IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

MP3: Little Jimmy Reeves - Romance on drugs

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:49:52 -0700

Little Jimmy Reeves is the latest signing of Danish label Play/Rec and "Bring out the dogs" is their debut EP. The group's heavy rock sound doesn't totally jive with the post-hardcore scene I normally think of when I think Play/Rec (Lack, Barra Head, Menfolk), but when I remind myself that they've also put out records from bands like Monoton and Mt. Eerie it starts to make sense. And it's not as if LJR doesn't have an impressive resumé -- frontman Asger Techau plays drums for Kashmir, one of Denmark's biggest bands. Bassist Jan Damage Petersen plays in Gravy, another great Danish band. And drummer Johan Høyer is an accomplished audio engineer who was/is (?) also in Livaventura. Considering that pedigree, the picture gets clearer and the end result less surprising. And what would that result be? In a nutshell, I'd call it mid-tempo melodramatic rock with a rough edge. Melodic enough for curious Kashmir fans, but also imbued with a bluesy heaviness that band lacks. Overall, I'm not blown away by this release, but I do like the title track and this other song that I'm posting today. It's got a bit of those oh so crucial quietLOUDquiet dynamics ala The Pixies and the vocal harmonies in the chorus are a nice touch as well. Wholly unoriginal, but nice enough, y'know? Still, worth keeping an eye on. There's potential.

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:48:55 -0700

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. The Bear Quartet - Put me back together
02. TALK 1
03. Karin Ström - Silent night
04. Camouflage - Syster sol
05. Ulf Ljusberg - Whatever was
06. TALK 2
07. Juvelen - Don't mess
08. Invocator - Breed of sin
09. The Grand Opening - Secrets revealed
10. TALK 3
11. Motorpsycho - For free
12. Coldworker - Flammable
13. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Photo Jenny
14. TALK 4
15. Egil Olsen - Singer/songwriter
16. Last Days of April - Will the violins be playing?
17. Desert Planet - Riot sector 68
18. TALK 5
19. Printer - Satisfaction
20. Psyke Project - Physical romance
21. Promise and the Monster - Light reflecting papers
22. TALK 6
23. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
24. Pan Sonic - Johdin
25. Opération Zéro - Etude no. 1
26. TALK 7
27. Jonas Game - Nothing to lose
28. Mari Boine - Tundra flower
29. Vapnet - Plötsligt händer det inte
30. TALK 8
31. Moto Boy - Ride my wild heart
32. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
33. Gravy - Behind my walls
34. TALK 9
35. Looptroop Rockers - The building
36. Victims - Victims in blood #5
37. Anna Leong - Guillotine
38. Zeigeist - Humanitarianism
39. TALK 10
40. Ef - Appendix

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:19:16 -0800

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Britta Persson - Cliffhanger
02. TALK 1
03. Death By Kite - Sweet M
04. KVLR - Traitors and thieves
05. Anna Ternheim - Today is a good day
06. TALK 2
07. Don Juan Dracula - Take me home (Johan Angebjörn remix feat. Sally Shapiro)
08. Amorphis - Weaving the incantation
09. Thomas Denver Jonsson - Dreams at the film club (feat. Nina Kinert)
10. TALK 3
11. Don't Be A Stranger - Lonely together
12. Madrugada - Tonight I have no words for you
13. Majessic Dreams - Have to go
14. TALK 4
15. Pavan - The bird
16. Bröderna Lindgren - Om en guldfisk (feat. Kristofer Åström)
17. The Tarantula Waltz - Where I end and you begin
18. Adam Tensta - They wanna know
19. TALK 5
20. Commando M Pigg - Mot stjärnorna
21. Gravy - Rock scientists
22. Jonas Game - ADHD
23. TALK 6
24. Linus Larsson & John Roger Olsson - In the shadow
25. Idiot Kid - Go to sleep
26. Mats Öberg - Cool water - på Den Gyldene Freden
27. TALK 7
28. Pascal - Längtar efter dig
29. The Bear Quartet - I would be poor
30. Peloton - Aranburu
31. Royal Downfall - Lightning strikes twice
32. TALK 8
33. Made In Sweden - Winter's a bummer
34. Erik Enocksson - The state the sea left me in
35. Asha Ali - Coward heart
36. TALK 9
37. A-ha - Celice

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:30:19 -0700

Gravy's new video for "Rock scientists" is now online: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3a4lg_gravy-rock-scientists

Gravy Glory to our brilliant name PonyRec

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Denmark's Gravy have two strong things going for them. One, they're a silly party band with some wickedly funny lyrics and many sing-along repetitive chants. Two, they're a highly-skilled trippy psychedelic groove band with plenty of extended instrumental breaks and radical mid-song transformations. Sometimes, like on the album opener "Depression is near", the combination works. The song's a swirling and seductive dark journey that's good for plenty of laughs and dance moves along the way. At other times, though, when the music demands to be taken seriously, the lyrics and vocals are too goofy to make it fully possible. Or, just when the lyrics have got you in their world, the music veers off in another direction altogether. The result is a record that is usually interesting and often very fun, but never quite penetrable. I'd hate to see them pick one tendency over the other, but they've got a ways to go in making those two elements work together consistently.

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for my radio show this week:

01. Pistol Disco - Walking with Jesus
02. TALK 1
03. Heroes & Zeros - Into the light
04. Vijaya - Your gun will never set you free
05. Convoj - My timekeeping heart
06. TALK 2
07. Darkthrone - Too old, too cold
08. A Perfect Friend - Rush hour
09. Death By Kite - Hiroshima
10. TALK 3
11. Fun - I've got a truck
12. Moonbabies - Walking on my feet
13. The Perishers - When I fall
14. TALK 4
15. Regulations - Police siren
16. Viola - Ordinary teenage sensation
17. Björn Kleinhenz - Starlit queen
18. TALK 5
19. Gravy - Glory to our brilliant name
20. Hero Dishonest - Stalin vs Hank Hardy
21. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
22. Ulver - Capitel III: Graablick blev hun vaer
23. TALK 6
24. Håkan Hellström - Ramlar
25. Abhinanda - Highway tonight
26. Single Unit - Passion, pirates & parasites
27. TALK 7
28. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skulldrummantra
29. The Tiny - Just like you
30. Death Breath - Death breath
31. TALK 8
32. Entombed - Serpent speech
33. The Cardigans - Marvel hill
34. Soviac - I got the ribbah
35. TALK 9
36. The Bear Quartet - Put me back together
37. You Is Stupid - I am history
38. Paris - 60 minutes
39. The Process - Mot Sverige i tiden
40. TALK 10
41. Weeping Willows - I give you the morning

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Friday's Sirius Blog Radio playlist:

01. The Alpine - Mondays look the same
02. TALK 1
03. Gravy - Back with the nerds
04. Giant Robot - Best match
05. Jomi Massage - A detail
06. TALK 2
07. Broder Daniel - Shoreline
08. The Grand Opening - Don't drop off
09. Moonbabies - Take me to the ballroom
10. Britta Persson - Oh how wrong
11. TALK 3
12. Lemonator - Would you die for me?
13. Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Short ends
14. Billie the Vision and the Dancers - Overdosing with you
15. TALK 4
16. Folie - Rocin
17. Robyn - Handle me
18. Laakso - Norrköping
19. TALK 5
20. Magnet - I walk the line
21. Isolation Years - Albino child
22. KVLR - Construction work
23. TALK 6
24. Anna Leong - 61
25. Tigerbombs - One giant leap
26. Motorpsycho - Hyena
27. TALK 7
28. Oskar Schönning - Other birds
29. Pan Sonic - Rähinä II / Mayhem II
30. Mercyful Fate - Evil
31. TALK 8
32. Ricochets - Come around over
33. Ghost Brigade - Based on you
34. Smalltown - The music
35. Popface - In the night
36. TALK 9
37. Circle Six - 1

Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Tonight! Don't forget to check out my show on Sirius Satellite Radio at 10pm ET on Channel 26/Left of Center! I'll be playing new stuff from Gravy, Billie the Vision and the Dancers, Laakso and Isolation Years as well as a bunch of other favorites. Got a Stiletto? Set it to record!

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The video for Gravy's new single "Back with the nerds" is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-rqckh3EKY

MP3: Gravy - Glory to our brilliant name

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Gravy might just be my favorite Danish indierock act. They're equal parts catchy and quirky, with a great sense of humor. As if it wasn't obvious from the title of their new album "Glory to our brilliant name". The self-aware lyrics probably aren't exactly what you'd expect - it's more a song of self-doubt than boasting - but it's still a little silly in the way they play up indie stereotypes. I too wear Converse shoes, the same as everyone else. And yes, I worry that success is antithetical to what I'm about. Or worried, I should say - it's much less an issue the older I get. Settle down? Done. It's not so bad. Thing is, I now work way harder than I ever did and much of that work goes towards making sure bands like Gravy get the attention they deserve. Listen up!

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

PonyRec is offering up a track from the new Gravy album for free download: http://www.ponyrec.dk/release_008.html
I just got a copy last week and have been really enjoying it, so be sure to check it out.

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

New tourdates for Danish indierockers Gravy:

04/12 - Studenterhuset, Århus (DK)
05/11 - Flockenpop Festival, Hannover (GER)
05/24 - Astra Stube, Hamburg (GER)
05/25 - Buschbrand, Duisburg (GER)
09/07 - Hafenstrasse tbc, Meißen (GER)
09/08 - Objekt 5, Halle (GER)

"Back with the nerds", the first single from the band's forthcoming album "Glory to our brilliant name", will be out in March. The album itself comes out April 16.

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

PonyRec has confirmed that Danish indierockers Gravy will unleash their new album with the oh-so-modest title "Glory to our brilliant name" on April 16.

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Danish indierockers Gravy will enter the studio on August 14 to begin recording their sophomore album. In the meantime, their self-titled debut is out now in France via Revolution Records/Socadisc and will soon be released in Germany through Cargo and in the UK through Independent Music Distribution/Shellshock. Buy why wait? I've got it for sale on both CD, mp3 and vinyl.

Top 10s for 2005: Kasper Find (PonyRec)

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

01. Gravy - "s/t"
A fantastic debutalbum by the best poprock outfit in Denmark.

02. Munck//Johnson - "Unlike You"
One of the strongest voices in Denmark.

03. Why? - "Elephant Eyelash"
Beck would sound like this if he had talent.

04. Mob - "We All Repeat The Past"
A fantastic album by the best noise rock band in Denmark.

05. Malcolm Middleton - "Into The Woods"
The best non-Danish popalbum this year!

06. Je M'appelle Mads - "Jeg Fyrer Hit Efter Hit Af"
I can not stop smiling. This is just great.

07. Red Sparowes - "At The Soundless Dawn"
They are coming to Denmark in March '06 - Great.

08. Arab Strap - "The Last Romance"
They are just getting better and better.

09. 13 + God - "s/t"
Fantastic album and the best concert at Roskilde Festival '05

10. Boards Of Canada - "The Campfire Headphase"
They did it!

---------------------------

Kaspar is the big cheese over at Danish indie label PonyRec. Look for new releases from Halph and Munck//Johnson in early 2006.
www.ponyrec.dk

Mon, 26 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Check out the video for "That girl" from the fun Danish indierock act Gravy: [click here]

Podcast: Feel-good summer mix, pt. 2

Sun, 19 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0700

DATE ADDED : 06.19.05
LENGTH : 29:59 min
DOWNLOAD : itsatrap_podcast_06192005.mp3 (21.1mb)
RSS : [click here]

Tracklist:
01. Last Days of April - Playerin
02. The Hellacopters - Before the fall
03. Björn Kleinhenz - Better company
04. David Sandström Overdrive - Here's for summer
05. Tenderloud - Happy days - the feast
06. Powersolo - Juanito
07. Gravy - Behind my walls
08. Uncle's Institution - Babe remix
09. Richard Reagh - Hangin' on a limb
10. When - Flower jam

Gravy s/t PonyRec

Mon, 30 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Starting this record I thought I was putting on a new, and better soundtrack, for "Van Wilder" (or insert any college-based comedy). As much as Gravy borrows from the Pixies (as Avi as judiciously pointed out last week) they still make every song their own with awesome arrangements, the awesome Doo-Wop backing vocals and xylophone bursting out of nowhere. This is just great, fun music that you cannot help but smile and enjoy.

Wed, 25 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700

I'm not normally a fan of slacker indierock, but every once in a great while I find a band that I can appreciate. Denmark's Gravy is one of those bands. I can't honestly say that I love every song on their new self-titled debut album, but there are three or four totally outstanding tracks including the mp3 I've posted today. Sure, the melody borrows heavily from The Pixies, but I love the huge, busy production and gratuitous backing vocals. Just check out that call-and-response motif with the trainwreck/vacuum noise and guitar lick that opens the song. That's exactly the kind of playful noisemaking that I adore. Fun stuff.

Wed, 11 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Download the track "Behind my walls" from Danish act Gravy: http://www.ponyrec.dk/music/Behind%20My%20Walls.mp3

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Denmark's Gravy now has their full website online: http://www.gravyband.dk/

Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Denmark's Pony Records has a new website online: http://www.ponyrec.dk/
The label recently signed Gravy, the new project of ex-The Defectors guitarist Nikolaj Grummesgård. Look for their debut album to be released on May 2. In the meantime, download some demo tracks at the band's website: http://www.gravyband.dk/