The official video for the new Graveyard single "Goliath".

11/29 - Markthalle, Hamburg (GER)
11/30 - Trix, Antwerp (BEL)
12/02 - Bristol Fleece, Bristol (UK)
12/04 - 02 ABC, Glasgow (UK)
12/05 - The Ruby Lounge, Manchester (UK)
12/06 - London O2 Academy2 Islington, London (UK)
12/07 - The Haunt Brighton, Brighton (UK)
12/09 - Melkweg, Amsterdam (NL)
12/11 - Mascotte Club, Zurich, CH 12/12 - Conrad Sohm, Dornbirn (AUS)
12/13 - Arena, Vienna (AUS)
12/14 - Backstage, Munich (GER)
12/15 - Strasse E, Dresden (GER)
12/16 - Batschkapp, Frankfurt (GER)
12/17 - Vera, Groningen (NL)
12/18 - Essigfabrik, Cologne (GER)
12/19 - C-Club, Berlin (GER)

Best Album: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Best Artist: Lykke Li
Best Electronic/Dance: Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Best Hip-Hop/Soul: Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Best Jazz: Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song: Avicii - Levels
Best Music Video: Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Best Newcomer: Aleks
Best Pop: Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Producer: Masse Salazar
Best Rock: Deportees - Islands & Shores
Best International Success: Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator: Avicii

Full list: http://www.grammis.se/?ha_events=grammis-vinnarna-2012

Artist: Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort
Group: Deportees - Islands & shores
Song: Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen
Newcomer: Den Svenska Björnstammen
Guldmicken (Best Live Act): Kapten Röd
Pop: Syket - With love
Hip-hop/Soul: Ison & Fille - För evigt
Dance: L-Wiz - Samlad produktion
Rock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen blues

It may come as a surprise, but I'm actually a fan of the latest Kapten Röd record and am glad to see that he won.

Folk/Ballad:
Marin/Marin – Småfolket (Dimma Sweden)
Merit Hemmingson – EQ (Amigo/Cosmos)
Navarra – Nya fönster (Kakafon Records)
Siri Karlsson – Gran Fuego (Flora & Fauna)

Dance:
Skudge – Samlad årsproduktion (Skudge Records)
Jonsson/Alter – Samlad årsproduktion (Kontra-Musik)
The Field – Looping State of mind (Kompakt)
Pallers – The Sea Of Memories (Labrador)

Punk:
Sju Svåra År – Storma varje hjärta (Not Enough)
Obnoxious Youth – The Eternal Void (Adult Crash)
Vånna Inget – Allvar (Heptown Records)
Black Feet – Black Feet (Dirty Faces)

Hip-Hop:
Mofeta & Jerre – Briljanter & Smaragder (Pumpa Records)
Ison & Fille – För evigt (Hemmalaget)
Mohammed Ali – Vi (Bad Taste Records)
Roffe Ruff – Barrabas (Olofsson Management/Swingkids)

Experimental:
Hans Appelqvist – Sjunga slutet nu (Häpna)
Hanna Hartman – H ^ 2 (Komplott)
Ophir – Opus Operatum (Komplott/Callithrix Records)
Midaircondo feat. Michala Østergaard-Nielsen – Reports on the Horizon (Twin Seed Recordings)

Hardrock:
In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil (Metal Blade)
Opeth – Heritage (Roadrunner)
Terra Tenebrosa – The Tunnels (Trust No One Recordings)
The Haunted – Unseen (Century Media Records)

Rhythm:
Syster Sol – Kichinga! (Swing kids)
Simone Moreno – Planetas (Soul Dog Records)
Kapten Röd – Fläcken Som Aldrig Går Bort (SwingKids)
OK Star Orchestra – The Beat and the Melody (Rootsy.nu)

Pop:
Azure Blue – Rule of thirds (Hybris)
Jonathan Johansson – Klagomuren (Hybris)
Korallreven – An album by Korallreven (Hybris)
Loney Dear – Hall Music (Dear John)

Rock:
Pascal/Mattias Alkberg – Allt det här (Novoton)
Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan (Playground Music)
Bob Hund - Det överexponerade gömstället (bob hunds förlag)
Tramp – Indigo (Killer Cobra Records)

Synth:
Henric de la Cour – Henric de la Cour (Progress Productions)
Necro Facility – Wintermute (Progress Productions)
Mr Jones Machine – Monokrom (Progress Productions)
Covenant – Modern Ruin (Progress Productions)

Jazz:
Jonas Holgersson – Snick Snack (Moserobie)
Parti & Minut – Från klart till halvklart (El Dingo Records)
Priming Orchestra – Deep Blue (GAC)
The Splendor – Delphian Palace (HOOB Records)

Best Unsigned:
Death By Armborst
Storskogen
Schizo and the Personalities
Farsta

Singer/Songwriter/Country/Americana:
Brothers of End – Mount Inside (Konjaga)
Ane Brun – It All Start With One (Balloon Ranger Recordings)
Promise & the Monster – Red Tide (Imperial Recordings)
Lars Bygdén – Songs I Wrote (Massproduktion)

Best live act:
Kriget (Kriget)
This is Head (Adrian Recordings)
Graveyard (Nuclear Blast)
Mattias Alkberg (Teg Publishing)

Interesting to see Hybris and Progress Productions dominating their respective niches. Winners will be announced on February 3 at a ceremony at Nalen in Stockholm. Read more: http://manifestgalan.se/manifestgalan-2012/nominerade/

In no particular order, other than maybe the five-ten first:
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Terakaft – Aratan N Azawad
Skriet – Det beslutande organet
Bob Hund – Det överexponerade gömstället
Helheim – Heidindomr ok motgangr
Graveyard – Hisingen Blues
Tinariwen – Tassili
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
Taake – Noregs vapen
Austra – Feel It Break
Autopsy – Macabre Eternal
Portrait - Crime Laesae Majestatis Divinae
Deathspell Omega – Diabolus Absconditus
Knivderby – Dumskallarnas sammansvärjning
Tyler The Creator – Goblin
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Tsjuder – Legion Helvete
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Patrik Backlund – Is An Arsonist
Zomby – Dedication
King Cresote and John Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Jeffrey Lewis – A Turn In The Dream-Songs
In Solitude - The World, The Flesh, The Devil
Kimya Dawson – Thunder Thighs
Roffe Ruff – Barabas
Slöa Knivar – Ingen klass, ingen stil
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972
Cornershop featuring Bubbley Kaur - Cornershop & The Double 'O' Groove Of
Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan
Årabrot – Solar Anus

Records proving the artist have done better but are still to be reckoned with:
British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall
The Strokes – Angles
Grace Jones – Hurricane
Off! - First Four Eps
Chad Vangaalen – Diaper Island
Glorior Belli – The Great Southern Darkness
Stephen Malkmus – Mirror Traffic
Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow

Records that are great but could have done with more time and/or money spent on them:
Vånna Inget - Allvar
Wild Flag – Wild Flag

Great records, though not perfect:
Kurt Vile – Smoke Rings On My Halo
Josh T. Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
Panda Bear – Tomboy
The Culture In Memoriam – Rest In Pieces
Anna Järvinen – Anna själv, tredje
Tomas Hulenvik - The World Is Ours
Riddarna – Riddarna

Records I love but can't have an objective view on:
Magnus Ekelund & Stålet – Svart Flagg
Birgit Bidder – The Life Home

Song of the year:
Pascal - De är farliga

This years "How come I haven't even heard of them before?":
The Gits

Hopes for next year:
Raketen
The New Man
Nord & Syd
Robert Hurula
Conny Nimmersjö
Kranium
Könsförrädare
Norra Kust

Get a record deal, release an album, goddamn!:
Hospitalet

Oh, and some great shows, mostly at Föreningsgatan 7 (Luleå), by:
Könsförrädare
Terveet Kädet
Slöa Knivar
Hamngatan
Kranium
Dispose
Salenko
22 Pistepirkko

---------------------------
Mattias Alkberg had a busy year in 2011 -- not only was his latest solo album and book "Anarkist", one of the best received Swedish albums of the year, he also did a split with Pascal and probably a whole bunch of other stuff that I can only guess about. As for what 2012 holds, wait and see...
http://www.mabd.se/

Best Album:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan

Best Artist:
Deportees
Lykke Li
Melissa Horn
Swedish House Mafia
Veronica Maggio

Best Electronic/Dance:
Adrian Lux - Boy / Alive
Avicii - Levels/Fade Into Darkness
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World/Antidote

Best Hip-Hop/Soul:
Adam Tensta - Scared Of The Dark
Alexis Weak - Till Minne Av
Ison & Fille - För Evigt
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Best Hardrock/Metal:
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Hammerfall - Infected
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Opeth - Heritage
The Haunted - Unseen

Best Jazz:
Freddie Wadling - With A License To Kill
Georg Riedel, Sarah Riedel & Nicolai Dunger - Cornelis Vs Riedel
Magnus Öström - Thread Of Life
Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You
Tonbruket - Dig It To The End

Best Songwriter:
Anna Järvinen - Anna Själv Tredje
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Lykke Li, Björn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan

Best Song:
Avicii - Levels
Den Svenska Björnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder
Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?)
Eric Saade - Popular
Petter & September - Baksmälla
September - Mikrofonkåt
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World
Timbuktu - Resten Av Ditt Liv
Tove Styrke - White Light Moment
Veronica Maggio - Jag Kommer

Best Music Video:
Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Magnus Renfors - Peter Jöback, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, Kärleken Och Döden - La Vie, L'amour, La Mort"
Max Vitali - Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend"
Slobodan Zivic - Kriget "Submission"
Ted Malmros/Gustaf Von Arbin - Peter Bjorn And John "Gimme Some"

Best Newcomer:
Adrian Lux
Aleks
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Newkid
Rebecca & Fiona

Best Pop:
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan

Best Producer:
Christian Walz
Johan Eckeborn
Masse Salazar
Shellback
Tobias Fröberg

Best Rock:
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Eldkvarn - De Berömdas Aveny
Kebnekajse - Idioten
Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - När Mullret Dövar Våra Öron Blir Vi Rädda

Best International Success:
Avicii
Little Dragon
Lykke Li
Opeth
Swedish House Mafia

Best Lyrics:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Mauro Scocco - Musik För Nyskilda
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan

Best Innovator:
Avicii
Deportees
Erato
Looptroop Rockers
Veronica Maggio

More here: http://www.grammis.se/

1. Olivia, my second child was born in June.
2. Soundwave Festival in Australia with Millencolin. Sick line-up and loads of fun.
3. All 6 records we've managed to release this year on my label De:Nihil Records.

#4-10 in no particular order.

· Skizophrenia "This Fucking Skizophrenia! Still A Raped Ass" 7"
· Graveyard "Hisingen Blues" LP
· Fucked Up "David Comes To Life" 2xLP
· Craft "Void" 2xLP
· Tom Waits "Bad As Me" LP
· Night Birds "The Other Side Of Darkness" LP
· Mad Men "Suspiria" 7"

Working on now and 2012.

Got a couple of cool releases coming up on De:Nihil Records such as this awesome project involving The Skull Defekts, Bo Cavefors & Pär Strömberg.
We're also co-releasing Uppsala based oldschool hardcore kids Agent Attitude.

Millencolin are celebrating 20yrs as a band 2012!
We've got a few great surprises on the way there. We'll record some new stuff Dec/Jan for different releases plus more stuff coming up.

With Kvoteringen we'll record new mangel attacks very soon I hope and we've got some liveshows planned as well.

---------------------------
http://www.millencolin.com/
http://denihilrecords.blogspot.com/
http://kvoteringen.blogspot.com/

Artist:
Melissa Horn - Innan jag kände dig
Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Group:
Deportees - Islands & shores
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Movits! - Ut ur min skalle
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & nightmares

Newcomer:
Avicii
Newkid
Niki & The Dove
Rebecca & Fiona
Den Svenska Björnstammen

Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen

Guldmicken (best live):
Daniel Adams-Ray
Graveyard
Melissa Horn
Kapten Röd
Veronica Maggio

Dance:
Avicii - Samlad produktion
Axel Boman - Samlad produktion
Jonsson/Alter - Mod
L-wiz - Samlad produktion
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man

Hip-hop/soul:
Ison & Fille - För evigt
Mohammed Ali - Vi
Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer
Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Pop:
JJ - Samlad produktion
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
The Sound of Arrows - Voyage
Syket - With love

Rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Khaos legions
Graveyard - Hisingen blues
The Haunted - Unseen
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Opeth - Heritage

More here, including voting info: http://www.sverigesradio.se/p3guld

3. Mattias Alkberg - Anarkist (Teg Publishing/Playground)
4. Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje (Stranded/Universal)
5. Skriet - Det Beslutande Organet (Novoton/Border)
8. Invasionen - Saker som jag sagt till natten (Sony Music/Sony)
12. Graveyard - Hisingen Blues (Stranded/Universal)
14. Deportees - Islands & Shores (Universal/Universal)
16. I Break Horses - Hearts (Bella Union/Cosmos)
18. The Field - Looping State of Mind (Kompakt/Border)
20. Syket - With Love (Baseline Music/Sony Music)
21. Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren (Hybris/Border)
28. Movits! - Ut ur min skalle (Universal/Universal)
29. Det Vackra Livet - Det Vackra Livet (Labrador/Border)
30. Ison & Fille - För evigt (Hemmalaget/Playground)

See the full list: http://gaffa.se/artikel/55303 (in Swedish)

01/12 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
01/13 - Middle East, Boston, MA
01/14 - Northstar Bar, Philadelphia, PA
01/16 - DC9, Washington, D.C.
01/17 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
01/19 - Asheville Music Hall, Asheville, NC
01/20 - Exit/In, Nashville, TN
01/21 - Masquerade (Hell Stage), Atlanta, GA
01/22 - Hi-Tone Café, Memphis, TN
01/24 - Fitzgerald's, Houston, TX
01/25 - Mohawk, Austin, TX
01/31 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
02/01 - The Tractor, Seattle, WA

The official video for the new Graveyard single and album title-track "Hisingen blues". Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGBa8dVm6k

A quick trailer for the new Graveyard album "Hisingen blues", due out in March. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqR0c3M8ORc

2. I had a great laugh when the news came out that the Swedish king has had an affairs with 90's dance act Army of Lovers singer Camilla Henemark. Best thing was that it just continued to grow with new odd facts. Such as the rumor that they had first met at Nivå 22 -- probably one of Stockholm's worst night clubs ever, one filled with drunken 18 year old hooligans and guys with tribal tattoos all over the place.

This is how he looks like,
This is how Camilla looks
and this is how chavs look like.

You have to agree that the combo is somewhat unusual and really entertaining.

3. To celebrate the above: Kriminella Gitarrer - Knugen Skuk (The dick of the king)

I know that the oldest journalist in the whole of Sweden (Mats Olsson) wrote about this already but I had planned to use this in the list long before he wrote it. He is the copycat!

4. Robyn's performance at Popaganda. When mainstream decides to not be mainstream anymore it becomes sort of magic.

5. When Calle Bylund decided to give The Nature a homemade music video in birthday present (or something, it was a gift anyway)

6. The first ten seconds of this wicked Axemaster video. The props, the outfit, the acting. It is better that Manowar's gloves of metal

7. The new wave of dirty lyrics punk that counters the ridiculous new morality that are growing like buboes all over Stockholm.

8. Ebba Grön -- They tend to always appear on lists like this, but I guess it is for a reason.

9. Let do another Bäddat för Trubbel song!

10. Graveyard - no explanation needed

---------------------------
Robert Bäckström who will continue to run the label Skrammel with Mattis Ruwe in 2011 too. They will continue to release all the good music that you wanna hear. They will release a Missbrukarna-compilation on vinyl beginning of next year. You heard it here first!
http://www.skrammelrecords.se/

07/21 - The Clubhouse, Tempe, AZ
07/22 - Gators Bar and Grill, Farmington, NM
07/24 - Granada Theatre, Dallas, TX
07/25 - White Rabbit, San Antonio, TX
07/26 - The Meridian, Houston, TX
07/28 - The Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL
07/29 - The Social, Orlando, FL
07/31 - The Loft at Center Stage, Atlanta, GA
08/01 - Pop's, Sauget, IL
08/02 - The Rave, Milwaukee, WI
08/03 - Station 4, Saint Paul, MN
08/05 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL
08/06 - Peabody's, Cleveland, OH
08/07 - St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI
08/08 - Mr. Smalls Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
08/09 - Xtreme Wheels, Buffalo, NY
08/10 - Recher Theatre, Towson, MD
08/11 - The Norva, Norfolk, VA
08/13 - Blender Theatre at Gramercy, New York, NY
08/14 - Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
08/15 - Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Look for earlier West Coast headliner dates to be announced shortly as well.

05/20 - Hafenklang Exil, Hamburg (GER)
05/21 - Museumskeller, Erfurt (GER)
05/22 - White Trash, Berlin (GER) w/Witchcraft, Graveyard
05/23 - De pit, Terneuzen(NL)
05/24 - Orkzbar, Groningen (NL)
05/25 - tba (FRA)
05/26 - Soap Box Club, Nancy (FRA)
05/27 - tba (CH)
05/29 - White Rabbit, Freiburg (GER)
05/30 - Kunstkeller, Fürth (GER)
05/31 - Kuke, Leoben (AUS)
06/01 - Arena, Wien (AUS)
06/05 - Groove Station, Dresden (GER)
06/06 - JZ Westwerk, Osnabrück (GER)

05/16 - Barfly, Cardiff (UK)
05/17 - Rainbow Bar, Birmingham (UK)
05/18 - ULU, London (UK)
05/20 - Trix, Antwerp (BEL)
05/21 - Nachtleben, Frankfurt (GER)
05/22 - White Trash, Berlin (GER)
05/23 - Cairo, Wurzburg (GER)
05/24 - Arena, Vienna (AUS)
05/25 - 59:1, Munchen (GER)
05/26 - ZOE, Milano (ITA)
05/28 - Little Devil, Tilburg (NL)
05/29 - Underground, Cologne (GER)
05/30 - Headcrash, Hamburg (GER)

So with a rather large grain of salt, let me present to you It's a Trap's 2008 top albums of the year.
- Avi Roig

10. Siena Root - Far from the sun (Transubstans)
Graveyard and Witchcraft get all the acclaim, but Siena Root is the better band.

09. Nitad - Ibland kan man inte hindras sig själv (Kranium/Deranged)
Fucked Up, another band who put out one of 2008's best releases ("The chemistry of commmon life"), have moved far beyond the realms of hardcore. Nitad have stepped up to take their place.

08. Park Hotell - Free for friends (Ultra Radio Records/BD Pop)
I can't stand Morissey, yet somehow some Swedish acts are able to take his influence and turn it into something wonderful. If only more indiepop bands were as good as Park Hotell.

07. Katzenjammer - Le pop (Propeller Recordings)
I fully expected Detektivbyrån to be my favorite folk-crossover act, but these ladies from Norway snuck in ahead of them.

06. Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from Hello Saferide (Razzia)
Even better than I hoped. The perfect follow-up to the first album.

05. Johan Heltne - Vetenskapliga bevis för att Jesus lever (Raffaella)
A beautiful and beguiling album. So weird and mysterious, so absolutely entrancing.

04. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr Happy (NONS)
Of all the bands on my list, these ladies are the only ones to truly create something new and unique sounding. Sweden's most consistently underrated and underappreciated band.

03. Haust - Ride the relapse (Fysisk Format)
If there's a more pissed-off, evil sounding album in 2008, I haven't heard it.

02. Lukestar - Lake Toba (Phone Me Records)
A full year later and I still love this album just as much when it first came out.

01. The Goner - H-Trilogy: Hind hand, Hallartrallar, Haven (Svarta Markaden)
I realize it's pretty lame to put a series of limited cult releases at #1, yet no other artist this year has intrigued me as much as The Goner. "Hind hand" blew me away when I first heard it, the following two were even better.

Jonas Appelqvist

10. Wildbirds & Peacedrums - The Snake (Caprice Records)
This headstrong indie duo got me convinced at a festival gig this summer. And when I heard "The snake" for the first time I was hooked. It's that good.

09. Frida Hyvönen - Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)
Frida goes from strength to strength and with this album she has established her status as one of the finest songwriters in Sweden right now. Don't believe me? I dare you, listen to "Dirty dancing" and you'll know what I'm talking about.

08. Paper - An object (Novoton)
A homage to Suicide, Joy Division and monotonous kraut rock. The mix between The Bear Quartet and Audionom is a win-win. Literally.

07. Satyricon - The age of Nero (Roadrunner)
With massive walls of sound this Norwegian old school combo decided to continue to piss off black metal fans that claim they're not "true" anymore. Hell, when it sounds this good, I couldn't care less.

06. David Sandström Overdrive - Pigs lose (Razzia)
David Sandström and Oskar Sandlund went into the studio and came out with an astounding album only surpassed by early career move Refused.

05. Lack - Saturate every atom (Play/Rec)
2008 turned out to be the year of resignation for Lack. At least they got to resign at the peak of their career; "Saturate every atom" is proof of that.

04. Britta Persson - Kill Hollywood me (Amigo)
Britta released this album with a somewhat secluded approach and it was received with open arms by almost everyone. Sounds contradictory? It's not, just pure genius.

03. Cult of Luna - Eternal kingdom (Earache)
It just goes to show, these guys don't know how to fail. Top notch!

02. Division of Laura Lee - Violence is timeless (I Made This)
Göteborg's finest spent three years in the studio. The result, Fugazi-esque punk rock, shows that it was worth the wait.

01. Lukestar - Lake Toba (Phone Me Records)
Indie rock at its best - edgy, melodic and, at the same time, raw and hard hitting as hell! The number one spot was, even in January, Lukestar's spot all along.

Matt Giordano

06. Vapnet - Döda fallet (Hybris)
Their track record has been making consistently good albums, and this is not an exception.

05. Robert Svensson - Young punk are on the never-never (Nomethod)
A fantastic pop album that has me looking even more forward to the next Mixtapes and Cellmates record.

04. The Kid - Transient blood (Hybris)
On their second album, The Kid has transformed themselves into brooding pop masters.

03. Paavoharju - Laulu laakson kukista (Fonal)
A beautiful, cold, meandering album. Not only does this album sound natural, it sounds symbiotic with nature.

02. Markus Krunegård - Markusevangeliet (V2/Universal)
He's made classic albums with Laakso, and a great Hets album. Now Markus is a bonafide solo artist, and, with this maintains that he's one of the best songwriters around.

01. Juvelen - 1 (Hybris)
One of my most anticipated of the year. Ten songs, ten potential singles, yet one cohesive pop statement. Juvelen is here to stay.

Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

10. Division of Laura Lee - Violence is timeless (I Made This)
This is a total gut decision. Part of me is not okay with this result, but enough of me is perfectly alright ousting at least five other contenders to make room for this dirty, energetic album in my top 10. Despite giving this album only an 8, it has survived in far better standing than a few 9s from this year. "LAX" has been on quite a few of the mixtapes I've made for friends over the past few months, and DoLL launched my brother and I across America this summer... I couldn't imagine 2008 without "Violence is timeless".

09. Robert Svensson - Young punks are on the never-never (Nomethod)
Mr. Svensson lost considerable ground on this list, especially compared to the first draft I worked up a few weeks ago. Still, even at number nine, "Young punks are on the never-never" made it. A wonderful debut solo album from Mixtapes & Cellmates' vocalist, marking the beginning of what is sure to be a fine career.

08. Park Hotell - Free for friends (Ultra Radio/BD Pop)
This top 10 list is populated with a lot of debut records. "Free for friends" is definitely one that I had been waiting for, and it didn't let me down. It's a perfect autumn record: tracts of introspection still fuelled by the reckless hope of summer days.

07. Kiki Pau - Let's rock (Pyramid/Johanna Kustannus)
While I was completely surprised by "Book of Norma", I at least knew who Norma were. Kiki Pau are my favorite surprise this year. Their style of indie rock is confident well beyond their years, harkening back to "Meat is murder"-era Smiths, contemporary NYC garage, The Clash ... and any album with a song titled "Bukowski" (with the lyric: "Steinbeck made me want to get drunk") gets my vote.

06. Convoj - Exceptionnel (Wonderland)
This latecomer also forced me to reconstruct my list. It was all about complete, too. Oh well. Convoj's "Exceptionnel" is a brilliant record, more than deserving of a top 10 spot.

05. Håkan Hellström - För sent för edelweiss (Dolores)
If it weren't for all the summer memories I attach to "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust", Hellström's effort would be in fourth place. The fact that this album is in fifth place is a testament to the creative forces at work in Northern Europe. When I first heard this record, I was pretty sure it would be in my top three albums of the year. How wonderful it is to be so wrong. "För sent för edelweiss" has become my favorite Håkan Hellström album, just edging out "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg".

04. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (XL Recordings/EMI)
The fact that Sigur Rós took risks on this album when they could have skirted by with "Takk pt. II" impresses me. It may not be their finest album, but it's fun, kinetic, and lush; everything we expect from the Icelanders, and yet something quite different, too.

03. Tiger Lou - A partial print (Startracks)
I struggled a little with "A partial print" at first, but it eventually won out. As I wrote in my review, the album is "a collage, a collection of images, all of them darkly beautiful extensions of the emotional landscape of "The loyal", but the connections between these impressions can take some time to present themselves, but they will, and then "A partial print" comes fully into being."

02. Markus Krunegård - Markusevangeliet (V2/Universal)
While I gave "A partial print" higher marks, "Markusevangeliet" has been a valued companion of mine since April -- and there's something to be said about resilience. I said back then that I thought Laakso frontman Markus Krunegård had possibly crafted the best record of the year... and, although I might have proven myself wrong, his accomplishment is by far one of the best solo records in recent memory.

01. Norma - Book of Norma (Novoton)
In a damned impressive year for Scandinavian music, my top prize goes to "Book of Norma". It's been a while since I have been as taken aback by a record as I was with Norma's latest effort, the first album I have ever given a 10 to here on It's A Trap! Just an absolutely brilliant album.

Arnulf Koehncke

10. Ane Brun - Changing of the seasons (DetErMine)
Someone wrote somewhere how well recorded this album is -- I can't help but agree. The songs are good too and it's actually the first Ane Brun record that I can really relate to.

09. Audrey - The fierce and the longing (Tenderversion)
Honestly, this record sounds a lot like their last one. That's a good thing in Audrey's case -- I think it's really rare that a band is this well defined regarding both songwriting and sound-aesthetics.

08. Fredrik - Na na ni (Jezebel)
It surprises me how much I still like this record. I didn't think it would be such a grower -- guess I was wrong.

07. Snöleoparden - Snöleoparden (Rump)
I just like the whole of-the-cuff playfulness and complexity that this record embodies. I dare anyone to listen to the daycare-singalong second track and not smile.

06. Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from Hello Saferide (Razzia)
If you'd asked me in the beginning of the year, I'd probably have predicted this album to top my year-end list. Well, it hasn't completely gotten me hooked yet, though I totally agree with all the praise for Annika's development. And "Lund" has already become a personal favorite of mine.

05. Bobby and Blumm - Everybody loves... (Morr Music)
This record is just so playful -- there's so much to discover in F.S. Blumm's guitar work and Ella's charming voice. It makes me wish I could see them live again.

04. V. Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble - Do nothing 'til you hear from me (iDEAL)
Another great record, though it needs patience and concentration to really enjoy it as a whole. It's just great how it builds up all this tension with its drones and suspense curves only to then release the listener with a soothing return to tonality in the next to last track.

03. The Radio Dept. - Freddie and the Trojan Horse (Labrador)
Too bad their album was delayed until next year. This EP showed such potential with all its Prefab Sprout'ish moments and melodies. And it even delivered some nostalgia to me as a long-time fan when I listen to the hidden track's distortion and overdrive.

02. Vapnet - Döda fallet (Hybris)
It's amazing: This record is such an instant classic that I almost didn't think of it as a 2008-release. And doesn't that already say all there is to say?

01. Auton - Anywhere out of this world (Structures Sonores)
This record is just so good (which is why my review of it is just so overdue). Incredibly virtuosic yet never overbearing musicians that shift from straight-out jazz to drone to post-rock to Satie-like piano moments with such casualness and grace. My Scandinavian record of the year. Go to the label website now and order copies to give away as christmas presents ;-)

Nancy Baym

10. Don't I wish I could put something here. Like the Caesars. What a bummer that record was.

09. Mikko Singh - Uskotko että siellä on kukkia? (self-released)
An almost-entirely instrumental record that's somewhere between pop and new age, equally well suited to a massage or mellow downtime at home. Very pretty with some nice elements of fun.

08. Violent Years - s/t (Playground)
A fine contribution to the southern gothic alt country genre with many outstanding moments and at least one truly great song.

07. Kusowsky - Något speciellt (self-released)
Kusowsy are so unabashedly singalong guitar pop that I feel a little guilty enjoying them, but everytime a song from this EP showed up on shuffle this year I found myself stopping to smile.

06. The Social Services - It's nothing personal, it's national security (Stereo Test Kit)
Only 1/3 Scandinavian, but she's the singer so she gets extra credit. It's a smart, eclectic, cynical, funny, and loose indie pop album.

05. Tiger Lou - A partial print (Startracks)
I really wanted to love this record, but don't. As background music its dark, hypnotic and self-contradictory sound is stunningly close to perfect, but on close listening its repetitiveness becomes abrasive in ways I don't think were intended.

04. Markus Krunegård - Markusevangeliet (V2/Universal)
On his solo record, Krunegård avoids most of Laakso's glam excesses to deliver a powerful and rich electronically-driven yet organic and seductive sonic environment.

03. Vapnet - Döda fallet (Hybris)
They don't stray too far from the distinctive, poppy, and borderline corny sound of their previous recordings on this one, but that's a good thing because they are one of the most calming make-you-happy bands going today. I highly recommend this as a soundtrack for either hanging out on a warm beach or cleaning house, cooking, and other mundane chores of daily life.

01. Madrugada - s/t (Virgin/EMI)
Faced with the sudden death of their guitarist and an album 80% completed, Madrugada did the right thing by finishing it up. Even without the tragic back story, it's a powerful and mature rock album that I am still listening to regularly almost a year after its release.

01. Detektivbyrån - Wermland (Danarkia)
In a very disappointing musical year, this instrumental genre-collapsing folk album based on accordion and glockenspiel was the one extraordinary surprise. Everyone I've played it for ran out and got it immediately. You should too.

Simon Tagestam

10. Nordpolen - s/t (Sincerely Yours)

09. Joel Alme - A master of ceremonies (Sincerely Yours)

08. Envelopes - Here comes the wind (Brille)

07. Håkan Hellström - För sent för edelweiss (Dolores)

06. Markus Krunegård - Markusevangeliet (V2/Universal)

05. Love Is All - A hundred things keep me up at night (What's Your Rupture?)

04. Afasi & Filthy - Fläcken (P.O.P.E.)

03. Frida Hyvönen - Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)

02. Moto Boy - s/t (Songs I Wish I Had Written)

01. Vapnet - Döda fallet (Hybris)

09/04 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA
09/05 - Dantes, Portland, OR
09/06 - The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
09/07 - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA
09/08 - The Clubhouse, Phoenix, AZ
09/10 - Red 7, Austin, TX
09/11 - Rudyards, Houston, TX
09/12 - One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
09/13 - Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
09/14 - Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC
09/15 - Rock and Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
09/16 - Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA
09/17 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

01. Kristofer Åström - Just a little insane
02. TALK 1
03. Darkthrone - Canadian metal
04. Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
05. Niccokick - Love & neon lights
06. TALK 2
07. Death By Kite - Bhf. Asta
08. The Alpine - Iceland
09. Pluxus - Bootstrap
10. TALK 3
11. Graveyard - Thin line
12. Hospital - Something in the water
13. Attrap - Just a word away
14. TALK 4
15. Jonna Lee - I wrote this song
16. Paper - My life is going under
17. Broder Daniel - You bury me
18. TALK 5
19. Radio LXMBRG - Score on the floor
20. Maia Hirasawa - Gothenburg
21. Rather Sound Than Safe - The beat
22. Det Gamla Landet - Det heliga landet
23. TALK 6
24. Paris - When I laid my eyes on you
25. No Hope for the Kids - Rainy day
26. Sir Eric Beyond and the Avant-Garde - If this is the way
27. Barra Head - Overseas
28. TALK 7
29. Superfamily - Warszawa
30. Oskar Schönning - S
31. Brick - Automen
32. TALK 8
33. Miss Li - Leave my man alone
34. Kasper Bjørke - Liquid propagnosia
35. Loveninjas - I wanna be like Johnny C
36. Anti Cimex - Only in dreams
37. TALK 9
38. Pan Sonic - Virta 1
]]> Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:51:08 -0800 news sirius http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26047-graveyard-s-t-transubstans-records-teepee-records http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26047-graveyard-s-t-transubstans-records-teepee-records http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26047-graveyard-s-t-transubstans-records-teepee-records#comments Spiritual Beggars and Unida got away with it for example, but for the most part, it's been carbon copies getting the press. Here, however, is a band that deserves the press. The obvious influences of Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Blue Cheer are present all along these nine tracks, but the main influence here must be the works of Glenn Danzig. Not so much Misfits though but more his solo albums and, for sure, Samhain. The craftsmanship of producer Don Alsterberg is flawless in letting the not-so-much distorted guitars lead the way through the all-analog recordings. And that is one reason to why this record should appeal to more people outside the hard rock/metal core. The warm and fuzzy feel doesn't take the edge off Graveyard's rock either, that's for sure. The other reason is the great vocals. It's liberating to hear, because if there's one genre where good vocals are required, it's this one! The Danzig progressions are there and I'm floored. The chorus in "Thin line" together with an insane groove takes the song through the roof and I'm screaming for more. Still think of Göteborg as a city of pop sensations or death metal pioneers? Broaden your horizons, here's Graveyard bringing back the rock to you.]]> Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19998 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19998 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19998#comments Graveyard and Asteroid will tour Europe together in November:

11/09 - Dragens Hule, Copenhagen (DK)
11/11 - Café Little Devil, Tilburg (NL)
11/14 - Immerhin, Würzburg (GER)
11/15 - Kunstkeller o-27, Fürth (GER)
11/16 - Wild At Heart, Berlin (GER)
11/17 - Crazy World, Salzwedel (GER)

More dates to come.]]> Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:43:15 -0700 news live http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28157-mp3-graveyard-thin-line http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28157-mp3-graveyard-thin-line http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28157-mp3-graveyard-thin-line#comments Graveyard plays the kind of heavy 70s-rock that immediately inspires Black Sabbath references, especially given their chosen moniker. However, lacking a frontman with the air-raid siren of Ozzy puts 'em much closer to Deep Purple territory or maybe Blue Cheer. It just doesn't have the ominous doom quotient of Sabbath. I also detect a definite Creedence Clearwater Revival vibe, especially in the close-mic'd guitar sound. It's pure amp overdrive, not a muddy pedal tone. I'm sure they employ a stompbox every so now n' then (such as on the solos), but for the most part, it's kept clean and clear. Relatively speaking, of course - this is still heavy rock after all. I dig this a lot. Now let's just hope that the album release on Tee Pee Records leads to a US tour.]]> Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:25:50 -0700 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19877 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19877 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19877#comments The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Boys of Scandinavia - Beautiful as a person
02. TALK 1
03. Don't Be A Stranger - Perfect problem
04. Timo Räisänen - Sixteen
05. Promise and the Monster - Sheets
06. TALK 2
07. Deathbed - When hope leaves a body
08. Closer - Sensing the wake
09. TALK 3
10. The Tarantula Waltz - Two arrows
11. Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
12. Anna Järvinen - Götgatan
13. TALK 4
14. Eric Malmberg - Slutet på en epok
15. Mustasch - Bring me everyone
16. September - Until I die
17. TALK 5
18. Leütenhaven - Still life (trompe l'oeil)
19. Frode Haltli - The latter
20. Lykke Li - Little bit
21. TALK 6
22. Downstairs - Peephole city
23. The Cardigans - Don't blame your daughter (Diamonds)
24. Paris - When I laid my eyes on you
25. TST - We are the kids
26. TALK 7
27. Ghost Brigade - Based on you
28. Mikko Singh - Palmun juurella
29. Audionom - Dc2
30. TALK 8
31. Ulver - Solitude
32. The Psyke Project - I get paralyzed
33. Silverbullit - Winter coat
34. TALK 9
35. Bodies Without Organs (BWO) - Let it rain
36. Icos - On my own
37. Torpedo - Hang me high
38. TALK 10
39. Graveyard - Satan's finest

FYI, in case you missed my announcement: next week will be a spooky Halloween-themed program.]]> Sat, 20 Oct 2007 18:21:28 -0700 news sirius http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19663 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19663 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19663#comments The playlist for my radio show this week:

01. Mattias Bärjed - 99 pounds
02. TALK 1
03. Piroth - Waltz for prima ballerina
04. Hyacinth House - Swedish signs on Monkey Island
05. Aerial - Secret goddess
06. Icos - Fly away
07. TALK 2
08. Robyn - Konichiwa bitches (Trentemøller remix)
09. Folke Rabe - Argh!
10. Him Kerosene - Ladybugs
11. TALK 3
12. Audionom - In the streets
13. The Alpine - Trigger
14. Immanu El - Astral days
15. TALK 4
16. Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos - Jag har en vän
17. Logh - Thieves in the palace
18. Galento - Gunnar Hardings paraply
19. TALK 5
20. Promise and the Monster - Antarkis
21. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Heroica
22. Anchor - In the throes of passion
23. TALK 6
24. Repoman - Valley of snakes
25. Ulver - Shadows of the sun
26. Bobby Baby - Do not twist
27. TALK 7
28. Superfamily - Warszawa
29. The Fine Arts Showcase - Modern love
30. Sinikka Langeland - Sus i myrull
31. TALK 8
32. Graveyard - Thin line
33. Mai - Snowing downtown
34. KVLR - Abomination
35. TALK 9
36. Säkert! - Sanningsdan
]]> Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:10:25 -0700 news sirius