New UK dates for Magnet:

01/22 - King Tuts, Glasgow
01/23 - Late Room, Manchester
01/24 - ULU, London

Check out BurningTV, a new web-based streaming video channel for Swedish indie music: https://www.burningtv.com/

Expressen has published their top 50 album picks for 2005: https://expressen.se/index.jsp?a=480822
They actually have some interesting selections for a big tabloid. Not that I agree with them, but it's good to see some more indie names on there.

Check the 'rants' section on Burst's website for the first entry of their tour diary: https://www.burst.nu/

The first acts have been confirmed for next year's Umeå Open: Christian Kjellvander, The Pipettes (UK), Midaircondo and Jenny Wilson. What, no Doktor Kosmos? And hey, how about flying me out again?

Traktor's debut album "Lights" has been confirmed for a January 21 release to be followed by a European tour. Go here for tentative dates: https://www.traktorbiz.com/live.htm

Finland's Kirlian Crossing has launched a monthly series of free downloadable records under the name "Acid test reels" and the first volume was posted today: https://www.verdurarecords.com/kirliancrossing
Most of the music will be based on improvised psychedelic jamming and to prove they aren't fooling around, the very first posting is KC's own 30-minute take on the Grateful Dead classic "Dark star".

My god, is it December already? Well, you know what that means: end-of-the-year lists. Just like last year, I'll be posting a new top 10 from a different Scandinavian music biz type every day until the end of the year. And who knows? Maybe my own top 10 will sneak in there somewhere. First up to break the ice: Pacta Sunt Servanda. Check it out!

Think you might be worthy on contributing? By all means, get in touch! The more the merrier says I.

A new month also means a new album of the month. This time it was easy - how could I not pick The End Will Be Kicks? Brilliant Norrland discordant indierock - available exclusively through IAT as a cheap high-quality download. So very worth it.

I'm not sure if any of you readers out there are local to me here in Olympia, but I'll be heading out to see Smalltown at YesYes tonight. See you there?

For a heads-up on what's happening with The Carnation, read this letter: https://www.thecarnation.net/news_letters.html

Check out a video clip of Madrugada performing "The kids are on high street": [click here]

Download the song "I'm crackin' up" from The Maharajas: https://www.lowimpact.nu/mp3s/11%20I'm%20Crakin'%20Up.mp3
The track comes from the band's new album "A third opinion", out now on Low Impact.

This week's YLE X3M video chart:

01. Kent - Den döda vinkeln (SWE)
02. Kometfabriken - Snedsteg (FIN)
03. Smak - Vesi tulvii sisään (FIN)
04. Jermaine - Goodbye sign (FIN)
05. The Rasmus - Sail away (FIN)
06. Mew - Special (DK)
07. Indica - Vuorien taa (FIN)
08. Korpiklaani - Kädet siipinä (FIN)
09. The Cardigans - I need some fine wine and you, you need to be nicer (SWE)
10. Darin - Step up (SWE)

Challengers:
11. Day Eleven - Almost over everything (FIN)
12. Karlsmark - Stitting duckheads (SWE)
13. Datarock - fa fa fa (NOR)

Hellacopters frontman Nicke Andersson has been selected to produce the next Backyard Babies album, tentatively due out next spring.