Danish indie act The Late Parade has licensed their self-titled EP to Rallye & Klee for release in Japan. It will also be released in Benelux in the near future as well. Samples: https://www.myspace.com/thelateparade

Now that he's a father, drummer Jens Kinch has decided to leave Spleen United to concentrate on his family. A replacement has yet to be announced.

Pitchfork on the US release of The LK and their album "vs the snow": https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/48981-the-lk-vs-the-snow

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Diverse artister - Sorgen og gleden: Matte Marit
02. Madrugada - Madrugada
03. Kaizers Orchestra - Maskineri
04. The National Bank - Come On Over To The Other Side
05. Secret Garden - Inside I'm singing
06. Farmers Market - Surfin' Ussr
07. Vidar Johnsen & Peter Nordberg - Ord & Øgonblick
08. Hellbillies - Spissrotgang
09. Madcon - So Dark the Con of Man
10. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2008
11. Sie Gubba - Sånn e livet
12. Leif Ove Andsnes - Mozart: Piano Concertos No 1
13. Gaute Ormåsen - Drømmesang
14. Bertine Zetlitz - In my mind 1997-2007 Best of
15. Anne Nørdsti - Livli på låven
16. Celine - Bæstevænna
17. Beady Belle - Belvedere
18. Trond-Viggo Torgersen - Det du kan + noe rart & noe nytt
19. CC Cowboys - På Svalbard uten strøm
20. Alexandria Quartet - Alexandria Quartet

Swedish alt-country artist Racingpaperplanes have posted their new single "In and out of coma" for free download: https://www.richardwilson.se/
The song, which happens to be about a really bad hangover, will be given the video treatment by NY-based director Kevin Doyle and will also appear on a forthcoming full-length album, both due sometime in April. More details to come.

If you haven't added Thomas Denver Jonsson's new blog to your regular reading list, you really should: https://vanbloggen.blogspot.com/

Oskar Linnros from Swedish hip-hop groups Snook and Maskinen is working on a solo album under the name Kihlen. Read more: https://www.metro.se/se/article/tt/2008/03/10/11wnojemusikkihlen/index.xml (in Swedish)

Reports from SXSW are starting to pour in, including the response to the US live debut of The Tough Alliance: https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/49272-sxsw-wednesday-amy-phillips
More on TTA here: https://stopusnot.blogspot.com/2008/03/tough-alliance-at-sxsw.html
Any other reports?

Pitchfork adds Wildbird & Peacedrums to the Forkcast section: https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/forkcast/49264-wildbirds-peacedrums-doubthope-videomp3

Lukestar's excellent album "Lake Toba" (already declared to be a top 10 fave for 2008) will be released in the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France, Japan and even Malaysia later on this year. Details to come! Can't wait? I've got imports for sale right here.

Discobelle has a brand new track from Sophie Rimheden posted for download: https://www.discobelle.net/2008/03/13/sophie-rimheden-feat-aaron-phiri-go-away-exclusive/
Her new full-length album "Traveller" will be out on April 23 via NONS.

Check out a video of Caesars visiting a Swedish retirement home to promote their new record: https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=30012929 (in Swedish, but subtitled)

Norwegian rockers Brut Boogaloo have posted a pair of new tracks on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/brutboogaloo

Fact magazine talks Finnish music and interviews Kompleksi: https://www.factmagazine.co.uk/da/73834

Finnish indie act Regina will be heading out in May to do a few mainland Europe gigs. They'll play at Flèche d'Or in Paris on May 21 with fellow Finns Shogun Kunitoki and Pets on Prozac and then head off to Germany for 3 gigs (details tba).