Tragic news: acclaimed Swedish jazz pianist Esbjörn Svensson died this weekend in a scuba accident. Link: https://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2285789,00.html
He will be missed. RIP.

Lögnhalsmottagningen, the international collaboration of Stuart from Boyracer and Martin from The Faintest Ideas, will play what will probably be their first and only show at Athens Popfest on August 16.

Upstart Norwegian melodic hardcore act Merlin is giving away 3 tracks: https://www.merlincore.com/music/
Worth checking out if you dig heavy, angular rock in the vein of JR Ewing.

Here's the video for the new Those Dancing Days single "Run run": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBEAS913xlc

Finnish humppa-metal act Finntroll will tour the US with Warbringer in August: https://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=10900

Norwegian postrockers The Samuel Jackson Five are off to the mountains of Valdres this weekend to lay down basic tracks for their new album.

Check out the video for "Trust tissue", the new single from I Scream Ice Cream, the solo act of Jesper "Junior" Mortensen from Junior Senior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WolfCYmBCMs

Razzia Records artist Jonna Lee will play the Bedford in London on June 30.

Norwegian rockers Bloodlights (ex-Gluecifer) are currently in the studio working on new material. Expect a new album in early 2009.

Swedish duo Piroth is keeping a bit of a tour diary: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=65256767&blogID=404793519

Check out House of Tomidas, a new band featuring various members of Britta Persson's backing band along with her own self providing backing vocals: https://www.myspace.com/tomidas
The band's debut album "Dark times" will be out this fall.

Marit Bergman's latest single "Were you ever really mine" is now streaming on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/maritbergman

Pitchfork reviews Lukestar and Truls and the Trees: https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/51003-lake-toba-ailanthus
Too bad they got it mixed up; I still think that Lukestar album is one of 2008's best releases. Truls and the Trees, not so much.

Malmö-based act Garmisch (nee Garmisch Partenkirchen) has a new website where they've posted a few new tracks for free download along with their old EPs from the GoJukebox netlabel: https://www.garmisch.se/

More media coverage of my current trip to Sweden: https://www.metro.se/se/article/2008/06/12/21/5054-45/index.xml