Pitchfork reviews Thieves Like Us
Pitchfork is not into the latest Thieves Like Us album: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14483-again-and-again/
Tag: Reviews
Anna von Hausswolff
Singing from the grave
Kning Disk
Anna von Hausswolff does an admirable job crafting a piano-driven album that takes unexpected turns instead of falling prey to clichéd pop structures, with a number of the tracks "Singing from the grave" giving full voice to the talents of its composer. In this way, von Hausswolff successfully avoids the fate of being pigeonholed as 'just another female singer-songwriter,' but her idiosyncratic style has the unfortunate affect of rendering entire portions of the album difficult to get into. While I applaud the fact she avoids a number of avenues already explored by other artists, tracks like "Pills" and "Lost at sea" feel like bizarre, stripped-down Björk-inspired compositions, and, while it is amazing to listen to the whirlwinds von Hausswolff creates with her voice and fingers, it is not an experience that grows more enjoyable with repeated listening. It is more than obvious that Anna von Hausswolff is a talented musician and vocalist, but instead of finding myself lost in the songs, as I did with the gorgeous and haunting "Track of time" and "Above all", I began to feel outside most of the compositions, often unable to forge any connection between myself as listener and von Hausswolff as artist.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Dear Euphoria
This night will flee
Given Productions/Herbivor Music
The term euphoria couldn't really be more appropriate to represent what Stockholm native Elina Johansson does. Listening to the art she creates is a truly enigmatic experience. Where the vast majority of music is specific to mood, Johansson's output draws you in and has profound effect regardless of your current demeanor: if you're up it saturates the senses and genuinely heightens euphoric states; if you're down it rests gently on your shoulder and comforts you as an old friend, reassuring and promising. It's probably best described as "music for all moods" and it's without doubt some of the most beautiful music to ever emerge from Sweden. "This night will flee" is a four-track EP that builds on Johansson's previous releases, the "For everything of worth" and "Heal my violence" albums and, while retaining the characteristic elements of Johannson's output, sees her progress in a slightly more pop vein, albeit with dark undertones. This EP is not unlike something you would expect fellow countrymen Paatos to release and Johansson's vocals are quite reminiscent of their singer Petronella Nettermalm, another outstanding Swedish vocalist. Standout track on here is undoubtedly "Coming down" and is actually the song closest to Paatos in terms of vocal style. It's almost as if Dear Euphoria have taken the best bits of Paatos, Massive Attack, Kate Bush and Portishead, stuck them in some kind of musical blender and come out with a track that, to these ears at least, easily stands equal with any of the aforementioned acts. That, together with the title track (which is possibly the most haunting few minutes that Johansson has ever revealed), are the most epic songs on the disc, with the others -- "Rescue" and "No more time to weep" are more in line with what we've come to expect from Dear Euphoria. An absolutely sublime record that has the potential to profoundly touch everyone it reaches.
- John Norby
PopMatters reviews Food
PopMatters reviews the new record on from international jazz act Food: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/128356-food-quiet-inlet/
The Silent Ballet reviews Ass
The Silent Ballet reviews the new Ass (Andreas Söderström) album "Salt marsh": https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/3503/Default.aspx
New Phonophani reviewed at Themilkfactory
Themilkfactory reviews the new Phonophani album "Kreken": https://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/st/2010/07/phonophani-kreken-rune-grammofon/
I have yet to hear it myself, but I am immensely curious as I'm a big fan of both Phonophani and Alog.
Fucking Werewolf Asso
Kid! Just letting you know we are doing it again
Alleycat Records
Fucking Werewolf Asso are the remains of the hardcore band Go With Fourteen O, namely Dennis Wedin and Martin Svensson. Skepticism spread as I heard the words 8-bit Nintendo hardcore, but the sound of "You got leave shield" made me change my mind. I wasn't a fan and I'm not a fan. But at one point in between the fifth and the sixth listening, I got it and I was somewhat ready to stand up and scream "You'll never be a better gamer than me!" The interest dies pretty quick though, but it leaves you smiling. Fucking Werewolf Asso is made up out of a Nintendo, a Sega Mega Drive, the genuine punk/hardcore/passion screaming and a solid beat from the drum-set. There is a huge amount of energy in there as well as gamer-culture humor. Which makes it a good club-act. Rather than your bus-ride distraction.
- Morten Frisch
Pen Expers
Dirty tender love
Alleycat Records
"Dirty tender love" will be record number three for the band Pen Expers and, as before, this newest album features dark rock á la Sweden, meaning gloomy and depressing. Pen Expers really have the ability to influence the mood of the listener with their music, so it might not always be the most fitting choice as it will ruin your day. Maybe this is a feature that comes with good, honest music, however, I often find that Pen Expers leave their genuine sound for more stereotypical dark rock'n'roll during this record. At times the desperation from Alexander Arvman's vocals seem borrowed. This is doubtless good music though and Pen Expers is a good band -- they truly shines through on the track "Don't you wanna kiss me anymore?" -- but they are also good enough to make their own genre rather than trying to fit into already made-up categories.
- Morten Frisch
PopMatters reviews Watain
PopMatters reviews the latest Watain album "Lawless darkness": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/127233-watain-lawless-darkness/
Adventure Of
Malaika/Jehovah
Tack För Igår
Despite what Adventure Of might temporarily convince you, brat doesn't come in as many flavors as one might think. Mining the well of youthful indiscretions that make The Tough Alliance tick, there isn't a synth, horn, or sentiment on "Malaika" or "Jehovah" That hasn't been done before. However, even while busy basking in the glory of its own electro retread, there are still enough guilty pleasures to get your ass out on the dance floor -- and clean out all trances of cynicism along the way. Not bad for a pair of singles.
Case in point? The particularly amusing, The Killers referencing, "Jehovah" b-side "Soul little body". "I've got soul and I am a soldier." My knee-jerk cynical response? "Congrats dude, you've just lapped Brandon Flowers in the Narcissism Olympics! Yea!" My actual response after the horns, monotone delivery, and tropical sentiment had time to settle in? Somewhere between elation and awkward head-bobbing. Point: Adventure Of. "A fluke!" the cynic might cry -- quick to mention The Embassy has been kicking around the same passive-cool beats for a while now. But perhaps the band says it best in "Anno domini": "If you're special then I'm special too." While it seems unlikely Adventure Of will be able to parlay their well-worn routine into anything more that a few high-energy quips, they'll have you believing the hype as long as the record spins.
- Laura Studarus
Nils Bech
Look back
Fysisk Format
It's always refreshing to see a label with so much devotion to good music that it'll have a multitude of acts spanning a variety of genres on its roster. It's the mark of a true music fan; someone who's not afraid to take risks and stick two fingers up to the naysayers and proudly state: "This is what I like and I'm releasing it!" Norwegian Nils Bech, is one of the non-metal acts on , his laid back, retro-styled electropop sitting alongside the fist and fury metal battery from the likes of Obliteration, Haust or Okkultokrati. It has to be said that there's a time and a place for "Look back"; It requires a certain frame of mind before someone could take the entire album in one sitting, but that doesn't mean it's a bad release. It's just conducive to pre-planned, late-night, candlelit ambience rather than any summer drive-time fervor. And when it kicks off in that kind of subdued atmosphere, it can be simply wondrous. Vocally, Bech is probably what a Morten Harket and Morrissey hybrid would sound like if they had been releasing stuff in the early '60s. Sure, his music might be classed as electropop but, with its definite retro leanings, it sounds more like the male counterpart of Goldfrapp's "Felt mountain" than the '80s disco companion of "Scoundrel days". The term 'crooner' springs to mind often on this and, if there's one main criticism of Bech, it's that his English pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired. Generally, English sung in a foreign tongue adds a certain mystique to an album and, while that's true on a lot of "Look back", Bech's approach can be slightly off-putting at times. The songs on here are well done and, while there's a good buzz around Nils Bech, the vocals really taint this release in places. Best tracks on here are the upbeat "Medieval times" and the distinctly Björk-y "French affairs". A good album that's definitely original. Unfortunately, it would have been much better if Nils had sung på norsk.
- John Norby
Pitchfork reviews Diskjokke
Pitchfork reviews the new Diskjokke album "En fin tid": https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14405-en-fin-tid/
PopMatters reviews Katzenjammer (again)
PopMatters reviews the long-overdue US release of Katzenjammer's excellent album "Le pop": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/127828-katzenjammer-le-pop/
Pitchfork goes to Roskilde
Pitchfork reports from the Roskilde fest, though they don't uncover any previously undiscussed Scandinavian gems: https://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7826-roskilde-2010/
CEO
White magic
Sincerely Yours/Modular
In the (what seems like a very long) wait for the new The Tough Alliance album, singer Erik Berglund has dropped this gem upon the collective lap of the music community which finds him honing his full-time band's dance-pop even further over the course of the eight tracks presented here. Varying in texture that transitions through various depths, "Illuminata" and "White magic" are dance floor-ready party jams, whilst the closing track "Den blomstertid nu kommer" is a slightly tepid, reflective number comprised of mostly live instrumentation. Although some may complain that eight tracks is a bit short, it is not reflected on its output -- in fact, what Berglund has done, is take the genre of dance-pop his compatriots have been producing over the past couple of years, and hone it into what is easily the best album of its kind in recent memory.
- Matt Giordano