg (GER)
11/26 - Student House of Sten's, Ghent (BEL) w/The Gentle Act Incident (acoustic)
11/27 - Kino Im Walzenlager, Oberhausen (GER)
11/28 - Hafen 2, Offenbach am main (GER)
11/29 - Chez Heinz Salon, Hannover (GER) w/The Gentle Act Incident (acoustic)
11/30 - NBI, Berlin (GER) w/This Town Needs Guns

members of Ef, Immanu El and The Gentle Act Incident will make up the backing band. Samples here: myspace.com/haloofpendor" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/haloofpendor

Lykke Li is coming back to North America in late January:

01/31 - Sixth And I, Washington, Washington DC
02/02 - Webster Hall, New York
02/04 - Club Soda, montreal, Quebec
02/06 - Phoenix, Toronto, Ontario
02/07 - metro, Chicago, IL
02/08 - Varsity, minneapolis, mN
02/11 - Commodore, Vancouver BC
02/12 - Hawthorne, Portland, OR
02/13 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
02/15 - Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
02/17 - Glass House, Pomona, CA
02/18 - Granada, Dallas, TX
02/19 - Antone's, Austin, TX

The St. Petersburg Times interviews IAT favorites Desert Planet: mes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=27610" target="_blank">https://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=27610

Aftonbladet reports that Laleh has a new album on the way in January: musik/article3799578.ab" target="_blank">https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/article3799578.ab (in Swedish)

Unsigned Swedish rockers marrakesh are streaming a bunch of new tracks at myspace: myspace.com/marrakeshtheband" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/marrakeshtheband
Fairly promising, I'd say.

michael Bach of the Swedish indie collective Wild Geese music has a new EP posted for free download called "I fell down": music.com/" target="_blank">https://www.wildgeesemusic.com/

Swedish indie/neo-soul artist Little Dragon is coming over to the US for a batch of shows this month:

11/20 - Beauty Bar, San Diego, CA
11/21 - The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA
11/22 - Soho, Santa Barbara, CA
11/23 - Café Du Nord, San Fransisco, CA
11/24 - Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA
11/25 - Detroit Bar, Costa mesa, CA
11/28 - LPR, New York City, NY
11/29 - Black Cat mainstage, Washington DC
12/01 - m Room, Philadelphia, PA
12/02 - Berklee, Boston, mA
12/03 - New College, Sarasota, FL