IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

New Killerchaps single next week

Wed, 13 May 2009 12:33:37 -0700

The new single "No one knows your name" from Swedish indierock act Killerchaps will be released on May 18.

Interview: The High Hats

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:33:33 -0800

The High Hats', or Cumshot Hookers as they originally called themselves, road to success started with the release of their album "Too much is never enough" in 2007. On the tour that followed the album they gained the reputation of being a great live band and a huge fan-base. Now they're back with an EP that was released for free and a promise of a soon to come full-length album.
- Morten Frisch

Tell me your story! When did you discover rock'n'roll?

The High Hats are childhood friends and for as long as we can remember we've have listened to music in many forms. We listen to everything from dub to black metal...

What made you form the band? Just regular smalltown boredom or something else?

For no particular reason... we have played together in different bands before and one day we decided to start up the band as it is today. Actually, we had a hard night out and in the decadence the pieces fell into place. And let there be High Hats.

You seem very fond of your hometown, what is so good about Borås?

In some way Borås has gotten bigger the last ten years. More and better bands, probably the best football team in Sweden, the most good looking people and we've noticed that people from Gothenburg are a bit jealous of our home-town. hehe...

How about the Borås music scene? Which is the second best band?

Great. We have a lot of talented bands here like Killerchaps, Evocation, Brick Club and Moonlit Sailor and on and on and on. The scene has grown really fast over the last few years and it's keeping on getting bigger.

You have an especially big fan-base in Germany. Why is that?

Because we did a lot of really good shows there on our first tour and we also did a German-only-tour... and the Germans are really supportive when it comes to good music.

You have reputation of being a great live band, what's your recipe for a great show?

Since we only see each other during rehearsals and gigs we can focus our energy on having a good time instead of wasting our energy on disliking each other... The High Hats is like a bad marrige with really great makeup-sex.

Your latest EP was released for free. How come?

We had a few sessions and recorded some songs that we wanted to release for free. We have always been very generous with giving away songs for free.

What does the future have in store for The High Hats?

We are just about to record our second full-length album, but yet we don't know who will release it.. we have a few options but nothing is settled. Maybe we should give it away for free.

How do you think Elfsborg will do in this years Allsvenskan? It looks pretty grim...

They are going to win.

...And when is the next release due?

We don't know yet, but hopefully it will be out before the summer. Remember that we have a slow working process, since we can't stand each other in large doses.

Killerchaps Lingua franca Adore Music

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Lingua franca" kicks off like an early punk album, back when the fledgling movement still continued on the rock'n'roll influence and twang of their few predecessors. Killerchaps' ability to combine this sound with the tropes of the contemporary indie rock scene often yields fantastic results. The influence of bands like Franz Ferdinand, another act who cuts a wide swathe through genres, is easily heard on "Got to go" and the album's extraordinary closing track "What in the world have I done". This British influence is noticeable throughout the album -- "Damn this child" and "Knee high water", two of the album's other standout tracks, feel particularly much more British than Scandinavian in their combination of influences and sounds. Despite the slew of solid songs on "Lingua franca" though, about a third of the album feels very 'par for the course.' It's a shame, I would have loved to give Killerchaps an 8 out of 10. It'll happen one day, I'm quite sure of that.

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:59:35 -0700

Adore Music (Killerchaps, The Third Try Club) has signed Swedish indie act Kusowsky.

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:06:58 -0700

Achtung! Clothing is putting on a series of clubnights each featuring a pair of bands and a new split 7". First up is Killerchaps and Pistol Mob tonight (May 30) followed by Don Darlings/Kusowsky on July 18 and then Bye Bye Bicycle/Alex Face on August 15. More info: http://www.achtungclothing.com/

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:22:44 -0700

Adore Music (Torpedo, Killerchaps) has announced the signing of Swedish act Vipe Out and will be releasing their debut album this coming fall. Preview at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vipeoutswe

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Laakso - Worst case scenario
02. TALK 1
03. Superfamily - I want my money back
04. The Bear Quartet - Ask me don't axe me
05. Ståålfågel - Små gröna män
06. TALK 2
07. Printer - Satisfaction (radio edit)
08. NEI - New morning
09. Paper - Out of it into it
10. Darkthrone - Canadian metal
11. TALK 3
12. Sweatmaster - Animal
13. Bloodbath - Buried by the dead
14. Moneybrother - Guess who's gonna get some tonight
15. TALK 4
16. The Perishers - Victorious
17. The Skull Defekts - Unholy drums are singing
18. Hell On Wheels - Alexander
19. TALK 5
20. Karin Ström - Ordlös
21. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skulldrummantra
22. Scraps of Tape - How your heart gets thrown
23. TALK 6
24. Brainbombs - Stinking memory
25. M:40 - Brännmärkt
26. Logh - Bring on the ether
27. TALK 7
28. CS Nielsen - Happy
29. Amorphis - Weaving the incantation
30. Juvelen - Hanna
31. TALK 8
32. Killerchaps - Equally dumb
33. Dinosau - Derr lady
34. Knugen Faller - Inte som ni
35. TALK 9
36. The Kissaway Trail - La la song
37. Pg.Lost - Yes I am
38. Suburban Kids with Biblical Names - Marry me
39. TALK 10
40. Don Juan Dracula - Take me home

Killerchaps s/t Adore Music

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The self-titled Killerchaps album is, in many ways, everything a 70s saturated indierock album should be. Composed of ten catchy, concise burst of songs, "Killerchaps" wraps up in just over 25 minutes. Unfortunately, while the tracks are well crafted and the brevity of the record never allows for any awkward pauses, the approach becomes nearly formulaic as the record continues. It never develops into a ghastly or horrific exercise, Killerchaps just wind themselves tightly around the straight-forwardness of their songs, allowing for little lateral movement of the guitars, bass, drums, or vocals. It feels that with the obvious talents of the band, that the 60s, Sonics-like style, combined with the contemporary influences of groups like Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon, should allow for a bit more playful variation in the composition. "Hound like tigers" and "Equally dumb", the standout track of the album, both take a few steps away from the standard sound and succeed resolutely for doing so. Overall, "Killerchaps" hits the mark, it just may be forgotten when all is said and done with this year of releases.

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Adore Music has announced the signing of Killerchaps and will be releasing their debut album in the near future. Samples here: http://www.myspace.com/killerchaps