Tag: Mp3s
Whatever happened to Paola? I guess I'm not that surprised her divorce from super-producer/Teddybears member Klas Åhlund effectively ended her career, but you never know, right? I suppose that Teddybears rerecording her vocals on "Yours to keep" with Neneh Cherry and Annie was the final nail in her coffin. Listening back to her 2002 album "Stockcity girl", it's fairly obvious that its success owes much to Åhlund's involvement, but it's not as if she was some no-talent nobody. Paola is quality pop and if you like the record that Åhlund did with Robyn, there's no reason why you shouldn't love this too. Hard to believe it's been five years since this was released - it still sounds pretty damn fresh today.
Paola - Stockcity girl
As I've said before, besides Umeå-based act Regulations, Denmark's No Hope for the Kids are the finest retro-punks in the world. But as I've also previously noted, it's amazing how current the band's Cold War rhetoric sounds today. Secret police? Doesn't sounds too far-fetched here in George Bush's America. The best thing about this song though, is that it's so damn catchy. I can listen to it over and over again.
Note: this is a vinyl rip so the quality isn't perfect. Deal with it.
No Hope for the Kids - Secret police
Lately I have been spending a lot of time exploring the Norwegian pop charts. It's an arduous task, but I do it so that you don't have to. Believe it or not, there are gems out there waiting to be discovered. Sadly, today's track is not one of them.
It's no secret that I'm a fan of World Idol champ Kurt Nilsen. He's got an undeniably amazing voice and a charming, trolldoll appearance. My wife practically melts every time she hears him. What's not to like, right? Naturally, I was intrigued by the "Hallelujah - Live" album featuring Kurt alongside fellow Norwegian singer/songwriter/heartthrobs Espen Lind, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm. The concept is a totally contrived - four dudes, already at least somewhat successful on their own, together on stage with acoustic guitars playing a few safe cover tunes and helping eachother sing their hits. It's a no-brainer recipe for success, so it's no surprise that the CD and accompanying DVD were massive sellers. Too bad the music is bland, bland, bland. Even Kurt's songs sound weak compared to the album versions. He still sounds good, but he's phoning it in. The best thing about the record: hearing the girls in the crowd shreik when their favorite star hits a high note or does something else swoon-worthy. This cover of "Man of constant sorrow" is kinda great too, if only for the WTF factor.
Look for more Norwegian pop in coming weeks.
Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm - Man of constant sorrow
The Rooph sound like the Norwegian equivalent of Placebo, minus the drugs and the danger. Not that Placebo sounds all that doped-up or dangerous anymore, but hey - neither does The Rooph. What remains: an androgynous vocalist fronting a melancholic rock band with a slight propensity towards noisy, distorted guitars. Once upon a time, Placebo could conjure up almost Big Black-levels of screaming guitar intensity and I think The Rooph aspires towards that, but falls short. It's a common complaint with Scandinavian music - there's nothing obviously wrong about The Rooph, they are simply a less-exciting copy of a more successful act. It's too clean, too perfect. They lack the willful abandon that so often is an integral part of quality rock'n'roll. Maybe they come across better in a live situation. On record they register a "meh". It's especially frustrating because I have a feeling that if they really were on drugs, they'd probably be awesome.
The Rooph - Silver street
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 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
This week's post of The Bear Quartet comes courtesy of Aymeric from French music blog 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: https://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2007/02/mabd-live-for-my-birthday.html
The Bear Quartet - The Supremes
I was watching the Musikbyrån 10-year special the other day (thanks Christoffer!) and amongst the bounty of footage was a short live clip of First Floor Power performing "We are the people". In that brief moment, I realized I knew exactly what song I had to post this Friday. I'm mostly ambivalent about First Floor Power's music, much preferring the more recent solo work of members Jenny Wilson and Karl-Jonas Winqvist aka Blood Music, but this song trumps 'em all. The base of the song is a shuffling beat and a ghostly four-note melody, upon which they pile layers of sound: a little squeezebox, some electronics, handclaps. When they take it to the chorus, the song explodes with heavy tremolo guitar and grand declarations. However, I think the lines that begin the verses are more crucial: "We are the people who tried to create something new / We are the people who tried to invent something true" High aspirations that deserve to be lauded.
First Floor Power - We are the people
It's February so that means it's time once again for a new album of the month, 'cept of course now my selection is tied into my Record Club. Even though Asha Ali garnered 'best newcomer' nominations for both the P3 Guld awards and the Swedish Grammis, I still feel like she hasn't quite gotten her due. Her debut full-length was one of late 2006's best surprises. Her music is earthy, warm and soulful, even on the catchiest numbers such as "Fire, fire" (which I posted back in mid-November) and today's track "Coward heart". Those two songs are piggybacked at the top of the record which initially led me to think it was top-heavy and front-loaded, but further listens proved that it's actually a much more compelling listen when taken in as a whole. Get drawn in with the upbeat numbers, stay for the ballads.
Asha Ali - Coward heart
The new Isolation Years album "Sign, sign", one of my most anticipated records for 2007, was released today. Fortunately for me, I got an early promo so I've already had a few weeks to spend with the album. Fortunately for you too 'cuz the more I've gotten to know the music, the more I understand and appreciate it. My history of first impressions with Isolation Years have been fraught with peril in the past, so I make sure to give them a lot of time to grow on me. Case in point: I hated sophomore album "It's golden" when it was first released and now it's one of my most favorite records ever. "Sign, sign" in no way elicited such a strong reaction, but I was skeptical. As Nancy stated in her review, the album is very consistent, but lacking in standout moments. It took quite a few listens before any of the songs besides the first single "Landslide" (which I've posted today) embedded themselves into my memory. My outlook changed little by little. Opening track "Albino child", with its odd Jesus character depiction and ominous tone, was an early favorite. A few of the other, more religious-minded songs such as "Daddy I'm a pilgrim now" soon followed. It took some time, but eventually I've come around to loving it all. Maybe not the best work of their career thus far, but definitely a worthy addition to the catalogue.
I will be getting a few copies for resale, but they probably won't be in stock until late next week. Hold tight!
Isolation Years - Landslide
Aerial's new album "The sentinel" is so good, it makes me want to cry. If I was in an aspiring post-rock band and I heard this record, I would sell my instruments and quit music. If there's any album that deserves the adjective "face-melting", it's this one. Right out of the gate, it roars like some unholy hybrid of Mono and Emperor crossed with Him Kerosene. Epic barely begins to describe it. Soaring dual guitars, a vast, dramatic vision and a recording that blends them together perfectly. When I first heard this, my brain barely recognized it as a band - it sounds more like a single entity than four separate people. I imagine Aerial as some inhuman living/breathing thing from which this amazing music emanates. Eventually the parts become more distinct, but the magic never dissipates. I was shocked that Aerial could top last year's "Black rain from the bombing" so easily, I will be even more shocked if anyone else releases something this year even approximately this good. Right now Aerial is untouchable.
Buy the album here.
Aerial - You will all die, all things will
The variety of sounds that can be coaxed from a solo acoustic guitar are astounding. The polyphony of the strings and the rhythm of the player's picking and strumming are the most basic elements and most easy to recognize, but there's so much more potential. Norwegian artist Espen Jørgensen explores the vast realm of possibilities on his album "On the great Alkali Plains", preferring to remain solo and unaccompanied except on a few tracks which feature minimalist percussion and one with a subtle echo effect. Unlike many other releases on Jester Records, the label founded by Garm of Ulver, this music isn't particularly challenging, though it does inspire careful thought and consideration. The solo guitar, played masterfully and left unadorned, can say so much with so little. Without raising his voice, Jørgensen speaks volumes.
Espen Jørgensen - Move ahead - quickly
"What I hate" is the first Bear Quartet song I heard that truly floored me. When I first became interested in them and was busy downloading random songs, this is the one that stood out and made me go "what the fuck is this?" The song is such a scathing "fuck you" in every sense, from the combative lyrics, to the harsh sound, to its very placement as the opening track of the album "My war". What kind of self-respecting indierock'n'roll band kicks off their eighth record with an eight-minute long, angry electronic drone? The Bear Quartet, that's who. Though the lyrics gradually become more introspective as the song progresses, slowly redirecting the hate inward, it's still incredibly antagonistic throughout. The guitar screams with shrill white noise. Feedback reigns, careening every which way. The Bear Quartet has always been known to challenge their audience and this is a perfect example. You have to ask yourself: can you hang? Do you see this song as an aberration? Or can you accept The Bear Quartet wholly and completely? My answer to the latter was an overwhelming "yes". It's provocative. Subversive. This is exactly the sort of thing that separates the good from the great. Never be content with the same boring shit.
The Bear Quartet - What I hate
I go through varying cycles of frustration when it comes to maintaining this website. The hours are long and the pay sucks, so if I don't have music that I'm excited to talk about, I don't have anything. So when I'm feeling down, I often find it helps to go back and revisit a record I know I like, something to help pick me up. That's one of the reasons I started doing Friday posts dedicated to tracks at least 2-3 years old. When all new music is making me long for better days, the past beckons. It's not that I don't have a lot of great new stuff to talk about - I most certainly do. It's just that sometimes the only thing I want to hear is familiar and comforting.
Bad Cash Quartet came up in conversation earlier this week and it made me realize that it's been way too long since I've listened to their high-water mark album "Outcast". I don't think there's any other record that so perfectly captures the sound of turn-of-the-century-era Swedish indiepop. It's bratty and obnoxious like much of the Britpop it draws influence from, but also so incredibly melodic and huge sounding. Broder Daniel might be the superior band of this style, but BCQ wins out today by virtue of being more uplifting. I've got enough angst, thank you very much.
Bad Cash Quartet - Too bored to die
Karin Ström's debut full-length album "En saga om en sten" came out this week, thus completing her transformation from mediocre folkie to electropop queen. That's how I see it anyway. She's come a long way from her humble beginnings as a singer/songwriter on Nettwork Records, living in LA and making a go at the so-called American dream. She had potential to go further down that path, but it didn't work out and I think that's for the best. Besides, Karin Ström is far more interesting as an electronic artist, singing in her native Swedish. Her DIY reinvention makes for a better story, too. The world can always use more smart, indepedent artists like this.
Karin Ström - Mänsklig
Frequent contributor Simon Tagestam did a guestpost on Juvelen back in October, but the track that got posted was demo quality and of pale resemblance to the now-finished product. It's time to hear it again with fresh ears.
I've always been kind of ambivalent about Prince. I fully acknowledge his tremendous skill, but outside of his well-known hits, I'm really not interested. Normally that would mean that this sort of tribute/emulation would be ignored, but I trust Hybris so I made sure to give Juvelen's debut EP an honest listen. Derivative or not, this is a hit. There's no other way to describe it. The all-falsetto delivery and the way he emphasizes words like "desperate" and "breathless" pull you in and don't let go. He starts each verse laid back and behind the beat as he tells his story, slowly picking it up as he works towards the chorus. My god, and then the anguish of the bridge! The vocal is pushed to the limit and cracks up - you know his pain because you can hear it. This is the way pop should be - catchy as hell, but emotional too. It doesn't have to be all that deep or original, it just has to work. Juvelen does it all.
Juvelen - Watch your step