Tag: Mp3s
"Shine down on us" is about your grandmother, right?
That is right.
It's a beautifully powerful song, probably the album highlight for me. Can you tell me more about her?
Well, her name was Ellen Kitok Andersson. She belonged to the Sami people. She did poetry, handicraft and arts.
She wrote parts of the lyrics in "Shine down on us". It was originally one of her poems. Once she asked me how it sounded if I sang in Swedish, so I wrote some music to her poem "Pärlor I Sjaunia-älven". She really liked it, so I sang it on her funeral - and the sun began to shine down on us through the window into the church. It was probably the most epic moment in my life.
What was she like?
She was a hard working handicraft artist. A thinker and a dreamer. She lived on her arts and gave my father and his siblings a really good start into life. She was the one everyone in the family came to when they needed to talk, and get answers. She had kind of an unspoken goddess aura around her. Right there where she sat. By her working desk. In her peaceful home.
In 2005 I became really sick. I got a tumor in my throat and had to spend a lot of time in the hospital. When I was not in there, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She was a really special person, and we shared a really special bond. I think that we still do in a way.
Whenever I'm in a hard struggle I dream of her at night and she speaks to me and tells me what to do to get on through. She helps me.
How is it for you to perform live?
I've never played it live. But I have played "Pärlor I Sjaunia-älven" live and it's always both hard and beautiful. Once a five year old boy started to cry when I played it. I could never write such powerful lyrics myself. If I get a chance to to a full album in Swedish, it will definitely be on that.
When the seasons are shifting
In colours so bright
Maybe blinded by colours you get
Like in dreams from my childhood
I'm one with the wind
And I'm drifting away in my mind
You're tears are building a stream
Tears like pearls falling down
Maybe I'll give you some of my pearls
If you share me the colour of love
Read the full interview
Elmo - Shine down on us
Here's something kinda random: Luleå-based folk/swing/hip-hop act Movits! will be appearing The Colbert Report tomorrow, July 27. Apparently, Mr. Colbert is a fan so he invited the group to perform on his show. How he heard of them, I have no idea -- honestly, I'm only vaguely familiar myself, mostly because of the recent single he/they did with Zacke "Spela mig på radion" (see below, and yes, I have obliged). Too bad I cancelled my cable recently; guess I gotta wait for the web replay on Tuesday to see what it's all about. And New Yorkers, you can also check the group live at Joe's Pub on Friday, July 31.
Zacke - Spela mig på radion (feat. Movits!)
Arvid is way too hi-fi to ride the wave of hype surrounding similar synthpop revival acts such as Cold Cave or whatever (and not nearly prolific enough either), but musically speaking, they're in similar territory. I'm sure some underground purists will scoff at that notion, but come on now -- let's be honest folks. They're all mining the same sounds Depeche Mode perfected ages ago, though yes, I concede that Arvid is firmly on the poppier side of things. Regardless, it's not quite as driving/pounding/industrial as I normally like this style to be, but whatever. It's succeeds at doing what it intends. I suppose that if you ever wondered what a melodramatic act like Kent would sound like minus guitars, Arvid might fill in the blanks.
Arvid - Kom och ta
"Happy without the boy" directly confronts all old maid/independent woman stereotypes, prejudices and presumptions to say that, yes, a woman can be happy by herself. She does not need a man to complete her, nor does it make her gay or weird or anything else. Absolutely nothing worth fretting over. Of course, people talk and let's not even get into women who decide to forgo children, that's a whole 'nother rat-hole. Cilihili (aka Cecilia Nordlund from Souls/Monkeystrikes, also live w/Fever Ray) has always been a strong, pro-female artist both on and off stage (she also works with Popkollo for instance), but even better that she lays it out in song in no uncertain terms. Better than that, it's by far the highlight of her album "Not listening".
Cilihili - Happy without the boy
Despite releasing the new "Death to my hometown" EP recently, Logh has been keeping an extremely low profile as of late. Raising families, recording other bands, living life... just a few shows here and there, but mostly keeping quiet and out of the spotlight. It's a shame, but it's not as if I don't understand -- playing in an underappreciated band takes its toll, not to mention all the various false starts, botched US releases and other annoyances the band has faced. Of course I still stand behind them 100% and am happy to restate it, even if releasing a 7" wasn't enough by itself. As for the new EP, the standout for me is not the title track/single, but the new version of "Forest eyes" which originally appears on the album "North". As with much of the band's recent material, the mood is plaintive and reserved, though this updated version adds a synth throb and a driving beat that gives it so much more oomph over the original. Still, it's the band's restraint which gives them their strength -- the more they hold back, the more gripping it is. The e-bowed guitar adds more tension, too, way more than the plainspoken arrangement on the original. There's no massive conclusion either, but the resolve feels right. Anything else would be out of character. Still one of Sweden's best bands despite the lack of drama.
Logh - Forest eyes (RBG version)
Swedish trio Kongh step up the game on their new album "Shadows of the shapeless" by delivering a concise, punishing record. "Concise" is a stretch actually, but when you consider how many of their ilk go for the longer=better formula, any tracks < 15 minutes stand out. Only one band can hold chords and my attention for any longer and that's Khanate and they're long gone; broke the mold and took it with 'em too. Anyhow, music that despairing is almost too painful to revisit with any frequency, so I much prefer the far more straightforward pummel of Kongh. It's slow and heavy, it's got discernible head-banging riffs, it makes me happy in a way that only the most crushing doom can. We'll see if Trust No One label bosses Switchblade can top 'em whenever their new one drops, but for now this one stands alone.
Kongh - Unholy water
The new [ingenting] single "Halleluja!" begins with a beautiful cascading melody and just gets better from there on out. This is Swedish pop at its absolute best; lush, gorgeous and impassioned. Even if nothing else on the forthcoming album "Tomhet, idel tomhet" comes close to touching this, they can still rest easy at night because few other singles this year have been so immediately gratifying. I posted another arena-ready track earlier today, but this so much bigger. Kent-sized even. Sing it to the rafters, to the skies!
[ingenting] - Halleluja!
I fully admit it, I love good emo-pop. When done right, it aspires to Journey-like levels of arena pop and there's no shame in that kind of rock'n'roll populism. The subject matter tends to be a touch more dour than ye 80s classic rock mainstays, but that is the zeitgeist after all. Oh woe is me/us/them! It's the sound of the 00s and yes, it is almost over, though I don't think that's what Fare You Well is singing about here. Why bother dissecting the lyrics anyway? Just sing along and join in on the "woo-ooh-ooh". Smile a little bit wider. And download the band's entire new free EP: https://www.myspace.com/fareyouwell
Fare You Well - It's almost over
Absolut Noise called me out, so I guess it's only fair that I respond. Skatan is okay I guess, but I doubt I would have given her a 2nd thought without prompting. I don't like those little scoops she does with her voice and she's got to work harder to keep her affectations in check. Less is most certainly more in that department. The songs Swedesplease posted are my least favorite of the five from her myspace and the worst offenders of overdoing it. "Poisoned sky" is decent though: quiet and moody with a definite dramatic arc. And I have to agree with Aymeric that "Top of the mountain" is the best of the bunch, so that's the one I'm re-sharing today. A little swing does her a lot of good; it also better suits her singing style. But next big thing? No, sorry. I'm not that excited.
Skatan - Top of the mountain
One last Transubstans-affiliated mp3 for this week: Villebråd is an anomaly in the label's roster in that they aren't very heavy at all, at least not anymore. Progressive, yes, but also way more synth/post-punk than rock'n'roll. It's a streamlined sound, very clean and sharp and with a dark, artsy edge. "Vaknar aldrig" is all awkward up-and-down riffs, trading voices and speaking in staccato rhythms. So yeah, things get complicated, yet they've got everything so honed and locked down that it never feels messy, no matter how many different things are going on (and there are a lot). It's still not as immediately satisfying as the other Villebråd track I posted years ago, but it still sticks out for being undeniably interesting.
Villebråd - Vaknar aldrig
Abramis Brama lean way closer towards party rock than most Transubstans acts. Still definitely hard n' heavy, still definitely touched by the hand of prog, but also full of smiles, good times and plenty of gratuitous jams. It's all in good fun though; these dudes seem way more into rocking out than pure flash and shred. And how about that cowbell? I'm a sucker for it, always and forever. I do think I'm a bit more partial to the gloom and doom overall, a sound that Abramis Brama doesn't quite bring to the table, but I'm also okay with a little diversity now and then. Good ballsy rock always makes me happy.
Abramis Brama - Kylan kommer inifran
Last week I featured a bunch of new mp3s from National Records, this week I'm going to start off with a few choice cuts from the Swedish hard rock label Transubstans. I'm always excited when something new shows up from them, because even when it's derivative nth-generation rehash, it's almost always done so killer, I barely notice. Some of their proggier acts definitely push boundaries, but screw it; I even dig the most baseline riff-rockers they can churn out. For example: Graveyard? Hell yeah. Glad to see they're getting respect in the US too, though labelmates Siena Root are a touch better for my money (new album very soon, can't wait!). Interested in hearing more bluesy heaviness along those same lines? Check out Mangrove. Not nearly as retro-obsessed as their aforementioned peers, though they bring the rawk just as loud and proud. And actually, the touchstone act for these guys wouldn't be Black Sabbath, Deep Purple or any other oft-cited 70s act of their ilk, rather I'd say it's (mid-to-late period) Soundgarden. There's tons of pentatonic runs as you'd expect, but there's a definite psych-pop thing going on as well. The vocals approximate a reined-in Chris Cornell too, especially on the choruses. He can't quite nail the siren wail, but I always found that stuff kind of annoying, so it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I just like that it's heavy and catchy. And totally killer, 'natch.
Mangrove - River of my soul
Closing out the week's mp3s posts with one last release on National... Hägga & the Thieves from the North follow in much of the same folksy/indie/pop tradition as other similarly-named Swedish acts such Billie the Vision & the Dancers, Elias and the Wizzkids and so on, and as such, is full of cheery singalongs and joyful melodies. "The day awaits your choice" is their latest single and it's got a gentle samba rhythm, a pleasant understated charm and a crisp, well-balanced recording. A good 70s vibe too, especially in the way that the bass is mixed as the second loudest instrument behind the vocals. All in all, very nice. Like so nice I don't want to say anything negative because I'm afraid I'll hurt their feelings. So let's leave it at that!
Hägga & the Thieves from the North - The day awaits your choice
NEI, still redefining old man's rock. That's their tagline, don't wear it out. All us folks who grew up on AmRep, Touch & Go and other antagonistic rock are getting older, but we're not necessarily mellowing with age. I still long for the same sounds of yore, sung anew; I still want to bang out a racket all my own. The old records still sound just as good, but I want more! Young upstarts try and often fail; I say, to leave it to your elders to do it right. By all reports, the recent Jesus Lizard reunion was fully on point and NEI are no slouchers either. "City of gold" has been spun many, many times here at HQ since I received in on a demo CDr back in 2007, but now it's an official "single" on National, the band's first. Not like I expect radio to jump all over it though, so I advise those of you with a similar mindet and likewise similar (excellent) taste to download immediately! The album "New agenda" (due out September 16) can't come soon enough! Bring it on!
NEI - City of gold
Might as well stick with the label National for the rest of the week's mp3 posts. Micke from Sweden, the solo alias of Micke Lohse from Atomic Swing, at his best conjures up the aged, world-weary sounds of American-era Johnny Cash. At his worst, well, let's just stick with what works... "Waiting for the end" even incorporates some apocalyptic end-times religious imagery too, though I can't say whether or not he's got true faith in his heart or if he's just putting on airs. Regardless, as long as it's delivered convincingly that's all that matters and Micke does a decent job of pulling it off. Also, even when the strings and backing choir come in, he keeps the arrangement sparse and raw and works it for all he's got. At least it sounds honest. Anyhow, he's still decades away from doing songs like "Hurt" will the gravity of a life fully lived behind him, but it's a start.
Micke from Sweden - Waiting for the end