IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

New Kenneth Ishak website now, album later

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:47:02 -0700

Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) has a new website: http://kennethishak.net/
Look for his new album "Kenneth Ishak & The Freedom Machines" to be released this fall. The first single "You lived in a world of your own" is out June 22.

Beezewax reunites for debut album reissue

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:12:55 -0700

SellOut! Records, in collaboration with UK-based label Boss Tuneage, will be reissuing Beezewax's first, long out-of-print 1998 debut "A dozen summits" on November 2 in a new remastered edition, complete with two bonus tracks from their demo. The band will also be coming back together in their classic 1999-2003 lineup for a record release/one-time reunion show at Revolver in Oslo on October 31.

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:05:40 -0800

Norwegian artist Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) is currently at Ocean Sound Recordings with Jörgen Wall and Bent Sæther (Motorpsycho) working on new material.

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:18:43 -0700

Norwegian artist Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) is doing a bunch of solo dates in the US next month:

11/04 - Frog & Peach, San Luis Obispo, CA
11/05 - Molly Malone's, Los Angeles, CA
11/06 - Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA
11/07 - Club Fred, Fresno, CA
11/08 - The Satellite, Reno, NV
11/12 - Music Millennium (Instore) Portland, OR
11/12 - Doug Fir, Portland, OR
11/15 - Goodbye Blue Monday, Brooklyn, NY
11/16 - Cake Shop, NYC, NY
11/16 - Arlene's Grocery, NYC, NY

His latest album "Silver lightning from a black sky" gets a US release on November 18.

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:53:11 -0700

Norwegian indie act Hiawata! will once again be going into the studio with Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) this coming October to begin work on their second album.

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:09:41 -0700

Norwegian label SellOut! Records has signed The Haikus. Listen here: http://www.myspace.com/thehaikus
In other news, look for a reissue of Beezewax's 1997 debut album in a new remastered version with extended liner notes and bonus tracks. No release date yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:11:38 -0700

Signature Tune is giving away a free mp3 single from Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) in exchange for signing up for his mailing list: http://kennethishak.fanbridge.com/
Said single includes the song "New rising sun" along with two exclusive b-sides.

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:59:51 -0700

New stuff at Handheld Shows from Norwegian artists Matias Tellez and Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax): http://handheldshows.blip.tv/posts?view=archive&nsfw=dc

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:29:27 -0700

Norwegian indiepop act Hiawata! recently recorded a new 5-song EP with Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax). Expect a May release via SellOut! Records.

Kenneth Ishak Silver lightning from a black sky SellOut! Music

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I gather Ishak earned his indie cred as frontman for Norway's Beezewax. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that this solo album, precariously straddling indie and arena, is on a label called "SellOut!" It's as though he hoped that if he threw enough things together, something would stick and make him a ubiquitous radio star. Instead, for every moment of finely-crafted power-pop on here, there's at least one noodling guitar solo or overproduced distraction that renders the whole downright unlistenable.

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:39:28 -0700

Beezewax frontman Kenneth Ishak will release his third solo album "Silver lightning from a black sky" in November via SellOut! Music and you can hear two tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/selloutmusic
Look for tourdates to be announced soon.

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Updated dates for Norwegian powerpop act Beezewax:

02/09 - Doc Browns, Middlesboro (UK)
02/10 - Independent, Sunderland (UK)
02/11 - Dog & Partridge, Bolton (UK)
02/12 - DnR bar, Sheffield (UK)
02/13 - The Magnet, Liverpool (UK)
02/14 - The Gander, Bournemouth (UK)
02/16 - The Lido, Margate (UK)
02/18 - Popin (acoustic show), Paris (FRA)
02/19 - Kitsch Pop club, Vitoria, Álava (ESP)
02/20 - Teatre Municipal, Sant Feliu de Guixols (ESP)
02/21 - Sala Attico, Don Benito (ESP)
02/22 - Zero, Tarragona (ESP)
02/23 - Wah Wah, Valencia (ESP)
02/24 - Less Basses (Mini Festival), Barcelona (ESP)

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Norwegian powerpoppers Beezewax are doing a few European shows in February:

02/16 - The Lido, Margate (UK)
02/22 - Zero, Tarragona (ESP)
02/23 - Wah Wah, Valencia (ESP)
02/24 - Less Basses (mini festival), Barcelona (ESP)

Beezewax Who to salute Reveal Records

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

I've got Beezewax's three previous albums and I've seen them live a couple of times, so my expectations for this album were somewhat high. Even though they've always been heavily influenced by power-pop, they've always stayed with one foot firm in the indie rock swamp, which in my opinion makes for a great sound. Not so anymore, with "Who to salute" they've gone into crazy power-pop mode (hell, they even got Ken Stringfellow from The Posies singing on the record). But unfortunately Beezewax haven't got those killer melodies to back up all this power-popping, which is a darn shame. "Who to salute" just doesn't cut the mustard! There are some nice breezy songs here (e.g. "Shinjuko Park"), but overall the songs sound way too similar, and it feels like they're missing that little but so necessary spark that can make an average album a good one. This album could perhaps make a cool EP if you got rid of a handful of songs, but as an album - it bores me, and that is something, ladies and gentlemen, I deeply regret to write.

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Norwegian singer/songwriter Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) on tour in the UK:

07/25 - Vic Inn, Derby
07/27 - Basement Bar, Dundee
07/29 - The Insane, Southend
07/30 - Qubar, Margate
07/31 - The Betsey Trotwood, London

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Beezewax on tour in the Far East:

07/11 - Bar Kita Suka, Ipoh, Malaysia
07/13 - Havana Club, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
07/16 - Arena Stage, Baybeats festival, Singapore

Fri, 12 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Norwegian power-pop act Beezewax has a nice new website: http://www.beezewax.com/
Head over there for an update on tour news, among other stuff. Glad to see that "Who to salute" will finally get a US release in October.

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Tons of new stuff being added to the webstore today including a selection of paid mp3 downloads from the Kasual Records catalogue (Arial Kill Him, Ikaros, Beezewax, etc.) and a handful of CDs from Oscillatone (Majessic Dreams, Kompjotr Eplektrika) with more stuff on the way from the likes of similarly named Danish labels PonyRec and PlayRec. Let's go shopping!

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Norwegian pop-rockers Beezewax will have their most recent album "Who to salute" released in the UK on May 5 via Reveal Records/Vital both on CD and vinyl with the CD version including a "best-of" bonus disc showcasing some of the groups equally good earlier works. A 7" single will also be released on May 1 and the band will play a couple shows with Joan As Police Woman in March:

03/07 - Dingwalls, London
03/08 - Pressure Point, Brighton

In other Beezewax news, look for "Who to salute" to be released in Australia on May 6 via Popboomerang and then in June in Japan through Thistime with a tour to follow in August.

Top 10s for 2005: Sellout! Music

Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

01. Moneybrother - To Die Alone

02. Nada Surf - The Weight is a gift

03. LCD Soundsystem

04. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise

05. Håkan Hellström - Et kolikbarns bekännelser

06. Common - Be

07. Serena-Maneesh - s/t

08. The Juan Maclean - Less than human

09. Alarma Man - s/t

10. Anthony Hamilton - Ain't Nobody Worryin'

Other good albums:
* Hellacopters - Rock&Roll is Dead
* Death Cab For Cutie - Plans
* Kanye West - Late Registration
* JR Ewing - Maelstrom
* Isolation Years - Cover the distance
* Ben Lee - Awake is the new sleep
* Ben Folds - Songs for silverman
* Trail Of Dead - Worlds apart
* Beezewax - Who to salute (this might have made it to my top 10, but since it's my brother's band I can't really be very objective about it and I chose to not include it. but it's solid!)
* Kenneth Ishak - Everything has soul (same as above!)

It's been a good year with lots of great shows and records, and I've got a feeling that next year will be great as well.

Torkel Ødegård (SellOut! Music mailorder chief)

01. Beezewax - Who To salute (album)
Great pop album, with a more experimental approach than they've had before. And with good results.

02. Queens of the Stone Age - Lullabies to paralyze (album)
Not as good as "Songs for the deaf", but a pretty good rock record nonetheless. A worthy sequel.

03. The Posies - Every Kind Of Light (album)
Cool album, although some songs are a litte weak.

04. Coheed And Cambria - Welcome Home (song)
Heavy, raw and big! Great rock song!

05. Trail Of Dead - Worlds Apart (album)
In my opinion one of the best rock bands today. Although a bit too long, it has a great deal of cathcy rock songs. The good songs far outweigh the not so good ones.

06. Hellacopters - Rock'n'roll is dead (album)
Catchy poppy rock from sweden. cool sound.

07. El Caco - The search (album)
Cool heavy rock from norway. One of the best Norwegian rock records of the year.

08. YMCK - Family Music (album)
Nice jazzy nintendo pop

09. J-Kwon - Tipsy (song)
Cathcy hip-hop

10. Kanye West - Gold Digger (song)
Good beats, with a good production

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Sellout! Music is a Norwegian label that's home to many bands such as Moonbabies, Delorean, Anna Leong, Kenneth Ishak and more.
www.sellout-music.net

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Check out Marthe Valle's myspace page to hear her new single "Dandy": http://www.myspace.com/marthevalle
Her debut album "It's a bag of candy" comes out October 24 and was produced by Marthe along with Pål Brekkås and Lars Lien (Int'l Tussler society, ex-Motorpsycho). The record also features numerous guest stars such as Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) who sings and plays guitar and keys on the aforementioned single and a few other tracks.

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Beezewax on tour supporting The Posies:

11/17 - Stavanger, Folken
11/18 - Oslo, Betong
11/19 - Trondheim, Blæst
12/03 - Cafè Antoxia, Bilbao
12/04 - Salsa triseca, Oviedo
12/05 - La Quinta Avenida, Burgo
12/06 - Arena, Madrid + in-store at the Fnac
12/07 - Insutrial Copera, Granada
12/08 - Sla Camelot, Alicante
12/09 - Bikini, Barcelona + in-store at the Fnac

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Here's another reminder that Kenneth Ishak of Norwegian power-pop act Beezewax is doing some solo shows in the US this week. He's playing with pick-up band of various folks including ex-members from Latebloomer, Cross My Heart and Trustfall. Dates:

10/17 - Charm City Art Space, Baltimore, MD w/Greasegun
10/18 - Lit Lounge, NYC w/Specimen, The Morrow
10/19 - College Perk Coffee House, College Park, MD (long set)

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Confirmed US solo dates for Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax):

10/17 - Charm City Art Space, Baltimore, MD
10/18 - Litlounge, NYC, NY

Anyone interested in booking him for any last minute shows, let it be known that he is available to do both solo and full-band gigs and will be in and around the NYC area from October 12-27. Contact mikael at kasual dot se if you can help out.

Fri, 19 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Norwegian singer/songwriter Kenneth Ishak of Beezewax will be doing a few selected dates on the East Coast in October and is currently seeking out booking help. If you can lend a hand in any way, please get a hold of me and I'll pass along the information. Also, if there's any drummers out there who want to play with the band on these dates, please let me know.

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

UK-based label Firefly Recordings will be releasing the second solo album "Everything has soul" from Beezewax frontman Kenneth Ishak. It should be available for ordering within the next few weeks. The label also has plans to put out a Beezewax album in the future as well.

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Here's this week's MTVe UpNorth video chart:

01. DAD - Scare Yourself
02. Darin - Why Does It Rain
03. Hellacopters - Everything's On TV
04. Robyn - Be Mine
05. Midnight Monkeys - Monkeys On Attack
06. Looptroop - Fort Europa
07. Lene Marlin - How Will It Be
08. Ane Brun / Ron Sexsmith - Song No. 6
09. Jori Hulkkonen - Lo Fiction
10. Paris - 60 Minutes
11. Håkan Hellström - Dom Kommer Kliva På Dig Igen
12. The Maryonettes - Make My Last
13. Span - The Outside
14. London MC - What Is My Name
15. Jim Stärk - Going Down That Lonely Road
16. Soak The Sin - Hands Up
17. Beezewax - I'm Not Where I'm Supposed To Be
18. Cheek - Liiku
19. Amerika - Big City Boy
20. Maria Arredondo - Cross Every River