IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Smalltown tour doc

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:57:54 -0700

"A music documentary about the struggle of the Swedish punkrockband Smalltown. Through bars and shitty dayjobs, around the world and back again..." 'Nuff said! In Swedish with English subtitles; direct link: http://vimeo.com/14580688

Smalltown to tour Europe

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:22:14 -0800

Smalltown is heading out on a European tour in April:

04/16 - Lobusch, Hamburg (GER)
04/17 - Koma F, Berlin (GER)
04/18 - Rosbrat, Poznan (POL)
04/19 - Elba, Warsaw (POL)
04/20 - Tektura, Lublin (POL)
04/21 - tba, Budapest (HUN)
04/22 - tba, Wien (AUS)
04/23 - Yacht Club, Brno (CZ)
04/24 - K4, Nurnberg (GER)
04/25 - Kafe Kult, Munich (GER)
04/26 - Juz, Mannheim (GER)
04/27 - Cafe Lorentz, Muenster (GER)
04/28 - Schaubude, Kiel (GER)
04/29 - Utkanten, Malmo (SWE)
04/30 - Overdreven, Copenhagen (DK)
05/01 - G18, Bremen (GER)

New Smalltown EP is almost ready

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:48:58 -0700

Smalltown's upcoming 7-song 10" EP has been completed and sent off for pressing. Four new originals on side A, 3 covers on the flip (The Strike, The Statues and Elvis Costello), die-cut sleeve and multiple colors of vinyl. No exact release date so far, but expect them to be available in time for the band's US tour. Hit up myspace for a sample: http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden

Smalltown US tour

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:47:46 -0700

No exact dates are posted yet, but Smalltown has confirmed that they'll be touring the US with Off With Their Heads from October 21 through November 14, from Chicago to SF with stops at the Red Scare Red October Fest, Gainesville Fest and the Pirates Press anniversary party.

Smalltown to release tour EP?

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:13:20 -0700

Smalltown will be recording something new for Pirates Press Records to release in time for their US tour this fall. No confirmation yet on what final form it will take, but they say an EP of some sort is likely.

Smalltown confirmed for The Fest 8

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:06:51 -0700

Swedish act Smalltown will be coming to the US to play The Fest 8 which is happening in Gainesville, FL from October 30 through November 1. Details: http://www.thefestfl.com/fest8/

Smalltown's new album available for streaming

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:20:20 -0700

Swedish punkrockers Smalltown are streaming their entire new album "Implosion" at this location: http://www.punknews.org/bands/smalltown

New Smalltown album finally available

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:15:21 -0700

Smalltown's new album "Implosion" is finally done and available from Deranged in North America, Combat Rock in Europe. Check out their myspace page for a preview of a few tracks and keep an eye out for US dates this fall: http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden

Sirius playlist week #51

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:18:19 -0800

Here's the playlist for this week's (all-punk/hardcore) radio show:

01. Darkthrone - Hiking metal punks
02. TALK 1
03. Ebba Grön - Staten & kapitalet
04. Massgrav - Jävla fittor
05. Disfear - Live the storm
06. Samtidigt Som - För jag tror att ingen annan kan känna såhär för dig
07. TALK 2
08. We Live In Trenches - Autonomy clinic
09. MABD - Kom kom
10. Black Sheep - Crazy world
11. C.Aarmé - Ti ca tu a
12. Sods - Television sect
13. TALK 3
14. No Hope for the Kids - Rainy day
15. Frivolvol - Take it from the beginning
16. Hanna Hirsch - Ingen kommer sakna oss
17. Silver - Drenched in comfort
18. TALK 4
19. Randy - Win or lose
20. Victims - Your division
21. Smalltown - Warning
22. Lögnhalsmottagningen - Bodybuilder
23. M:40 - Sista tiden
24. TALK 5
25. Hebosagil - Cosmic

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XM U. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers. Next week's show (December 28/29) will be all jazz.

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:59:47 -0800

The release of the new album "Implosion" from Swedish pop-punks Smalltown has been delayed until 2009.

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:59:18 -0700

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

01. Suis La Lune - Förmögenhet
02. TALK 1
03. Dmitry Fyodorov - Leisure
04. M:40 - Konfrontation
05. Cola Freaks - Ingenting set
06. TALK 2
07. Sort Sol - Boy/Girl
08. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr Happy
09. Fy Fan - Arbetslos inte dum i huvdet
10. TALK 3
11. Those Dancing Days - Home sweet home
12. Viktor Sjöberg - Bostadsrätt
13. Frivolvol - And the youth of a nation sang
14. Jesper Norda - Tomorrow you'll be forgiven but tonight you will have your teeth knocked out
15. TALK 4
16. Norma - Waste
17. Häkan Lidbo - Mental hardcore
18. Celestial - Crystal heights
19. TALK 5
20. Mattias Alkberg BD - Här är ditt liv
21. Smalltown - The music
22. Audionom - Han gar och fiskar
23. Nitad - Rädslan
24. TALK 6
25. Broder Daniel - Underground

My show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday at the same time, but is pre-empted next week (10/12) by a Beck special.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:19:12 -0700

The excellent Swedish pop-punk act Smalltown has two brand new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden
Note the UK tourdates in late November as well.

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:51:35 -0700

The excellent Swedish pop-punk act Smalltown reports that their new album "Implosion" is mixed and mastered. The band describes it by saying "it is very different from the last one, while still sounding very much like Smalltown. If that makes sense. We've tried some new stuff, with a lot of different instruments and other things." All that's left is the layout and then it's up to labels Combat Rock and Deranged to see it released.

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:16:21 -0700

Monument Records will be putting out a 7-track 7" from Swedish upstartsFirst Cut, a no-frills hardcore band that features members from bands such as Achilles Last Stand, Smalltown, Hearts Alive and The Arson Project. Hear samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/firstcuthardcore

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:30:39 -0800

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Jan Johansson - Visa från Utanmyra
02. TALK 1
03. Annika Norlin/Säkert! - Generalens visa
04. Don't Be a Stranger - Mon-chi-chi
05. Audionom - In the streets
06. TALK 2
07. Elias and the Wizzkids - Fourth of July
08. C.Aarmé - Golden retriever
09. Kasper Bjørke - Humming song
10. The Carny - Bestseller
11. TALK 3
12. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
13. Flyphonic - The truth is
14. Universal Poplab - Heart apart (Timo Räisänen acoustic remix)
15. TALK 4
16. E.S.T. - Tuesday wonderland (live)
17. Rigas - Dead like you
18. TALK 5
19. Bröderna Lindgren - En hund som jag
20. Springfactory - Swedish folk highschool
21. Loud Pipes - Don't you ever
22. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
23. TALK 6
24. The State of Floral Beings - Man you owe me
25. Caitlyn - Oh no!
26. The Bombhappies - And at Belle Bed Inn, I told you
27. TALK 7
28. Brick - Call Batman
29. Smalltown - What's going on?
30. Desert Planet - Return of the ninja droids
31. TALK 8
32. Hedningarna - Neidon laulu
33. Dreamboy - What have I done
34. Captain Murphy - Sailor behaviour
35. TALK 9
36. Lemonator - Heart burns
37. The Kissaway Trail - Smother + evil = hurt
38. Johndoe - Rastløs rock'n'roll
39. Lukestar - Shade you hide
40. TALK 10
41. The Fine Arts Showcase - Teenage poetry

MP3: The Bones - Mighty touchdown

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:19:39 -0800

The Bones are the kind of band I would've loved as a teenager, but find harder to get excited about as I near 30. I still love a lot of the pop-punk from my youth, but I'm not exactly clamoring for more, y'know? Still, The Bones are good at what they do and far more enjoyable than most of their Warped Tour-ready brethren. Part of that is personal nostalgia as their sound definitely harkens back to 90s-era SoCal punk ala NoFX or maybe The Vandals and Guttermouth. They don't indulge so much in the typical fast Fat Wreck-style skatepunk beats, but they've got the same smooth, super-tight sound, ripe with unexpectedly dense vocal harmonies and the same sort of self-depreciating juvenile humor. Like I said, not necessarily my thing, but I can still appreciate it. There's certainly enough strong powerpop hooks to make it work and I dig the dual vocalists. For contrast, consider fellow Swedes Smalltown, a contemporary melodic pop-punk band I like a lot. They both come from the same place, 'cept that Smalltown takes a rougher, more heartfelt approach that wins me over. The roughness of The Bones comes from more of a superficial, Social Distortion-esque place; you know the type: black leather jacket, heavy drinker, down on his luck, probably has the number 13 tattooed somewhere. I can't help but that of that stuff as some sort of glamrock pose. So yeah, definitely not my scene, but good enough for a few listens.

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:07:01 -0800

Smalltown will enter the studio tomorrow to begin recording their 2nd full-length album. Canadian label Deranged Records will be releasing it in North America and Combat Rock Industry out of Finland will handle things for Europe. Expect a spring release.

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:16:28 -0800

Swedish melodic punk act Smalltown has finished up the songwriting process for their next album and hopes to get it recorded for a release in the spring.

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

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Swedish punkrockers Smalltown have a new song on myspace: www.myspace.com/smalltownsweden

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Here's those Japanese tourdates for Smalltown:

04/20 - GIG, Yokohama
04/21 - Jam, Tokyo
04/22 - Nano, Kyoto
04/23 - Ise Question, Mie
04/24 - Huck Finn, Aichi
04/25 - Crowbar, Tokusima
04/26 - Jet, Matsuyama
04/27 - Vaper, Saga
04/28 - Kieth Flack, Fukuoka
04/29 - Megahertz, Fukuoka Kokura
04/30 - tba, Osaka

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Swedish punk-rockers Smalltown will be releasing a split 7" with Japanese act The Crump on Snuffy Smile this coming spring. Songs will include "Back on track" plus a cover of "Politician" by Bay Area punks The Swingin' Utters. Look for Japanese tourdates in April to be announced shortly too.

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish punkrockers Smalltown will contributing a 20-second song called "Dead end" to an upcoming comp on Shit Sandwich featuring similar contributions from other artists such as This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Kylesa, Iron Lung, Fleshies and more. They'll also be lending their track "The music" to "ModMod World 1 - Up North Modernists", a collection featuring some of Scandinavia's best mod/punk acts.

MP3: Smalltown - Friendly fire

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

I went and saw the band Smalltown play here in Olympia a little over a month ago at the beginning of December. Despite a less-than-ideal show situation, the band delivered a great set of impassioned, melodic punk-rock. They reminded me a lot of the way Rancid used to be before they started believing their own hype, but with less Clash influence and more of a classic mod-rock feel ala The Jam. I don't consider myself much of a punk-rocker anymore, but I still really enjoy this sort of stuff when it's done well. Smalltown gets it right. Check out the newly posted mp3.

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Smalltown has posted a diary from their recent US tour: http://www.smalltownsweden.com/US_tour.html

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Smalltown put on a good show last night btw, despite issues with the PA and a disorganized promoter. All you SF Bay Area folks should check 'em out this weekend when they're down in your area. Classic melodic punk-rock with a heathly dose of the The Jam. Good stuff.

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

I'm not sure if any of you readers out there are local to me here in Olympia, but I'll be heading out to see Smalltown at YesYes tonight. See you there?

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

US tourdates for Swedish punkrockers Smalltown:

11/18 - The Fest 4, Gainesville, FL w/Against Me!, Dillinger 4, Bouncing souls, more
11/23 - Caravan, San José, CA w/The Odd Numbers
11/26 - Ché Café, San Diego, CA w/Tiltwheel
11/29 - IWW Hall, Portland, OR w/Straitjacket, Plan R
11/30 - The Funhouse, Seattle, WA w/Jaded 52
12/01 - Yes Yes, Olympia, WA
12/03 - 924 Gilman, Berkeley, CA w/The Briefs, Clit 45
12/05 - WCWW, Sacramento, CA w/Dead hearts, Crime in Stereo

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish punkrockers Smalltown will be coming over to the US in late November, first for the The Fest 4 in Gainesville, Florida from November 18-20 and then over on the West Coast immediately following Thanksgiving. Dates soon.

Fri, 16 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish mod-punk power-trio Smalltown will finally get their debut full-length "The music" released in Europe and Sweden via Cage Match Federation/Wasted Sounds. Check out the title track here: http://www.wastedsounds.com/mp3/Smalltown_-_The_Music.mp3