Atlas Losing Grip is my summer jam. Earnest, politically-minded hardcore is a rare breed these days, so it makes me pretty damn excited to hear something like this, especially when it's done so damn well. Seriously, has there been any other modern bands besides maybe Lack that do this sort of thing and are worth noting? If they exist, I don't know about them. Powerful hooks and a powerful message, a perfect combo. Bonus points for the Aleister Crowley quote, an inclusion that makes a lot more sense when you know that vocalist Rodrigo Alfaro also runs the label Blood Harvest. But yeah, very very recommended! For all the great raw hardcore being made these days, it's really nice to hear something from the other side of the pop spectrum.

04/30 - Antje Øklesund, Berlin (GER)
05/01 - Festival, Prague (CZ)
05/02 - Rhiz, Vienna, Wien (AUS)
05/04 - tba, Leipzig (GER)
05/05 - Grüner Jäger, Hamburg (GER)
05/07 - AZ Conni, Dresden (GER)
05/08 - Food For Your Senses (Warm Up) Centre Prabelli, Wiltz (LUX)

01. The Late Call - Put your lights on
02. TALK 1
03. Fever Ray - When I grow up (Håkan Lidbo remix)
04. Maskinen - Alla som inte dansar
05. Isolation Years - Albino child
06. TALK 2
07. Pixie Carnation - When did the lights go out
08. Unleashed - Dead forever
09. Lack - Soot, smoke & ash
10. TALK 3
11. Small - Comic girl
12. Peter Bjorn and John - It don't move me
13. Masquer - I think I'll lose my mind
14. Ironville - Roses
15. TALK 4
16. Parasite - Nightwinds
17. Aerial - Kallisti
18. The Crystal Caravan - Tombstone eyes
19. TALK 5
20. Hello Saferide - Arjeplog

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

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)

08/07 - Himmel, Schwyz (CH)
08/08 - MatscherAu Open Air, Bolzano (ITA)
08/30 - OFFSET Festival, London (UK)
09/19 - Folkets Park, ESF 08, Malmö (SWE)
09/27 - Stengade 30, Kbh (DK) w/Barra Head
10/12 - POPKOMM - Festsaal Kreuzberg, Berlin (GER) w/31 Knots, Alarma Man

01. Laakso - Worst case scenario
02. TALK 1
03. The Kid - Mayhem troopers
04. We Live In Trenches - Autonomy clinic
05. Detektivbyrån - Om du möter varg
06. TALK 2
07. I'm From Barcelona - Paper planes
08. Wired for Mono - The man behind the wall
09. The Amazing - Dragon
10. TALK 3
11. Pugh Rogefeldt - Surabaya Johnny
12. Opeth - The lotus eater
13. The Knife - Silent shout
14. TALK 4
15. Culkin - Allegiance
16. Haust - Desperate living
17. Lack - Behead
18. Nitad - Ge mig ge mig
19. TALK 5
20. Kamraterna - Det här är ditt land

Reminder: my show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday.

01. Bloodbath - Blasting the virginborn
02. TALK 1
03. Håkan Hellström - Långa vägar
04. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr. Happy
05. Victims - Bomben har fallit
06. TALK 2
07. Death By Kite - Sweet M
08. Ef - Thrills
09. The Bombhappies - Nothing at all
10. TALK 3
11. Motorpsycho - The alchemyst
12. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
13. TALK 4
14. In Flames - Moonshield
15. Maskinen - Alla som inte dansar (100dirty remix)
16. The Social Services - Baltic Sea
17. TALK 5
18. Peter Morén - Social competence
19. Lack - Bombing the moon
20. Dmitry Fydorov - Signal
21. TALK 6
22. Looptroop Rockers - The building
23. Six Guns - Think positive
24. Nybakat! - Limu limu lima
25. TALK 7
26. Saft - Sizzling
27. Electric Retard - Greenvalley High
28. Lukestar - The shade you hide
29. Samtidigt Som - Constant in motion
30. TALK 8
31. Bad Cash Quartet - Monday morning
32. Monkeystrikes - I'm sorry, but I'm very dramatic
33. Commando M Pigg - Shoeshine boy
34. Weeping Willows - Touch me
35. TALK 9
36. Pistol Disco - Beat of the tune

Tracklist:
01. TALK 1
02. Lukestar - The shade you hide
03. Marybell Katastrophy - Hidden agenda
04. Britta Persson - At 7
05. TALK 2
06. C.Aarmé - Blodet
07. Firefox AK - Winter rose (Tellevika remix)
08. Lack - Bombing the moon
09. TALK 3
10. Barra Head - Undermine
11. Paper - My life is going under
12. Montys Loco - Criminal
13. TALK 4

01. Figurines - The wonder
02. TALK 1
03. CS Nielsen - Happy
04. Superfamily - Teens of the 70s
05. Winter Took His Life - Oh
06. TALK 2
07. Frivolvol - Out come the knives
08. Bogus Blimp - Untitled jazz no. 1
09. Firefox AK - Pushing
10. TALK 3
11. Disfear - Get it off
12. Biker Boy - March song (Kalle J remix)
13. Eskju Divine - Darkness all around
14. TALK 4
15. Dogday - New romance
16. Mew - Am I wry? No
17. Det Är Jag Som Är Döden - Hello!
18. TALK 5
19. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden
20. Darkthrone - Skald av Satans sol
21. Caesars Palace - (I'm gonna) Kick you out
22. TALK 6
23. Lack - Behead
24. Bertine Zetlitz - Fake your beauty
25. Hebosagil - Old prophet
26. TIAC - OTW
27. TALK 7
28. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
29. Strip Music - Never die
30. The Social Services - Electric brae
31. TALK 8
32. At the Gates - All life ends (live)
33. Fireside - Jupiter
34. Ulver - Funebre
35. Paper - They're gonna keep me
36. TALK 9
37. Convoj - Cultural legacy
38. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
39. Silverbullit - Run
40. TALK 10
41. Massgrav - Vuxenliv

01. Disfear - Deadweight
02. TALK 1
03. The Social Services - Up in arms
04. Kaka - The hotspurs (the less know the faster we go)
05. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Manic panic
06. TALK 2
07. Tiger Lou - Patterns
08. Paper - My life is going under
09. Dreamboy - Stars
10. TALK 3
11. Lack - Watchmen
12. Don't Be A Stranger - Mon chi-chi
13. Ea Philippa - Heslenes sang
14. TALK 4
15. Ef - Thrills
16. Isolation Years - Yellow cross on blue
17. Frivolvol - Satellite kids
18. TALK 5
19. Enslaved - Eld
20. The Grand Opening - Secrets revealed
21. Ultralyd - Comphonie V
22. TALK 8
23. Firefok AK - Techno tears
24. The Indecision Alarm - Alienation process
25. Looptroop Rockers - Marinate
26. TALK 7
27. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
28. The End Will Be Kicks - Exit ramps
29. Cadillac - Locomotive
30. TALK 8
31. Lukestar - Lake Toba
32. Commando M Pigg - Baby doll
33. Printer - Minds out
34. TALK 9
35. Seven Feet Four - Auto emotion
36. Tobias Hellkvist - Abomination
37. Barra Head - Undermine
38. TALK 10
39. Britta Persson - Happy hour
40. Anna Leong - Guillotine
41. Ted Gärdestad - Can't stop this train
42. TALK 11

03/27 - Hafenklang, Hamburg (GER)
03/28 - AZ Conny, Dresden (GER)
03/29 - Das Lokal, Berlin (GER)
03/31 - Jubez, Karlsruhe (GER)
04/02 - Gleis 22, Münster (GER)
04/04 - tba, Wuppertal (GER)
04/06 - Muz, Giessen (GER)
04/19 - Le Nouveau Casino, Paris (FRA)
04/20 - L'Assommoir, ST Etienne (FRA)
04/21 - tba, Bordeaux (FRA)
04/22 - Le Mars Attack, La Rochelle/Angouleme (FRA)
04/23 - La Cave Aux Poetes, Roubaix (FRA)
04/24 - tba, Lyon (FRA)
04/25 - Le Cylindre, Besancon (FRA)
04/26 - Le Soap Box Nancy (FRA)
05/01 - Lades Kælder, Copenhagen (DK)

01. Niccokick - The poet
02. TALK 1
03. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr Happy
04. David Sandström - Apropå det här med att finnas till
05. Mew - Why are you looking grave?
06. TALK 2
07. C.Aarmé - Rhythm
08. Dieter Schöön - Lot's of free Shoes but nowhere to run
09. Meshuggah - Pravus
10. TALK 3
11. Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - Antidote
12. The Bear Quartet - Volksblues
13. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Wedding
14. Lack - Naked girls
15. TALK 4
16. Don't Be A Stranger - Lonely together
17. Namur - Marching
18. NEI - Trip to Luleå
19. TALK 5
20. Printer - All right
21. Moto Boy - Beat heart
22. Christel Alsos - Come back to me
23. TALK 6
24. Promoe - Headache
25. Mustasch - Dogwash
26. Montt Mardié - Too many songs unwritten
27. Pascal - Smärtstillande
28. TALK 7
29. Pan Sonic - Virta 1
30. Pekker - Ass electro
31. Regulations - Police siren
32. TALK 8
33. Deud - Lördag
34. Linus Larsson & John Roger Olsson - Beyond the south tunnel
35. Barra Head - Undermine
36. TALK 9
37. Aerial - Kallisti
38. Paris - Office killer
39. Lukestar - The shade you hide
40. TALK 10
41. Jazkamer - Metal music machine

01. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
02. TALK 1
03. Britta Persson - You are not my boyfriend
04. Hyacinth House - Lucky stranger
05. The Bear Quartet - Sailors
06. TALK 2
07. Jennie Abrahamson - In this life to live
08. Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide
09. Heroes & Zeros - The foolproof
10. TALK 3
11. Folie - Strum
12. Ellen Beach - The widespread acclaim
13. The Indecision Alarm - Where every fucking dream is killed
14. TALK 4 (INTERVIEW)
15. Torpedo - From Russia with love
16. Rupesh Cartel - Comes the hour comes the man
17. TALK 5 (INTERVIEW)
18. Torpedo - Hospital
19. Tiger Lou - Until I'm there
20. TALK 6 (INTERVIEW)
21. Simon Ryman - Walk with me instead
22. Fanny Risberg - Stay with me forever
23. Lack - Deserters
24. TALK 7
25. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Manic panic
26. Hebosagil - Slightly confusing
27. Dieter Schöön - The harbour's cold
28. TALK 8
29. Lukestar - White shade
30. Fun - Hold it close
31. The Skull Defekts - The secret
32. TALK 9
33. Laakso - Great times underground
34. CS Nielsen - Black spots
35. Knugen Faller - Lugna favoriter
36. TALK 10
37. Säkert! - Allt som är ditt
]]> Sun, 25 Nov 2007 11:40:54 -0800 news sirius http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20253 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20253 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20253#comments Up-and-coming Danish act Beta Satan has signed with Crunchy Frog who will release their debut album next fall. Look for the band's new split 7" with fellow Danes Lack any day now via the also-excellent label Play/Rec and hear more at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/betasatan]]> Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:04:32 -0800 news general http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19921 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19921 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19921#comments Play/Rec will be putting out a split 7" featuring Danish acts Lack and Beta Satan. More details soon.]]> Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:02:19 -0700 news general http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19734 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19734 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19734#comments Danish post-hardcore act Lack reports that their new album is done and sent off to Bob Weston (Shellac) for mastering: http://www.lackattack.dk/
Expect an early spring release via Play/Rec.]]> Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:57:32 -0700 news general http://www.itsatrap.com/n/249 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/249 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/249#comments Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
02. TALK 1
03. José González - Down the line
04. Anna Ternheim - Girl laying down
05. The Bear Quartet - The supremes
06. TALK 2
07. New Decade - I guess you ran from something
08. Commando M Pigg - Allt genast
09. Mikkel Metal - Bano
10. TALK 3
11. Johan Hedberg - Nygubbe4
12. Mikko Singh - Toisella puolella
13. Mimas - Thought discuss
14. Fattaru - 100:-
15. TALK 4
16. Sista Sekunden - Jag är aldrig nöjd
17. E.S.T. - Tuesday wonderland
18. Syster Lycklig - Drömgränd
19. TALK 5
20. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
21. The Grizzly Twister - Tigers made of paper
22. Samuel Jackson Five - Easily misunderstood
23. Grande Roses - Dead town
24. TALK 6
25. Thomas Dybdahl - B A part
26. Njurmännen - Cold meat industry
27. Tobias Hellkvist - Moment at ven
28. TALK 7
29. David Sandström Overdrive - Here's for summer
30. Randy - Freedom song
31. Kalle J - Vart stack du?
32. The Flaming Sideburns - Bad trip
33. TALK 8
34. The Bell - I am history
35. Lack - Pessimist poetry
36. The State of Floral Beings - Andy
37. Fireside - Problem (to you)
38. TALK 9
39. Firefox AK - Love to run
40. Manes - Cinder alley
41. Lukestar - Untitled
42. TALK 10
43. Oskar Schönning - S]]> Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/680 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/680 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/680#comments The playlist for my radio show this week:

01. Säkert! - Allt som är ditt
02. TALK 1
03. Madrugada - Shine
04. My Midnight Creeps - Don't let 'em bring you down
05. TALK 2
06. Asha Ali - A promise broken
07. Detektivbyrån - Hemvägen
08. Pelle Carlberg - Clever girls like clever boys much more than clever boys like clever girls
09. TALK 3
10. Enslaved - 793 (Slaget om Lindisfarne)
11. TALK 4
12. Fare You Well - Take me away
13. The Kissaway Trail - Smother + Evil = Hurt
14. Emmon - Wake up time (Thermostatic remix)
15. TALK 5
16. KVLR - Traitors and thieves
17. Magnus Carlsson - Va med mig
18. Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Bebopalulia
19. TALK 6
20. De Må Være Belgiere - Cirkler
21. Johndoe - Kjøtere
22. Manes - Deeprooted
23. TALK 7
24. Khoma - Stop making speeches
25. The Giant's Dream - Significant dawn
26. Las Puertas - The water
27. TALK 8
28. Lordi - The chainsaw buffet
29. Logh - A sunset knife fight
30. Lack - 5 o'clock in the evening
31. TALK 9
32. The Bear Quartet - Before the trenches
33. Jan Johansson - Visa från Utanmyra
34. TALK 10
35. Kashmir - The aftermath]]> Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/740 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/740 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/740#comments Danish hardcore act Lack began recording their third album this week with engineer Per Knold, the gentleman responsible for recording most every Play/Rec artist nowadays and also the drummer in Menfolk. Kenneth Andersen, the live sound engineer for fellow Danes Figurines and I Am Bones and guitarist for Beta Satan, will mix.]]> Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27696-mp3-imagine-i-had-hands-captive http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27696-mp3-imagine-i-had-hands-captive http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27696-mp3-imagine-i-had-hands-captive#comments What better way to celebrate Midsummer than with a brand new netrelease? Regular readers should know by now that I'm a huge fan of noiserock - give me jagged rhythms and so-called "angular" guitars and I'm stoked. Denmark's Imagine I Had Hands, a band I did a mp3 feature on not too long ago, is exactly that and I've been into 'em from the very first moment I heard them. Like many other Danish acts mining similar territory such as Barra Head and Lack, the sound is more harDCore than midwestern nihilism. Think Dischord, not so much Touch & Go/AmRep. When I saw the band was giving their new 4-track EP away on myspace, I jumped at the chance to throw my weight behind 'em too. Good music deserves to be heard. So what are you waiting for? Check out the lead track "Captive" and, if you dig it like you should, go and get the other three.]]> Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1395 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1395 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1395#comments My special guest on my radio show this week was Ola Frick of the Moonbabies. Here's what we played:

01. Johndoe - Kjøtere
02. TALK 1
03. Mixtapes & Cellmates - The better half of cynical boys
04. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
05. Breach - Lost crew
06. TALK 2
07. Silverbullit - Only gold
08. Lack - Primo Levi
09. Samuraj Cities - All along the shoreline
10. Rockettothesky - Barrie for Billy MacKenzie
11. TALK 3
12. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
13. Heroes & Zeros - Into the light
14. Moonbabies - War on sound
15. TALK 4
16. Moonbabies - Cocobelle
17. TALK 5
18. Moonbabies - Take me to the ballroom (comp version)
19. Björn Kleinhenz - Pocket of gold
20. TALK 6
21. Loney, Dear - Saturday waits
22. Revolvo - Marmelade
23. TALK 7
24. Emerald Park - Open up
25. KVLR - Capitol city child
26. TALK 8
27. David & the Citizens - Are you in my blood?
28. TALK 9
29. David Åhlén - Wasted breaths
30. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
31. TALK 10
32. Moonbabies - Sun A.M. (outtake version)
33. TALK 11
34. Moonbabies - Don't ya know?

Not only did Ola reveal that he used to be a member of the Mercyful Fate fanclub, but it also looks like he'll be recording the next David & the Citizens record. Excellent!]]> Sat, 19 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1640 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1640 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1640#comments Danish hardcore act Lack will enter the studio on July 10 to begin recording a new album. Expect an early 2008 release via Play/Rec with touring to commence this fall.]]> Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4252 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4252 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4252#comments New tourdates for the very excellent Danish hardcore act Lack:

10/12 - tba, Stockholm (SWE) w/Search & Destroy
10/13 - TVO, Turku (FIN) w/Panopticon, Frivovol
10/14 - Nosturi, Helsinki (FIN) w/Wasted, No Shame, Heartburns
10/15 - Vastavirta, Tampere (FIN) w/Abduktio, Frivovol
10/16 - Red Club, Skt Petersburg (RUS)
10/17 - Fabrica club, Moscow (RUS)
10/18 - tba, Moscow (RUS)
10/19 - Dearty Deal Cafe, Riga (LAT) w/Sounarcade, Tesa
10/20 - tba, Villnius (LIT)]]> Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4454 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4454 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4454#comments Swedish electro/hardcore act Grizzly Twister will be recording their new album in November with producer/engineer William Blackmoon (Children of Fall, Lack, Gadget, Meleeh). Look for them to tour France in late October/early November as well.]]> Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5054 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5054 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5054#comments The video for "5 o'clock in the evening" by Danish hardcore act Lack is now online: http://www.lackattack.dk/video.htm
The song comes from the band's most recent (and quite excellent) album "Be there pulse", which I just happen to have for sale on both CD and 12" vinyl: [click here]
Look for the band to tour Finland, Russia and the Baltics in October. Dates soon.]]> Tue, 25 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5305 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5305 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5305#comments Danish label Play/Rec has announced the tracklist for their five-year anniversary comp, entitled cleverly enough "Five years". The disc features everyone from their roster covering one of their mates and the results is as follows:

01. Barra Head - If It Ain't Broke (The Unit)
02. The Unit - Simonix/Deserters (Lack)
03. Lack - Kill The Lights (Barra Head)
04. Menfolk - Chilblain Heart (Monoton)
05. Monoton - The Storyteller's Been Up All Night (The Violet Hour)
06. The Violet Hour - Are We Enemies? (Menfolk)
07. Mount Eerie - Not Too Fancy (Janosch)
08. Janosch - Wooly Mammoth’s Mighty Absence (Mount Eerie)
09. The Kind Of Bitter - The Beat Up Blues (The Magic Bullet Theory)
10. The Magic Bullet Theory - Dead Fight (The Kind Of Bitter)

Seeing as how Play/Rec is one of my favorite labels, I can't wait to hear it! There will be a record release showcase at Roskilde tomorrow (see link for details, PS free beer!) and the official release date for stores is July 3.]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5842 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5842 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/5842#comments Updated European tourdates for Danish hardcore act Lack:

05/24 - Das Haus (Monbachstrasse), Kassel (GER)
05/25 - Palais Bar, Paris (FRA)
05/26 - Le Goldwing, Périgueux (FRA)
05/27 - Melusik Festival, Lusignan (FRA)
05/28 - Mac Daid's, Le Havra (FRA)
05/29 - Juzi/Proberaum, Göttingen (GER)]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6076 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6076 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6076#comments Some new tourdates for Danish (post-)hardcore act Lack:

05/03 - KB, Malmö (SWE) w/Death By Stereo, Himsa, The Banner
05/24 - tba (GER)
05/25 - tba, Paris (FRA)
05/26 - Le Goldwing, Périgueux (FRA)
05/27 - Melusik Festival, Lusignan (FRA)
05/28 - Mac Daid's, Le Havre (FRA)
05/29 - tba, Göttingen (GER)

In case you haven't noticed, I now carry their most recent album "Be there pulse" on both CD and LP.

Absolut Noise gets Swedish singer/songwriter Jens Lekman to answer some questions, though he doesn't seem to put much thought into it at all: http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2006/04/absnoise-interview-n2_114581805888330856.html]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6468 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6468 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6468#comments This week's Friday flashback mp3 post comes from Barra Head, a band who I had never really heard much of before this week until I got their 2004 album "We are your numbers" in-stock on both CD and LP. A risky proposition perhaps, but when a label has other amazing bands like Lack and Menfolk, you learn to trust their ears. Barra Head takes obvious cues from Fugazi and other DC hardcore acts (or HarDCore, as it were), but ups the ante with huge syncopated riffs. Whereas Fugazi's rhythm section often dabbles in dub and reggae-inspired beats, Barra Head's bassist often takes a stronger melodic lead when he's not slamming down chords and locked in precise time with the drums. I've said it before, but I don't think it's often enough: this is some of my favorite kind of music. The fact that there aren't more bands doing this sort of stuff is baffling.]]> Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28033-mp3-barra-head-overseas http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28033-mp3-barra-head-overseas http://www.itsatrap.com/n/28033-mp3-barra-head-overseas#comments This week's Friday flashback mp3 post comes from Barra Head, a band who I had never really heard much of before this week until I got their 2004 album "We are your numbers" in-stock on both CD and LP. A risky proposition perhaps, but when a label has other amazing bands like Lack and Menfolk, you learn to trust their ears. Barra Head takes obvious cues from Fugazi and other DC hardcore acts (or HarDCore, as it were), but ups the ante with huge syncopated riffs. Whereas Fugazi's rhythm section often dabbles in dub and reggae-inspired beats, Barra Head's bassist often takes a stronger melodic lead when he's not slamming down chords and locked in precise time with the drums. I've said it before, but I don't think it's often enough: this is some of my favorite kind of music. The fact that there aren't more bands doing this sort of stuff is baffling.]]> Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6848 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6848 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/6848#comments Danish hardcore act Lack has recorded two brand new songs for a 7" to be released on Mock-Ups. 220 hand-numbered copies, heavy 70gr vinyl. More details: http://www.futhermocker.dk/mock-ups/php/mock-up.php?lang=uk&folder=mock_6]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8492 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8492 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8492#comments Danish acts Lack and Barra Head are teaming for a tour together where they will not just play separate sets, but play together as one powerful unit. Read more at their label's website: http://www.playrec.dk/]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8799 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8799 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8799#comments Updated tourdates for Denmark's Lack:

10/06 - Golden Gate, Berlin (GER) w/The Nothings (Free!)
10/07 - AZ Conni, Dresden (GER) w/Monochrome
10/08 - Les Instants Chavirés, Paris (FRA) w/Tias Carlson
10/09 - Caravan Serail, Toulouse (FRA) w/Greg MacPherson, Zann
10/11 - Montpellier (FRA)
10/12 - Zoo Bar, Rome (ITA)
10/13 - Mono Spazio Bar, Pescara (ITA)
10/14 - Bunker, Bolzano (ITA) w/Bridge To Solace
10/15 - Blois (FRA)
10/16 - Le Brooklyn Cafe, Rouen (FRA) w/Amanda Woodward
10/17 - Le Mondo Bizarro, Rennes (FRA) w/Amanda Woodward
10/18 - Le Cluricaume Café, Poitiers (FRA) w/Chris Leo
10/19 - Le Vauban, Brest (FRA) w/22 Pistepirkko
10/20 - Le Wheely Bar, Clermont Ferrand (FRA)
10/21 - Kts, Freiburg (GER) w/Inside Me, September Malevolence
10/22 - Steffi, Karlsruhe (GER) w/September Malevolence
10/25 - UKA-05 festival, Trondheim (NOR)
11/10-19 - Lack/Barra Head Dobbeldate-tour]]> Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8979 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8979 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/8979#comments Some new upcoming dates for Danish hardcore act Lack:

11/06 - Berlin (GER)
11/07 - AZ Conni, Dresden (GER) w/Monochrome
11/08 - Les Instants Chavirés, Paris (FRA) w/Tias Carlson
11/10 - Toulouse (FRA) w/Just Went Black
11/11 - Montpellier (FRA)
11/12 - tba (ITA)
11/13 - Mono Spazio Bar, Pescara (ITA)
11/14 - Bunker, Bolzano (ITA) w/Bridge To Solace
11/15 - TBC, Angers (FRA)
11/16 - Le Brooklyn Cafe, Rouen (FRA) w/Amanda Woodward
11/17 - Le Mondo Bizarro, Rennes (FRA) w/Amanda Woodward
11/18 - Poitiers (FRA) w/Chris Leo
11/19 - Le Vauban, Brest (FRA) w/22 Pistepirkko
11/20 - Le Wheely Bar, Clermont Ferrand (FRA)
11/21 - tba
11/22 - tba (GER)
11/25 - UKA-05 festival, Trondheim (NOR)]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9457 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9457 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9457#comments European tourdates for Swedish dancepunks The Je Ne Sais Quoi:

08/23 - Magnet, Berlin (GER) w/Das Oath, The Panthers
08/24 - MuK, Giessen (GER) w/Das Oath, The Panthers
08/25 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
08/26 - Hall of Fame, Tilburg (NL) w/Das Oath, The Panthers
08/27 - Ieper Fest, Ieper (BEL)
08/28 - Rote Flora, Hamburg (GER) w/Lack]]> Wed, 17 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9481 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9481 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/9481#comments Upcoming tourdates for Denmark's Lack:

08/26 - Barracke, Münster (GER)
08/27 - AJZ Bahndamm, Heartcore Tage, Wermelskirchen (GER)
08/28 - Rote Flora, Hamburg (GER)
09/11 - Ungdomshuset, Copenhagen (DK) w/Barra Head, Molia Falls
10/07 - AZ Conni, Dresden (GER) w/Monochrome
10/08 - tba, Paris (FRA) w/Tias Carlson
10/09 - tba (UK)
10/10 - tba (UK)
10/11 - tba (UK)
10/12 - tba (UK)
10/13 - tba (UK)
10/14 - tba (UK)
10/15 - tba (UK)
10/16 - Le Brooklyn Cafe, Rouen (FRA)
10/17 - tbc, Caen (FRA) w/Amanda Woodward
10/18 - tba, Poitiers w/Chris Leo (FRA)
10/19 - Le Vauban w/22 Pistepirkko, Brest (FRA)
10/20 - Le Wheely Bar, Clermont Ferrand (FRA)
10/21 - Le Molodoï, Strassbourg (FRA)
10/22 - Ex-Haus, October Blast Fest, Trier (GER)]]> Mon, 15 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25480-top-fives-2005-so-far http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25480-top-fives-2005-so-far http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25480-top-fives-2005-so-far#comments Avi Roig's top five across the board, plus one more for good measure:

01. Three EPs that prove Swedish indierock is still as strong as ever:
Convoj - s/t
Seven Feet Four - To kill is easy
Torpedo - Declare despair

02. Best single, hands down:
C.Aarmé - We are the world
Don't you know who we are? You do now.

03. The two best live sets I saw:
Silverbullit @ Umeå Open - Absolutely transcendent. Not only did the band give it their best, but the crowd was amped too.
The Ark @ The Troubadour in LA (ExMS Swedish Showcase) - Where did all those gayboy Ark fans come from? I was probably just as shocked as the band. Well worth the six hour drive each way.

04. The top four albums I can't stop listening to:
Isolation Years - Cover the distance
Logh - A sunset panorama
Desert Planet - Mario built my hot rod
Det Gamla Landet - s/t

05. Three reasons to keep an eye on Denmark:
Lack, The Psyke Project and The First Miles
I don't know why, but those Danes kick ass when it comes to both hardcore and Americana.

06. Two best non-Scandinavian albums:
Dredg - Catch without arms
Jesu - s/t
Two amazing albums from two of the world's best intelligent heavy rock acts.

Simon Tagestam:

01. Randy – Beware (song)
If the forthcoming album is as good as this (I doubt they got Fat Mike on any of the songs though), I'll forgive them for their last album (their only non-amazing release to date, according to me).

02. Robyn – Robyn
How would have thought it? An ex-soulpop girl making an album better than anything that inspired her to make it (i.e. The Knife, Kate Bush etc)

03. Frida Hyvönen – Until death comes
A colleague of mine thinks Frida can't sing and tries to get me into Joni Mitchell. Unfortunately Joni will never appeal to me as much as "Until Death Comes" does.

04. Mattias Alkberg BD – Jag ska bli en bättre vän
I haven't had this album too long, but at the moment it feels as it might be a contender for "album of the year"! That's right!

05. The Tough Alliance – The new school
This was not as good as I wanted it to be, but it's still crammed with excellent songs.

Navy Keophan's top five injuries sustained at shows for the first half of 2005:

01. Broken glasses, Millencolin show May 21: My eyesight is pretty bad (apparently, even worse than I thought) so when I took a hit from some crowd surfer that knocked them off my head, I was surprised I even made from Hollywood back to Long Beach safely.

02. Bruised shins, The Chinese Stars @ Koo's Feb. 6: Being in the front to take semi-decent pictures of one of your favorite bands = good. Having the crowd behind you push you into the shin-high stage for over 30 minutes = bad.

03. Bruised shins (again), Death From Above 1979 March 26: Again, much like the CS show, I was up front. Combine the thing that happened at that show with unexplainable moshing, another two weeks of pants-wearing.

04. Sore shoulders, Millencolin show May 22: Fist-pumpin' fun equated to arm cramps for the entire week.

05. Sore elbow, Millencolin show May 21: Damn moshers.

Kevin Renick:

01. Ephemera - Monolove
Every music lover should have one band they worship, one band that truly makes a difference in their life. For me, it's Norway's girl-pop trio Ephemera. I regard them not as mere musicians, but absolute creative Goddesses.

02. Bol - Silver sun
This jazz-poptronica trio from Trondheim have made a masterpiece with their second CD, a formula-defying journey up a river of humanity where heartbroken souls line the shore. 47 minutes of incandescent musical brilliance.

03. Hanne Hukkelberg - Little things
What a stellar debut! Norway's brightest new chanteuse delivers a rhapsodic set of tunes with constantly surprising arrangements, sterling production and her delightfully exuberant, upfront singing-which seems to reflect not only a zest for life but a playful "I'll try anything" approach.

04. Schtimm - The alcoholovefi collection
Although "Featuring" is actually their 2005 release, "TAC" is probably the best album by this mysterious Norwegian band, and I only heard it recently. Something about their music makes me think of haunted houses, as if you got trapped in a spooky mansion but found that the spirits of the place were only too happy to make music for you.

05. Efterklang - Tripper
The cutting-edge electronica from this Danish band has earned them rave reviews. Technology makes their intricate music possible, but they aspire to such a heaven-bound sound that you end up not thinking about the glitchy, twitchy elements in the mix at all, only the reverence you feel for the emotionally stirring, organic flow. Efterklang are one of today's most important and distinctive new bands, showing the uninitiated that there are sparks of magic shooting through the skies of Scandinavia.

Honorable mention: The State of Floral Beings - We know you love us and that's why we do this

Matthew W. Smith:

01. The Lionheart Brothers - Colour contrast context EP
Understated, bittersweet symphonic pop from Norway, featured on the "It's a Trap! Reader's Companion Vol. 1"

02. Kings of Convenience live at the Iota in Arlington, Virginia, February 2005
A no-frills, quiet performance that showcased Eirik and Erlend's guitar plucking, tight harmonies and sense of humor in front of a packed, respectful Iota.

03. Sharif - Lost causes, causes lost
Melancholy in both mood and lyrics, this well-constructed album signals a welcome return for this Swedish quartet.

04. Loopy - Smile back home
Leiv Aasen's vocals and a subtle blend of guitar pop and shoegazer on this debut make this tri-national band one to watch.

05. The Raveonettes - live at the Black Cat in Washington, DC, May 2005
See my review for more details, but the Danish outfit oozed 50s cool and blasted supersonic levels of guitar fuzz; the cover of "My boyfriend's back" provided a nice contrast to "Attack of the ghost riders".

One wish:
- I hope that Jennie, Johanna, Maria and Josephine from Sahara Hotnights have already recovered their missing gear and guitars or will soon!

Five things to look forward to for the rest of the year
- A new album quite soon from Icelandic band Leaves.
- The third album from Norway's purveyors of lowdown garage rock, Cato Salsa Experience.
- A successful trip to Connecticut for Tiger Lou, who will mix his sophomore album there with Peter Katis (Interpol, Denali) and hopefully release the results in the fall.
- More Danish success in North America, as The Blue Van continue to tour and Loopy has its album released stateside.
- Another new record from the rejuvenated Cardigans, who have already finished recording the follow-up to the fantastic "Long gone before daylight".

Simon Thibaudeau's top Scandinavian five:

01. Det Gamla Landet

02. EST - Viaticum

03. The Now

04. Spacious Mind – Rotvalta

05. Sayyadina - Fear Gave Us Wings

Per Apelqvist:

01. Moving back to Europe after 11 wonderful years in the US

02. Moneybrother live at the Barfly

03. David Fridlund - Amaterasu

04. 2 friends turning 30 and inviting over a hundred people to High Chaparal, the country western theme park in Sweden

05. Kent - Klaparen

Jason Christie:

01. [ingenting] - Allting ni gör
By way of "Songs we have learned to sing". Quite clearly the best I have heard in an age – still to learn though...

02. Sharif – You don't know
This track arrived at a tricky time, and then time tunnelled me back to the Basement club, Brighton circa 1995. Trust, that’s enough.

03. Pelle Carlberg – Oh no! It's happening again
A great writer, great vocalist and father of 4!

04. Café Alhambra – Clapham Common, SW4
Serving some of the finest

05. Chelsea Football Club
Where were you when they were rubbish?

]]> Thu, 09 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0700 articles top10s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10468 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10468 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10468#comments New mp3 today from Denmark's Lack, one of the best modern hardcore bands I've heard recently. If you haven't already read my review of their latest record "Be there pulse", let me reiterate how great it is to hear a band like this with true passion and energy. I also appreciate the fact that they often let chords hang and breathe, leaving plenty of space for the vocals and rhythm section to do their thing. And they don't overdo the distorted guitar tone either, like so many other bands. I can't tell you how sick I am of that Mesa Dual Rectifier sound. Anyhow, a lot of people are probably bummed that the band abandoned the screamo style they mastered on the debut album "Blues Moderne: Danois Explosifs", but listen up: it's been four years since that record came out. Get over it. The new stuff rules, albeit in a totally different way. Check out the song and go see them when they tour Europe:

05/19 - 1000fryd, Aalborg (DK) w/The Unit
05/20 - May Conspiracy Fest, Nexus, Braunschweig (GER)
05/21 - Bla, Bonn (GER)
05/22 - Le café de la Plage, Paris (FRA)
05/23 - Free Butt, Brighton (UK)
05/24 - The Swan, London (UK)
05/25 - Jabez Glegg, Manchester (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/26 - Trillions, Newcastle (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/27 - Planet, Wolverhampton (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/28 - TJ's, Newport (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/29 - Phoenix, Plymouth (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/30 - Hobbits, Weston Supermare (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/31 - Le Vauban, Brest (FRA) w/Oxes
06/01 - Le Clos Fleuri, Lyon (FRA)
06/02 - La Malterei, Lille (FRA) w/Jairus
06/03 - Astra Stube, Hamborg (GER) w/The Unit
06/04 - Loppen, Copenhagen (DK)w/The Unit
06/10 - Spot-Festival, Aarhus (DK)
06/11 - MOTU-Festival (ICE)
06/25 - tba (GER)
06/26 - tba (GER)
06/28 - Roskilde Festival (DK)
07/17 - Fluff-Fest, Pilsen (CZE)
08/27 - Heartcore Tage, AJZ Bahndamm, Wermelskirchen (GER)]]> Wed, 18 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26564-lack-be-there-pulse-playrec http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26564-lack-be-there-pulse-playrec http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26564-lack-be-there-pulse-playrec#comments Lack around to help carry us forward because I've come awfully close to giving up hope. So yeah, no bedroom poetry, no crap about wanting to murder your ex-girlfriend (or other ugly misogyny), just high-quality rock with meaning and a purpose. Amazing duel guitar lines don't hurt matters either. This record gets a solid A for Awesome.]]> Mon, 09 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25473-streaming-playlist-spring-is-in-the-air http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25473-streaming-playlist-spring-is-in-the-air http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25473-streaming-playlist-spring-is-in-the-air#comments DATE ADDED : 05.08.05
LAUNCH : Real / Windows

Tracklist:
01. Torpedo - Declare despair
02. Convoj - My biggest loss
03. Lack - Deserters
04. Las Puertas - Born in the NYK
05. Consequences - Come on
06. Isolation Years - Cover the distance
07. Moneybrother - Blow him back into my arms
08. Desert Planet - Breakout button
09. Eskju Divine - Struck by the halo
10. Majessic Dreams - Still inside
11. Alog - Severe punishment and lasting bliss
12. The Grand Opening - Location
13. Britta Persson - The past is not for real
14. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Station to station

]]> Sun, 08 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700 articles podcast http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10917 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10917 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/10917#comments Updated tourdates for Lack:

04/19 - 1000fryd, Aalborg (DK)
03/20 - Nexus, May Conspiracy Fest, Braunschweig (GER)
03/21 - Bla, Bonn (GER)
03/22 - Escape B, Paris (FRA)
03/23 - Free Butt, Brighton (UK)
03/24 - tba, London (UK)
03/25 - Jabez Glegg, Manchester (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/26 - Trillions, Newcastle (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/27 - Planet, Wolverhampton (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/28 - TJ's, Newport (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/29 - Phoenix, Plymouth (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/30 - Hobbits, Weston Supermare (UK) w/Eden Maine
05/31 - tba, Brest (FRA)
06/01 - tba, Lyon (FRA)
06/02 - tba, Lille (FRA)
06/03 - Astra Stube, Hambourg (GER)

The band's new album "Be there pulse" is out now in Denmark on Play/Rec and will be released in UK on May 3 via Undergroove.]]> Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11441 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11441 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11441#comments Lack has added a couple new dates to their European tour: http://www.lackattack.dk/]]> Fri, 04 Mar 2005 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25460-streaming-playlist-now-playing http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25460-streaming-playlist-now-playing http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25460-streaming-playlist-now-playing#comments DATE ADDED : 02.14.05
LAUNCH : Real / Windows

Tracklist:
01. David Fridlund - Circles
02. Efterklang - Step aside
03. Kristofer Åström - Man of steel
04. Ellis the Vacuumchild - Peace by extermination
05. Britta Persson - Just not going to be
06. Plain Fade - Datura
07. Isolation Years - Nurse hands
08. Convoj - Glory hole
09. Lack - Primo levi
10. September Malevolence - On our own
11. Björn Kleinhenz - The strongest machine
12. Logh - Bring on the ether
13. Pan Sonic - Painvoima / gravity

]]> Mon, 14 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0800 articles podcast http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11801 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11801 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/11801#comments Play/Rec has signed Danish indie/hardcore band Lack and will be releasing their new album "Be There Pulse" on April 4. Download a sample clip here: http://www.playrec.dk/lackpromo/Lack-Primo_Levi.mp3
I must say that I really like the more mid-tempo/melodic direction of this song when compared to their older, more spastic hardcore material. Definitely makes me eager to hear more.]]> Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/14394 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/14394 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/14394#comments Danish hardcore band Lack is set to enter Studio Overlock just north of Stockholm on August 10 with engineer William Blackmon (Children of Fall) to begin work on a new full-length album. No release date yet, but they hope to have it out sometime this fall.]]> Wed, 14 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16173 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16173 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16173#comments Danish hardcore act Lack will be putting out a new 7" on US label Level-Plane called "Greetings from a non-believer". It should be made available in Europe by Nova Recordings. No release date yet, but soon. As for other new material, the band has recorded a three-song demo and is shopping around for a new label. The plan is to record a full-length at some point this summer, but nothing's confirmed yet. In other news, the band will play Loppen on March 20 with fellow Danes Complete and Psyke Project and has plans to tour with Barra Head in May. Details are still being worked out and a full schedule should be coming along shortly.]]> Thu, 04 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16231 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16231 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/16231#comments Danish punk/hardcore act Complete finally release their new album "All Systems Go" this week on North Post Records. Download a sample: http://cliche.parameter.dk/click/9e2fbaa20635f67b5014ec9c6ea930b6
They'll be playing a record release show on March 19 at Studenterhuset, Odense with eXcm and Barricades and another one on March 20 with Lack and The Psyke Project at Loppen in Copenhagen.

Also coming soon from North Post is the new Rentokiller album "Cadaveri Eccelente". Mastering is being finished up today, so look for samples and release dates soon. Tracklist:

01. Pieces of worship
02. the Golden archs symphony
03. Confessions of a serial self-murderer
04. This ghost town includes a fools paradise
05. Ambient so ambivalent
06. Post-natal
07. Quencher
08. Irreligion
09. Stop beating around the bush
10. Soul survivor
11. Bloodline
12. the City of 9 gates]]> Mon, 01 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17052 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17052 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17052#comments Updated info for the Lack/Complete tour:

01/15 - Stengade 30, Copenhagen (DK)
01/16 - Konfus, Eebjerg (DK)
01/17 - Flensborg (GER)]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17227#comments Denmark's North Post Records has a brand new website complete with flash streaming radio and some new mp3s to download. They also report that the new Complete album "All Systems Go" has been sent off to press and they are accepting preorders. They'll be touring Europe with fellow Danish hardcore band Lack beginning in April, as well as doing some local dates around mid-January. Details:

01/15 - Stengade 30, Copenhagen (DK)
01/16 - Konfus, Esbjerg (DK)
01/17 - tba (DK)
04/24 - Berlin (GER)
04/25 - Warszawa (POL)
04/26 - Vilnius (LIT)
04/27 - tba, (LIT)
04/28 - Riga (LAT)
04/29 - Talin (EST)
04/30 - Sct Petersborg (RUS)
05/01 - tba (FIN)
05/02 - tba (FIN)
05/03 - tba (FIN)
05/04 - tba (SWE)
05/05 - tba (SWE)
05/06 - tba (SWE)]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17530 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17530 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17530#comments Upcoming European tourdates for Danish hardcore band Lack:

12/02 - Alhambra, Oldenburg (GER)
12/03 - Oetinger Villa, Darmstadt (GER) w/Creutzfeldt
12/04 - Terminal Export, Nancy (FR) w/Engrave a.o.
12/05 - Le Cylindre, Larnod (FR) w/Engrave a.o.
12/06 - L'Empreinte, Paris (FR) (Oh Yeah festival)
12/07 - Blue Banana, Lyon (FR)
12/08 - L'athénée libertaire, Bordeaux (FR)
12/09 - Mondo Bizarro, Rennes (FR)
12/10 - Centre Henri Queffeléc, Brest (FR)
12/11 - Lille (FR)
12/12 - Leeds (UK)
12/13 - Matrix, Grimsby (UK) (festival)
12/14 - Concorde 2, Brighton (UK) (festival)
12/15 - CO9, Zwolle (NL)

All French dates will also be with France's Gameness.]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17708 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17708 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/17708#comments Sadly, German label Scenepolice is near bankrupt so the planned co-release they were doing with Blues Moderne of Lack's upcoming 7" has been postponed indefinitely. It'll probably come out somewhere eventually, but nothing's been set yet. Download a clip from the record right here.]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19052 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19052 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19052#comments The complete and final line-up for the Fredericia Hardcore Festival in Fredericia, Denmark August 07/31-08/02:

Thurs., July 31 Jimmy Justice (DK) I Adapt (ICE) Music Mafia (DK) Children of Fall (SWE)

Fri., August 1 Jairus (UK) Strychnine (US) Rentokiller (SWE) Bridge to Solace (HUN) Leiah (SWE) Heaven Shall Burn (GER)

Sat., August 2 Austin (DK) Crowpath (SWE) Force of Change (GER) Oversized (BEL) PN (BEL) Lack (DK) Burst (SWE) Himsa (US)

]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19131 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19131 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19131#comments Interested in winning a copy of "Crucify My Heart" from Lullacry? Go here to enter.

Dimmu Borgir reports that they have finished mixing their new album "Death Cult Armageddon". Guitarist Silenoz comments:

"We're pleased to announce that this will be considered our most epic, majestic, somber, evil and grimmest release to date, containing absolutely everything we're known for — the never-ending presence of atmosphere, diversity and variety! In other words, it's huge! Darkness is once again upon us!"

Look for it on September 9 from Nuclear Blast. The band also recorded a cover of Bathory's "Satan My Master" for a limited-edition digipack version available only through Century Media Mailorder.

Junior Senior plays Central Park in NYC on August 3 with The Sparks at 7pm.

Some of the confirmed bands for the Fredericia Hardcore Fest in Denmark from July 31 - Aug 2: Leiah, Heaven Shall Burn, Burst, Jimmy Justice, Lack, Crowpath, Austin, Children of Fall, and Rentokiller. Go here for more info.

Clawfinger as boyband-producers? No foolin'. They've been working behind the scenes with the group L8R. (in Norweigan)

MIC Norway reports that Norweigan music sales have grown 400% since 1998.

Norweigan experimental vocalist and Rune Grammofon recording artist Maja Ratkje won an Award of Distinction in the digital music category at this year's Prix Ars Electronica in Austria. More info here. More about Ars Electronica here.

PopMatters reviews "39 Minutes of Bliss (In an Otherwise Meaningless World)", the American compilation of material from Caesars Palace/The Caesars.

Lisa and Jim have passed along the playlist from their Rock-n-Roll $1 Pints with Galaxy Gramaphone DJ Night at Cowboy Monkey in Champaign, IL. It's their once-a-month event where they spin records from favorite Scandinavian artists. Check it:

01. TSOOL - Sister Surround
02. Thirdimension - 100 MPH
03. Diamond Dogs - All Strung Out
04. Jan Martens Frustration - Convolutions
05. Isolation Years - Talking Backward Masking Blues
06. Sahara Hotnights - Oh Darling!
07. Motorpsycho - Uberwanger
08. Broder Daniel - Whirlwind
09. TSOOL - Firmament Vacation
10. Concretes - Say Something New

The rest of the list coming soon.

P3 Musikjournalen confirms that Silverbullit aka Citizen Bird are working on their new album. They say to expect to hear the first samples around January.

Here's an interview with Finnish electronic music pioneer Erkki Kurenniemi by Mika Taanila, director of the documentary "Future Is Not What It Used To Be". More on Mika here.

Dark Funeral has announced they will embark on a South American tour in September. So far, apparently only Brazil has been confirmed, but I'll post the details when I get them.

P3 will be doing special broadcasts from Hultsfred this coming weekend. Tune in on Thursday to Musikjournalen from 8pm-10pm and P3 Rock from 10pm till midnight, Musikjournalen on Friday from 3pm till 4:45, and Saturday's Musikjournalen at 3pm plus P3 Demo at 7pm.]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0700 news