This week's top artists for the It's a trap! Last.fm/Audioscrobbler listening group:

01. Death Cab for Cutie
02. Sufjan Stevens
03. Coldplay
04. Kent
05. Bright Eyes
06. Broken Social Scene
07. Franz Ferdinand
08. The Strokes
09. The Postal Service
10. The Arcade Fire

Top tracks:

01. The Embassy - Some Indulgence
02. Death Cab for Cutie - Soul Meets Body
03. The Embassy - It Pays To Belong
04. The Embassy - Tell me
05. The Embassy - Information
06. The Embassy - Time's Tight
07. Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco
08. Babyshambles - Fuck Forever
09. Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)
10. The Embassy - Was That All It Was

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PopMatters interviews Pelle Almqvist of The Hives: https://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/hives-051212.shtml

Pitchfork gives a nice positive review to Amandine: https://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/a/amandine/this-is-where-our-hearts-collide.shtml

The new Trapdoor Fucking Exit album "Crooked life, straight world" finally has a release date - only a few months late this time. It'll be out in Sweden on January 9, the US on January 13 and the UK on January 24. Samples available at the band's website: https://www.trapdoorfuckingexit.com/

Richard Reagh has posted a new track for free download: https://www.thisispop.se/richard_reagh-no_one_really.mp3

I really didn't like The Ark the first time I heard them. I thought "what the hell is this Rocky Horror shit?" But I couldn't write them off either - something about them made me go back a couple months later to reevaluate my opinion. It took me a couple tries, but I eventually came around to understanding their appeal and now, after seeing them live, I can solidly declare my admiration. They are ridiculous and completely over-the-top, but you won't find anyone else making epic pop music quite like this. No other band could pull off such an ostentaious gay-pride anthem like "Father of a son", today's featured track. I'm not sure if middle America is ready for The Ark, but I think it'll be good for them anyway.

Today's top ten is from Tomas Halberstad of Swedish indierock act Punk of Country. Tack Tomas!

Swedish power-pop act The Virtues have posted a free download of their new single "Where were you?", the title track from their new album: https://www.smalls.nu/thevirtues/music.htm

Jettie will tour the UK in April. Dates soon.

The Swedish webzine Shaktar has posted a new exclusive mp3 from Flow Flux Clan, a new duo featuring Tomas Bodén from Differnet and Sarah Nyberg Pergament from Action Biker/Kissing Mirrors: https://www.shaktar.nu/songs.php

Check out a live clip of Dungen from ATP: [click here]

Here's the Swedish nominees for this year's Rockbjörnen:

Female artist:
Amy Diamond
Anna Ternheim
Laleh
Lena Philipsson
Robyn

Male artist:
Darin
Håkan Hellström
Lars Winnerbäck
Moneybrother
Timbuktu

Group:
Bodies Without Organs
Cardigans
Kent
Millencolin
The Ark

Song:
Darin - Step Up
Laleh - Live Tomorrow
Robyn - Be Mine
Thåström - Fanfanfan
Timbuktu - Alla Vill Till Himmelen Men Ingen Vill Dö

Album:
Darin - Darin
Håkan Hellström - Ett Kolikbarns Bekännelser
Kent - Du Och Jag Döden
Laleh - Laleh
Robyn - Robyn

Newcomer:
Amy Diamond
Bodies Without Organs
Darin
Hello Saferide
Laleh

Vote here: https://www.aftonbladet.se/ettor/webb/2805_normal.html

Amandine will be recording two new songs later this month in Malmö for something or other.

Robyn is #4 on the Stylus 2005 single chart: https://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=2014

Since David & the Citizens were forced to cancel their show at Mondo in Stockholm, they'll be trying to make up for it with a gig at KB in Malmö on December 22 with the excellent I'm from Barcelona as support.