IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Glue Girls - Anemic

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 18:40:14 -0700

New Swedish indie heavily indebted to Starmarket and the like. Hear Glue Girls' entire new EP "We're here to pick up the pieces" via Spotify.

Starmarket live @ Gamla Ugglan, Stockholm (video)

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:55:04 -0800

The past is alive! PS, I'd much rather see a Starmarket reunion than those other dudes from Umeå.

The magic of the internet

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:33:18 -0700

Recently unearthed live videos of Starmarket and Abhinanda playing Dublin in 1997! Holy shit!

BCore to reissue Starmarket on vinyl for the first time

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:02:19 -0800

Spanish label BCore Disc is reissuing Starmarket's landmark "Five hours light" album on vinyl for the very first time in February, something that I suppose explains the reason the band will be performing said album down there on February 4. As with the folks at BCore, this record is a seminal piece of (Swedish) musical history to me, helping to bridge the gap between hardcore, post-hardcore and indie/noiserock -- it's the reason I discovered Kevlar/KVLR and subsequently took them on tour and put out their self-titled CD, which of course still stands as a crucial step in the evolution of this site. Read more/pre-order here: http://www.bcoredisc.com/ING/discoBD.php?id_disco=257

Starmarket to perform Four Hours Light

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:46:42 -0800

Speaking of Starmarket, the band has announced that they'll be doing a one-off gig at the winter festival Sant Feliu in Spain on February 4 where they'll be performing the entire "Four hours light" album in full, track by track. And in case you were wondering as I was, the lineup will be Patrik Bergman, Fredrik Brändström, Jesper Lofroth and Pontus Levahn.

Presenting: The Violent Sea (ex-KVLR/Starmarket)

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:38:53 -0800

Check out The Violent Sea, a new Umeå-based act featuring ex-members of KVLR and Starmarket: http://www.myspace.com/violentseaswe

Musik med Nina Kinert, PSL i Umeå

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:39:40 -0800

Live music with Nina Kinert at PSL: http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2010/11/19/musik-med-nina-kinert/
Also! PSL has been spending time in Umeå and they stopped by the new shop run by friend and "former Starmarket superstar" Magnus Öberg (Nomethod/KVLR): http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2010/11/19/our-favourite-shop-nomethod-butiken/

The Holy Ghost - Daggers

Mon, 17 May 2010 11:44:17 -0700

The first rough cut from The Holy Ghost, aka the solo endeavor of Jens Åker (ex-Trapdoor Fucking Exit, Java, etc.), is now streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theholyghoststhlm
RIYL Starmarket, KVLR, or any other Norrland indie.

After 12 years, The Howard Way to release debut album

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:10:04 -0700

The Howard Way, a long-running Americana act from Umeå, Sweden featuring Pelle Henricsson of the famed Tonteknik Studios on drums (he's probably recorded at least a dozen stone-cold classic Swedish records in your collection -- Fireside, Ray Wonder, Refused, Komeda, Starmarket, uh... pretty much every significant Norrland act and then some), will finally release their debut album "Never mind the country" on May 5 via Rootsy. Check out an e-card here: http://formton.se/thehowardway

MP3: Java - Smokescreen

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:01:17 -0800

The best new music is old, part II. Java was a somewhat short-lived instrumental act from Gävle, Sweden that formed out of the remains of the hardcore act Ashram. A mere footnote perhaps, but re-visitation might suggest otherwise. Also, consider that the 90s was a fertile time in Swedish hardcore, especially up in Norrland where you had acts such as Fireside, Breach, Refused and Starmarket; to say nothing of acts such as The Bear Quartet or Randy -- so many great bands, all from the same set of towns along the Bothnian coast. The year was 1996 and as such, Java embraced the zeitgeist and sought to expand the sound of modern hardcore as fragmented and moved towards postrock, a sound echoed in acts such as Slint, June of 44 and pretty much any Dischord act of that era. The remnants of the 90s 'core remains though, particularly on tracks like "Smokescreen" where you can hear the lingering effects of bands like Groundwork in the subtle mosh. Certainly not as overt as the stuff Desperate Fight was putting out further north, but oh yeah, it's there and it's alright. Java never amounted to much in their day, they never played a show even, but they did record a demotape and Dead Birds Records has seen fit for its rerelease. There is certainly nostalgia for those of us who remember this time in music and saw it firsthand, but I'd assert that Java is simply a good band that never got heard. Until now, that is.

Sirius playlist week #50

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:35:11 -0800

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU, 100% pre-millennium edition:

01. TALK 1
02. Honey Is Cool - Bolero
03. Beyond Dawn - Addictions are private
04. Commando M Pigg - Baby doll
05. TALK 2
06. Kent - If you were here
07. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
08. CMX - Ainomieli 97
09. Docent Död - Bensin i blodet
10. TALK 3
11. Bitch Boys - Automobile
12. Nicolai Dunger - This town
13. Broder Daniel - I'll be gone
14. Starmarket - Ten seconds
15. TALK 4
16. Madrugada - Beautyproof
17. Breach - Black sabbath
18. Silverbullit - Thank you Mr.
19. Camouflage - Syster sol
20. TALK 5
21. Entombed - Lights out

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. Next week's show will feature tunes from my top 10 albums of the year.

MP3: Mixtapes & Cellmates - Soon

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:57:57 -0700

All hail the new indie rock'n'roll! I'm fine with their excursions into glitchy electronica, I really am, but Mixtapes & Cellmates sure sound best when they crank up their instruments and play as a band, complete with live drums and all the trimmings. "Soon" isn't exactly 90s Swindie revival, but it's got that spirit and takes me to that same place, the same same way bands like Starmarket and KVLR used to. Man, do I love those raucous drum fills and squeals of feedback! Haven't heard the full album yet (preview here), but if it's all like this, it's gonna be brilliant.

MP3: Breach - Seven

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:48:41 -0700

Hard to believe, but It's a Trap! turns seven years old today, an age that could be considered near-ancient in the context of this whole interweb doo-hickey. Yep, I've been slogging away at this thing all those years, slowly improving my foreign language skills, refining my tastes, fighting burnout and maybe even becoming a better writer along the way (not really). I've sent out over 300 weekly newsletters, posted nearly 32,000 news items, visited Sweden three times (with a short sidetrip to CPH once), listened to countless albums and have also had the great pleasure of meeting a ton of lovely people along the way. So a huge thanks to you, my readers and also to all of the great artists who inspire me to keep this thing going -- without you, I am nothing.

Breach's final album "Kollapse" came out in 2001 towards the end of a period when I was intensely seeking out Norrland indie/hardcore. I don't remember my first connection, but that's how I got into KVLR, Fireside, Him Kerosene, Starmarket, Carpet People, Isolation Years and many other neighboring acts. Many of those bands remain favorites today and Breach is definitely near the top of the list, with their swansong record being an absolute classic. Nothing sounds like it, not even any of the band's other records. As for posting it today, it's mere luck they happen to have a song with a title fit for the occasion.

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:42:16 -0700

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

01. Pascal - Längtar efter dig
02. TALK 1
03. Division of Laura Lee - Central Park
04. New Decade - While tonight still is
05. Abduktio - Uutisia rintamalta
06. TALK 2
07. Echo Is Your Love - Lion tamer vs tigers
08. Fireside - Silver muscle car
09. Him Kerosene - Ladybugs
10. TALK 3
11. NEI - New morning
12. The Bear Quartet - All your life
13. Park Hotell - Dead ringers
14. KVLR - Spit
15. Electric Retard - Skate girl
16. TALK 4
17. Samuraj Cities - Ugly kids are alright
18. Barra Head - Iron to skin
19. Death By Kite - Himmelfahrtskommando
20. TALK 5
21. Blithe - Haven
22. Starmarket - You can't come
23. Lukestar - White shade
24. Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away
25. TALK 6
26. Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend

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

MP3: Him Kerosene - Whatever gets you by

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:48:43 -0700

I do believe I've covered all the new music I'm genuinely excited about, so I'm going to use today's mp3 post to promote my show on Sirius tonight (11pm ET, channel 26) since I'm doing a special guitar-rock feature. Now when I say "guitar-rock", bear in mind that I mean indie guitar-rock, not classic rock, or 80s rock or anything like that. Generally speaking, I'm talking about the kind of stuff that draws influence from bands such as Sonic Youth, Fugazi or even Quicksand, the kind of bands that Norrland pumped out in the 90s, bands like Starmarket, KVLR, Blithe, Fireside, Brick, The Bear Quartet... the list goes on and on. One of my absolute favorites though has got to be Him Kerosene. Niklas Quintana plays guitar like no other man except for those he inspired and his riffs are so amazing, so unique. The melodies are instantly recognizable and they point north -- there's no way this sound could originate anywhere other than northern Sweden.

"Whatever gets you by" isn't quite a ballad, but it is one of the more downtempo tracks on their masterpiece album "Start. Stop." (1997/Telegram Records). As is typical for bands from the far north, the music is seeped in heavy melancholy and resignation, though the huge guitar melodies provide a triumphant counterpoint to the sadness. The way the guitar lines twist and turn around each other is absolutely incredible. And the rhythm section is sharp too, like the album title implies, starting and stopping on a dime. I actually have a different HK track lined up for tonight's show, but they're such an amazing band, I feel compelled to share more. Too bad Warner (Telegram's parent company) hasn't been interested in doing a reissue or keeping the album in print. It's a lost gem.

MP3: The Sound O.E - Party at the moontower

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:41:56 -0700

In Malmö today with a side-trip to CPH on the itinerary to see some Norwegian bands. Viva la internationale!

Everybody always asks me- what is it about Swedish/Scandinavian music that you like so much, that makes it different? Now that's a very complicated question that deserves many hours/coffees/beers worth of discussion or maybe even a full book treatment (someday?), but the short answer is simple. I know what I like and I know it when I hear it. Yes, there is a lot of Scandinavian rock that is derivative of American or UK sounds, but there's also lots of stuff with its own identity. One such scene is Swedish noiserock, a sound I identify with bands like Starmarket and KVLR, bands who took the template of classic US indierock ala Sonic Youth/Hüsker Dü/etc. and added their own touch. The Sound O.E carries on that tradition, especially on songs like the epic album closer "Party at the moontower". You get that angular/syncopated heaviness, but it's tempered by a lovely lyricism and strong melodies. Other tracks on the album tend to be more choppy, more heavy and generally more hardcore and they're fine, but this is the stuff that really grabs me. Some bands did epic indie before Arcade Fire, believe it or not. This draws from that.

MP3: Starmarket - Forgotten trail

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:01:19 -0700

I pulled Starmarket's 2001 album "Song of songs" off the shelf earlier this week and found myself enjoying it quite a bit more than I remember. The earlier records are still the best (classic, even), but now that I'm a tiny bit older, I think I better appreciate the more relaxed direction they started to head towards. However, my favorite tracks are still the noisier ones such as "Forgotten trail", which I've posted for you today. That's the noisepop sound I adore! The huge, thick guitars, the heavy, crashing drums- I have even grown to love that gnarly pinging snare tone. It's totally obnoxious, but it works. It's distinctive; it has personality! The Göteborg metal scene may have piqued my interest in Swedish music, but the Norrland indie sound is what got me hooked for life.

MP3: Sideshow Bob - Luge on black pavement

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Jonas Appelqvist is handling this week's friday post:

Gustaf Kjellvander has been in the music business for quite some time now, being part of Songs of Soil with his brother Christian, fronting the wonderful The Fine Arts Showcase and as a part of indierockers Sideshow Bob. Seeing as he's of current interest due to the release of "The fine arts showcase sings Rough Bunnies", TFAS's 3rd album, I thought that it would be of interest to those of you outside of Sweden to hear some of the early work. Sideshow Bob's "Luge on black pavement" is taken from "Invasive confusion", an album that was released in 1998, and is a great first track on an album that's filled with indierock influenced by Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr.. Yeah, basically anything Lou Barlow has been involved in. The similarities to early Loosegoats-recordings (the band that brother Christian fronted) are very striking at times, but this here is rawer and with more nerves. And personally, it takes me back to times when the release of an EP with Starmarket or travelling to Emmaboda festival was highly anticipated. Enjoy!

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Check out New Sport, the solo project of Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Fireside): http://www.myspace.com/newsport
Sounds a lot like old Starmarket - a very good thing IMO.

MP3: The Sound O.E - New bankruptcy

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

One of the big things that got me deeper into Swedish/Scandinavian rock way back when was explosive, guitar-heavy indierock. Fireside, Starmarket, Him Kerosene, KVLR - these are the bands that caught my interest and had me pouring through liner notes looking for more names to track down. Sadly, that scene is nowhere near as strong these days though there are a few who keep the fire burning: The End Will Be Kicks, Seven Feet Four, Aerial Convoj plus young upstarts like Traktor and today's post subjects The Sound O.E. The band has been lurking in the shadows for a couple years now, but it wasn't until very recently that they seemed to rise above and the new three-song EP "Me and Laureline" proves it. The screechy sprechstimme delivery of the verses might be a bit much for some, but remember that what they're doing is essentially sloganeering - the words are meant to be heard loud and clear. It's call & response; a call to action. When the harmonies of the chorus come in, the intentions are indisputable. The Sound O.E know exactly what they're doing. I think the arrangement could still be tightened up a bit, but I like what they're doing and definitely look forward to hearing more.

Video mix: Minilogue, I'm From Barcelona, Breach, Nicolai Dunger, Anja Garbarek, more...

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800

The Concretes - On the radio (live)
This is The Concretes' last ever performance with Victoria, playing "On the radio" on Jonathan Ross' UK talk show. (ST)

Minilogue - Hitchhikers choice
Minilogue did the music, Kristofer of Ljudbilden & Piloten did the visuals. The sum total is fantastic. (AR)

The Hives - Live medley
After you watch this you need to run down to your local record shop and buy the originals. (PA)

Breach - Replenish the empty
Alright, the video is not that great but my god, listen to the song taken from the marvellous "It's me god"!! Breach was definitely one of Sweden's finest. Still hard to get over the split-up. (JA)

I'm From Barcelona - I'm from Paris
Emmanuel from I'm From Barcelona went to France to promote his band, but he wasn't able to get his (28) bandmates with him, so instead he got all the staff (cleaners, etc) at the French radio station to act as his choir. Watch the (interesting) result! (ST)

Nicolai Dunger - Hunger
The incredibly profilic Dunger isn't always on, but when he nails it, it's something remarkable. This track is one of those times. (AR)

Starmarket - Amber
Starmarket have never really gotten the attention they deserve. I guess this kind of indierock never appeals to a greater amount of people. It's a pity... (JA)

Anja Garbarek - I won't hurt you
You won't? I don't buy it. (AR)

.:Who's who?

PA: Per Apelqvist
JA: Jonas Appelqvist
AR: Avi Roig
ST: Simon Tagestam

Profile: Convoj

Mon, 08 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Name: Convoj

From: Göteborg, Sweden

Sounds like: Darkly-tinged indierock with driving post-punk beats, steamroller basslines and guitars like knives.

Listen: My timekeeping heart

Discography:
2005 - s/t EP (Chalksounds) [BUY IT]

Links:
www.convoj.se
www.myspace.com/convoj

2005 was a year of amazing debut EPs and Convoj's self-titled release was one of the best. With so many bands attempting to ape the oh-so-hot post-punk sound, Convoj stands head and shoulders above the rabble with their inventive duel guitar lines and pummeling bass sound. It's the sound of classic Swedish indie guitar-rock (Him Kerosene, Starmarket, Fireside, et al) made fresh.

Unfortunately the great promise of the band's debut has yet to be followed up. Their label Chalksounds was dissolved at the end of last year and they've yet to sign with someone new. The enlistment of manager Filip Wilén from Bud Fox (Shout Out Louds, El Perro Del Mar) is promising, so I'm sure it's only a matter of time until Convoj gets the attention they deserve.

Who are you and where are you from?
We are four boys and we live in Gothenburg.

What makes you special?
Don't know if there is anything that makes us special. We're something as nonexclusive as an indie-rock band from Sweden so... but we're pretty good, so that would separate us from quite a few similar acts.

If Convoj was an animal, what animal would you be?
Convoj share many similarities with a German Shepard. It isn't a wild animal but a disciplined breed with straight lines and a fetish for rules. It's the dog of choice for both police and aggressive alcoholics, in other words a little treat for everyone.

If you could instantly acquire one skill, what would you choose? How would you use it?
I think everyone in Convoj would like to become more skilled lovers. Except for the obvious, this skill would come in handy when exploring the Latin genre.

What fo you think is the most important or most prevalent emotional aspect of your music?
Well, the intention is to keep the music as emotionless as possible. But it's hard and emotions often leak through. I guess shame would be the prevalent one.

What's the most disappointing record you've ever heard?
As a Bruce fan, I got obsessed in the wait for "The Rising" due to the reuniting of The E-Street Band and all. Swedish crap-papers Aftonbladet and Expressen both gave it five out of five. Guess I should have known better, but I think I wanted to be seduced. When the record actually came I went into denial and it took about four months before I could admit to myself and anyone else that it really sucked.

What's the future of Convoj?
Well, we're almost done with writing songs for a full-length album. But since we're currently without a record-deal it's hard to say when anything will be released, except for that it will... maybe.

Podcast: The sound of Umeå, part 2

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

DATE ADDED : 08.26.05
LENGTH : 29:06 min
DOWNLOAD : itsatrap_podcast_08262005.mp3 (20.4mb)
RSS : [click here]

Tracklist:
01. Starmarket - Drive by
02. Cobolt - Luther
03. Regulations - Police siren
04. Komeda - Nonsense
05. Cult of Luna - Echoes
06. Final Exit - Punk enough

Fri, 26 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Today's oldie classic comes from Him Kerosene, one of my all-time favorites. Seriously, this is the kind of stuff I live for: huge walls of discordant guitars, dissonant melodies and a heavy rhythm section. What more do you need? This is the post-hardcore/indierock sound that got me hooked on the Norrland scene. From early Fireside, Starmarket and Brick to other bands like KVLR, Breach, Convoj and Seven Feet Four (not from the North, I know), Him Kerosene helped define and establish what I consider to be my favorite sound. And let's not forget HK frontman Niklas Quintana's newest band The End Will Be Kicks, also featuring ex-HK drummer Tomas Turunen. Today's selection comes from the sadly out-of-print magnum opus "Start.Stop", first released back in 1997 on Telegram/Warner, but it must be said that all of their releases are brilliant and worth tracking down even if they aren't quite so readily available. It's worth it, trust me. You want to start a band that I'm enthusiastically endorse, here's your blueprint.

Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

I figure I might as well keep with the theme of the most recent podcast and post another fine track from Starmarket. I was considering trying to track down some Shredhead mp3s, but I get the feeling that those dudes probably don't want that stuff distributed online so prominently. Anyhow- Starmarket, as you can probably infer, are another fine band from Umeå in Northern Sweden. Their sound is part mid-90s noisepop mixed with a bit of post-hardcore, kinda like Fireside who I featured on a Friday classic post two weeks ago. This track happens to be one of the more tender numbers from the band's early period. It's incredibly melodic, but rhythm section keeps things heavy and powerful. The band is still kicking around nowadays, but they've gone through quite a few member changes over the years. Magnus and Johan went on to form KVLR (one of my absolute favorite bands), Patrik plays with Family Music and Fredrik also does The Crystal Committee. There's probably tons more too, but really - who needs to read through their entire incestous musical family tree? Not gonna happen. Just download the track whydoncha?

Mon, 06 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Download the debut self-titled EP from Storbrännan, a new band featuring Umeå scene veterans Patrik Bergman (ex-Starmarket), Linda Hörnqvist (Marit Bergman) and her brother Johan (K-pist): http://www.familymusic.se/

Torpedo Anticlockwise Strange Fruit

Mon, 09 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700

To be honest, I've only read of the bands the members of Torpedo were in: Tiger Lou, Starmarket and The Je Ne Sais Quoi. I wasn't really sure of what to expect when listening to this EP. After listening to "Anticlockwise", I was really impressed. It takes the energy of guitarist Pontus Levahn's band Starmarket and the gentleness of his other band Tiger Lou (with Torpedo bandmate and bass player Erik Welén). Combined with TJNSQ drummer Jimmy Ottoson and rounded out by lead vocalist and guitarist Andreas Hogby, the band creates atmospheric indie rock. Can't really beat a band with a song about getting rid of a rival lover ("Plastic bag and a shovel"). Good stuff.

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Updated Starmarket tourdates:

02/03 - Atzavara Club, Sant Feliu de Guixols
02/04 - Centro Cívico Basozelai, Basauri
02/05 - Tunk!, Irún
02/06 - Centro Andaluz, Torrelavega
02/07 - Tba, Don Benito
02/08 - Aldana, Cáceres
02/09 - Moby Dick, Madrid
02/10 - Malevaje Club, Almeria
02/11 - Mogambo, Valencia
02/12 - Sidecar, Barcelona
02/22 - Astra Stube, Hamburg
02/23 - Aquarium, Dresden
02/24 - AJZ, Bielefeld
02/25 - Wild at Heart, Berlin
02/26 - Jugendhaus, Esslingen
02/27 - Arena, Wien
02/28 - Sunny Red, Munchen
03/01 - Kalkbreite, Zurich
03/02 - MuK, Giessen
03/03 - Ex-Haus, Trier
03/04 - AZ, Aachen
03/05 - Tower, Bremen

In other news, the band's latest album "Abandon Time" has been picked up for release in Japan on May 21 via Bad News Records.

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 00:00:00 -0800

KVLR's heartthrob bassist Joel will be filling in with Starmarket on their upcoming European tour. Watch out ladies!

Top 10s for 2004: IAT! writers

Wed, 29 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Simon Thibaudeau - Top 10 music moments of 2004:

01. Mogwai live (Kicked my ass pretty hard)
02. Haunted - rEVOLVEr (See my full review on the site, best thrash record in some time)
03. WE - Smugglers (ROOOOCCKKK!)
04. Tricky Woo live (If you don't know, you should)
05. The Dears - Protest EP and live (Best live "experience" of the year, EP ain't too bad either)
06. Shalabi Effect - Pink Abyss (How they can improv this record is beyond any comprehension)
07. Controller Controller - History (Still one of Canada's best kept secrets, indie-pop that makes your ass move without your knowledge)
08. In Slaughter Natives - Resurrection (Still the cream of the genre)
09. Lederhosen Lucil live (So much fun, I soiled myself)
10. Devendra Banhart - Nino Rojo (Simple, perfect)

Simon Tagestam - Top 10 Swedish records of 2004:

01. The Tough Alliance - Make it happen (EP)
02. Jens Lekman - Rocky Dennis in heaven (EP)
03. Jens Lekman - When I said I wanted to be your dog
04. Sounds Like Violence - The Pistol (EP)
05. Mattias Alkberg BD - Tunaskolan
06. David Sandström - The dominant need of the nedy soul is to be needed
07. Promoe - The long distance runner
08. Stina Nordenstam - The world is saved
09. Jens Lekman - You are the light (EP)
10. David Fridlund - Amaterasu
11. Chandra - Summer in the sun (EP)
12. The Honeydrips - Save me (7")
13. Alf - Augustibrev
14. The Tough Alliance - Holiday (EP)
15. Heikki - 2
16. Raymond & Maria - Vi ska bara leva klart
17. Marit Bergman - Baby dry your eye
18. Gustav Kjellvander - Proudly Presents the Fine Arts Showcase & the Electric Pavilion
19. Niccokick - Awake from the dead, my dear best friend
20. Starmarket - Abandon time

Matthew W. Smith - Top 11 Scandinavian music moments of 2004:

01. The Accelerator Big One in Stockholm--great bands, much better weather than last year.
02. Kings of Convenience - Riot On An Empty Street album. I'm really looking forward to seeing them for the first time in February.
03. The Hives and Sahara Hotnights on the same bill at the 9.30 Club in Washington, D.C.
04. Another successful shopping spree at Sound Pollution in Stockholm--lots of selections, right in the heart of Gamla Stan.
05. Two heavy metal guys screaming their way through a Madonna song at a karaoke bar in Helsinki--probably the funniest thing I saw all year.
06. An import of the "Bigtime" single by The Soundtrack of Our Lives showing up fairly cheaply at my local independent record store--a hint of good things to come.
07. The Flaming Sideburns stealing at least the first half of a very big show--the 40-band extravaganza that was Little Steven's Underground Garage Festival in New York City. What a travesty they got to play only two songs...
>08. Tiger Lou - Is My Head Still On? album. Good songs and a full sound. "Oh Horatio" is one of my favorites.
09. Nina Persson of The Cardigans singing "You're the Storm" while cradling a Swedish Chef doll given to her on the last night of the Chicks with Attitude tour. I guess you had to be there. It was great to see The Cardies back in North America for the first time in a great while...
10. The song "I Burn Myself On You" by the Lionheart Brothers, as featured on Avi's It's a Trap! compilation. Simply stunning...
11. Suburban Kids with Biblical Names - #1 EP. Loads of talent and potential there...

Nick Levine - Top 10 Scandinavian albums of 2004:

01. Radio Dept. - Lesser matters
The album that just won't die. An updated take on shoegazing that teachers the originators a new trick or two.
02. Concretes - s/t
Its beauty is in its subtlety and understated mystery. A real slow burner.
03. Annie - Anniemal
Perfect pop. Laden with songs Kylie would kill for, and production from both Richard X and Royksopp. I expect this to crossover to a massive mainstream audience next year.
04. Kings Of Convenience - Riot on an empty street
In 2004 Erlend and Eirik returned from the wilderness. On this longplayer the Kings broaden their musical palette to include bossa nova and (shock!) drums.
05. Jens Lekman - When I said I wanted to be your dog
A great up-and-coming singer songwriter. His lyrics are slightly indebted to the anti-folk movement. I'm slowly coming round to the Magnetic Fields comparison.
06. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Origin I
Did you think that TSOOL were going to let you down? Really?!
07. The Legends - Up against the Legends
Modern take on C86. Bundles of energy.
08. Tiger Lou - Is my head still on?
Woozy production with quality instrumental backing. A cult audience beckons.
09. Moneybrother - Blood panic
White soul that isn't embarrassing to listen to in public.
10. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - #1 EP
Introductory EP from these Swedish newcomers. Quirky pop of the highest order.

Navy Keophan - Top ten albums (Scandinavian and non-Scandinavian) of 2004:

01. Henry Fiat's Open Sore - The parallel universe of... (Coldfront)
Hardcore punk fury with '60s-inspired catchiness.
02. Division of Laura Lee - Das not compute (Burning Heart/Epitaph)
DOLL never fails to impress and they did so with what I consider to be one of the "sleeper" hits of 2004.
03. Knugen Faller - Skellefte stadshotell EP (Cage Match Federation)
Catchy punk-pop from the north of Sweden.
04. The (International) Noise Conspiracy - Armed love (Burning Heart)
Producer Rick Rubin pushes them to their limit and they show that they can still rock.
05. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives (Interscope)
I don't care what anyone else says about The Hives but I still think that this album was good. I think their label handled the promotion for it wrong but that's another story.
06. Euroboys - Soft focus (Virgin Norway)
With a dash of '70s-inspired California pop and the Beach Boys for good measure, it keeps that feeling of summer all year long around here (although in Southern California, it isn't that hard...)
07. Bruce Banner - I've Had It With Humanity (Busted Heads)
Hardcore punk in the last couple of years has its fair share of greatness and mediocrity. Bruce Banner is not the latter. Intense hardcore from the north of Sweden with vocals by Per and Bobo (ex-DS-13).

The non-Scandinavian part of the top ten:

08. The Chinese Stars - A rare sensation (Three.One.G.)
Disco beats, hypnotic, dissonant guitars, groovy bass lines and a singer who sounds like he never left puberty all add up for a fun time.
09. Some Girls - All My Friends Are Going Death (Deathwish)
I remember the first time hearing this and not being really impressed. Fast forward to six months later and this is some of the best stuff I've heard all year from the genre. The lyrics are thoughtful and the sound is like a kick in the chest.
10. Ludacris - Red light district (Def Jam)
HA! Bet you guys weren't expecting this album here. If there is one thing I like, it's intelligent hip-hop/rap that is done right and Ludacris is a genius. On his latest effort, Ludacris brings the catchiness and sensibility back again.

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

Top 10s for 2004: Fredrik Brändström (Starmarket/The Crystal Committee)

Tue, 28 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Top 10 best places in 2004:

01. Berlin. You never get tired of Böölin.

02. Midsommarkransen. My new hood.

03. Lofoten. Bird frenzy.

04. Sahara. I got there on my trip to Tunisia.

05. Autobahn. The only great thing Hitler did.

06. Luleå archipelago. Much better than the one in Stockholm.

07. Björkliden. Skiresort where I played with Randy. Great until I broke my hand while skiing.

08. Norr Mälarstrandskrogen. Pub/pizza joint next to our rehearsal space.

09. Catalonia, Spain. Shiny happy people.

10. East germany. It was more mysterious before the wall came down.

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

Fredrik sings and plays guitar for long-running Swedish indierockers Starmarket and also showcases his mellower side with The Crystal Committee. Starmarket recently released what I believe is their sixth album "Abandon Time" on Germany's Strange Fruit Records and will be touring Europe beginning in February.
www.starmarket.nu / www.thecrystalcommittee.com / www.strangefruit.de / www.chalksounds.com

Tue, 28 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

The top 10s just keep on coming. Today we have new ones from the multitalented Robert Samsonowitz of Deleted Art and Fredrik Brändström of Starmarket. Check 'em out. Is it just me, or are the only musicians who run labels always drummers?

Starmarket Abandon time Strange Fruit

Sun, 26 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Being a massive Starmarket fan, "Abandon Time" really took me by surprise. It appears that singer Fredrik Brändström has decided that his other band The Crystal Committee from now on will concentrate on the slower alt.country tinged songs, and Starmarket will do the shorter, faster, and poppier numbers. I wouldn't say that Starmarket has regressed per se, but it could be seen that way since we all know that bands usually go from playing fast rocky music to a slower more mature sound, and not the other way around. Not that I mind the least though, I think Starmarket are great, whether they play depressive emo, or catchy power pop. Also, this album really makes me want to witness them play live, and I hope they decide to play in London next year (and not just Spain and Germany).

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Via Dagensskiva, here's the Swedish student radio top 40 for the fall semester (total rank, highest rank, # of weeks):

01. (01) (06) Promoe - "Long Distance Runner"
02. (02) (06) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On (Anybody)"
03. (04) (08) The Go! Team - "Ladyflash"
04. (01) (05) The Hives - "Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones"
05. (01) (05) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
06. (04) (06) Bloc Party - "Helicopter"
07. (01) (06) Marit Bergman - "Can I Keep Him?"
08. (01) (06) Timo Räisänen - "Lovers Are Lonely"
09. (02) (05) The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "A Small Demand"
10. (02) (05) Ison & Fille - "Vill va Highwon"
11. (02) (04) The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - "Bigtime"
12. (01) (04) The Libertines - "Can't Stand Me Now"
13. (03) (05) Faithless - "Miss U Less See U More"
14. (05) (05) Thunder Express - "In My Mind"
15. (06) (08) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 EP"
16. (05) (05) The Tough Alliance - "Holiday"
17. (05) (04) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
18. (04) (04) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
19. (01) (03) Le Tigre - "TKO/New Kicks"
20. (03) (04) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
21. (01) (03) Beastie Boys - "An Open Letter To NYC"
22. (04) (05) Radio LXMBRG - "L'Indiffirence EP"
23. (02) (03) Dogs Die In Hot Cars - "I Love You 'Cause I Have To"
24. (05) (04) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
25. (03) (07) Embee - "Not Tonite"
26. (08) (05) Mando Diao - "God Knows"
27. (02) (03) The Ark - "One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young"
28. (06) (04) R.E.M. - "Leaving New York"
29. (05) (04) Ron Sexsmith - "Whatever It Takes"
30. (08) (05) Starmarket - "Cologne"
31. (06) (05) Björk - "Who Is It?"
32. (07) (05) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
33. (02) (06) Kings Of Convenience - "Misread"
34. (09) (04) Jens Lekman - "Julie"
35. (07) (04) Blacknuss Feat. Awa Manneh & ADL - "All Your Lovin'"
36. (10) (04) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
37. (06) (03) Franz Ferdinand - "Michael"
38. (08) (03) The Chrysler - "Blue Gold"
39. (04) (04) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"
40. (08) (03) De La Soul - "Shopping Bag"

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Not just one, but two new top 10 lists today! As always, be sure to check them out and keep on coming back for new ones.

New mp3 today from Brick, a band I really know nothing about except that they are awesome. This track comes from the band's 1996 debut album "Suomi" on Dolores Recordings and the sound is a perfect mix of huge discordant riffs and pounding rhythms. It captures everything I love about the mid-to-late 90s Swedish pop/hardcore crossover scene, epitomized by bands such as Him Kerosene, Starmarket and KVLR and carried on by more recent acts such as The End Will Be Kicks and Seven Feet Four. The melodies are strong, but there's still enough dissonance and heaviness to make it interesting. Who knows what these dudes are up to now? The world needs more bands like this.

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Updated European tour schedule for Starmarket:

02/03 - Sant Feliu de Guixols (ESP)
02/04 - Basauri (ESP)
02/05 - Irun (ESP)
02/06 - Torrelavega (ESP)
02/07 - Portugal
02/08 - Portugal
02/09 - Madrid (ESP)
02/10 - Castellon/Valencia (ESP)
02/11 - Girona (ESP)
02/12 - Barcelona (ESP)
02/22 - Hamburg (GER)
02/23 - Rosswein (GER)
02/24 - Bielefeld (GER)
02/25 - Berlin (GER)
02/26 - Esslingen (GER)
02/27 - Wien (AUS)
02/28 - München (GER)
03/01 - Zürich (CH)
03/02 - Giessen (GER)
03/03 - Trier (GER)
03/04 - Aachen (GER)
03/05 - Bremen (GER)

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (16) Timo Räisänen - "Lovers Are Lonely"
02. (08) Promoe - "Long Distance Runner"
03. (02) The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "A Small Demand"
04. (11) Bloc Party - "Helicopter"
05. (04) The Go! Team - "Ladyflash"
06. (01) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
07. (10) Björk - "Who Is It?"
08. (NY) Radio LXMBRG - "L'Indiffirence EP"
09. (NY) Ison & Fille - "Vill va Highwon"
10. (05) The Tough Alliance - "Holiday"
11. (09) Mando Diao - "God Knows"
12. (NY) Faithless - "Miss U Less, See U More"
13. (NY) Ayesha - "Squaffie"
14. (NY) Keane - "This Is The Last Time"
15. (03) Embee - "Not Tonite"
16. (NY) Snow Patrol - "How To Be Dead"
17. (NY) Joanna Newsom - "Sprout and the Bean"
18. (ÅT) Richard Reagh + Wwnb2 - "Outlaw"
19. (15) Doktor Kosmos - "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"
20. (17) Peter Bjorn And John - "Teen Love"

Hot tracks outside the top 20:
Dizzee Rascal - "Dream"
Florence Valentin - "Där jag borde va"
Sophie Rimheden/Håkan Lidbo - "Shout"

Leaving the chart:
(06) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On. (Anybody)"
(07) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
(12) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
(13) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
(14) 22-20s - "Shoot Your Gun"
(18) The Hellacopters - "Turn The Wrong Key"
(19) The Streets - "Blinded By The Lights"
(20) Starmarket - "Cologne"

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (01) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
02. (02) The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "A Small Demand"
03. (06) Embee - "Not Tonite"
04. (09) The Go! Team - "Ladyflash"
05. (NY) The Tough Alliance - "Holiday"
06. (03) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On. (Anybody)"
07. (05) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
08. (NY) Promoe - "Long Distance Runner"
09. (NY) Mando Diao - "God Knows"
10. (NY) Björk - "Who Is It?"
11. (NY) Bloc Party - "Helicopter"
12. (04) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
13. (07) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
14. (16) 22-20s - "Shoot Your Gun"
15. (19) Doktor Kosmos - "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"
16. (NY) Timo Räisänen - "Lovers Are Lonely"
17. (NY) Peter Bjorn And John - "Teen Love"
18. (NY) The Hellacopters - "Turn The Wrong Key"
19. (NY) The Streets - "Blinded By The Lights"
20. (08) Starmarket - "Cologne"

Hot tracks outside the top 20:
Florence Valentin - "Där Jag Borde Va"
Ayesha - "Squaffie"
Bright Eyes - "Take It Easy"

Leaving the chart:
(10) [Ingenting] - "Här Kommer Solen"
(11) Snoop Dogg Feat. Pharell - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
(12) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
(13) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
(14) Mos Def - "Sex, Love & Money"
(15) Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
(17) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
(18) Richard Reagh + Wwnb2 - "Outlaw"
(20) The Concretes - "Seems Fine"

Mon, 08 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Starmarket has posted an old video shot during their 2000 Canadian tour for song "Count with fractions": http://www.starmarket.nu/sounds/star_count.mov

Fri, 05 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Starmarket has postponed their European tour until February.

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (01) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
02. (03) The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "A Small Demand"
03. (02) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On. (Anybody)"
04. (05) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
05. (06) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
06. (20) Embee - "Not Tonite"
07. (16) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
08. (08) Starmarket - "Cologne"
09. (07) The Go! Team - "Ladyflash"
10. (09) [Ingenting] - "Här Kommer Solen"
11. (10) Snoop Dogg Feat. Pharell - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
12. (12) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
13. (13) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
14. (14) Mos Def - "Sex, Love & Money"
15. (15) Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
16. (NY) 22-20s - "Shoot Your Gun"
17. (04) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
18. (NY) Richard Reagh + Wwnb2 - "Outlaw"
19. (17) Doktor Kosmos - "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"
20. (18) The Concretes - "Seems Fine"

Hot tracks outside of the top 20:
Bright Eyes - "Take It Easy"
The Faint - "I Disappear"
Radio 4 - "Absolute Affirmation"

Leaving the chart:
(11) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 E.P."
(19) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

German webzine Sellfish reviews the new Starmarket: http://sellfish.inserteffekt.com/_start.php?link=review/11-04.htm%2312

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Sweet Jane Music interviews Starmarket: http://www.obrac.de/sweetjanemusic/text.php?datensatz=126

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (01) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
02. (03) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On. (Anybody)"
03. (NY) The (International) Noise Conspiracy - "A Small Demand"
04. (04) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
05. (06) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
06. (08) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
07. (NY) The Go! Team - "Ladyflash"
08. (11) Starmarket - "Cologne"
09. (NY) [Ingenting] - "Här Kommer Solen"
10. (NY) Snoop Dogg Feat. Pharell - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
11. (16) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 E.P."
12. (05) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
13. (10) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
14. (17) Mos Def - "Sex, Love & Money"
15. (NY) Destiny's Child - "Lose My Breath"
16. (07) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
17. (NY) Doktor Kosmos - "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"
18. (NY) The Concretes - "Seems Fine"
19. (19) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"
20. (20) Embee - "Not Tonite"

Hot tracks outside the top 20:
Snowracer - "The Way I'm Watching You"
Beatnuts Feat. Akon - "Find Us"
The Faint - "I Disappear"

Leaving the chart:
(02) Le Tigre - "TKO/New Kicks"
(09) Kings Of Convenience - "Misread"
(12) The Solution - "My Mojo Ain't Workin No More"
(13) M.I.A. - "Galang"
(14) Goldie Lookin' Chain - "Guns Don't Kill People Rappers Do"
(15) Blacknuss Feat. Awa Manneh & ADL - "All Your Lovin'"
(18) U2 - "Vertigo"

Wed, 27 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Last Days of April on tour in Europe and Japan:

11/12 - AJZ, Neumünster (GER)
11/13 - Römer, Bremen (GER)
11/14 - Bitterzoet, Amsterdam (NL)
11/15 - FZW, Dortmund (GER)
11/16 - Strax-O-Soul, Lille (FRA)
11/18 - Ex-Haus, Trier (GER) w/Starmarket
11/19 - Substage, Karlsruhe (GER)
11/20 - Woodstock Boogie Bar, Limoges (FRA)
11/21 - L'Inca, Bordeaux (FRA)
11/22 - Arrebato, Zaragoza (SPA)
11/23 - Siroco, Madrid (SPA)
11/24 - Pub Terra, Castellon (SPA)
11/25 - Magic, Barcelona (SPA)
11/26 - Péniche "Le Mascaret", Lyon (FRA)
11/27 - Sinne, Innsbruck (AUS)
11/29 - Chelsea, Wien (AUS)
11/30 - Arcadium, Graz (AUS)
12/02 - Prager Frühling, Munich (GER)
12/03 - Kulturkeller, Fulda (GER)
12/04 - Projekt 7, Magdeburg (GER)
12/05 - Zakk, Düsseldorf (GER)
12/10 - Astro Hall, Tokyo (JPN)
12/11 - Astro Hall, Tokyo (JPN)
12/13 - Club Quattro, Osaka (JPN)

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (NY) Bergman Rock - "I'm A Crab"
02. (01) Le Tigre - "TKO/New Kicks"
03. (02) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On. (Anybody)"
04. (03) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
05. (05) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
06. (NY) Sahara Hotnights - "Who Do You Dance For?"
07. (17) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
08. (NY) Ed Harcourt - "Born In The '70s"
09. (06) Kings Of Convenience - "Misread"
10. (10) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
11. (11) Starmarket - "Cologne"
12. (12) The Solution - "My Mojo Ain't Workin No More"
13. (13) M.I.A. - "Galang"
14. (20) Goldie Lookin' Chain - "Guns Don't Kill People Rappers Do"
15. (07) Blacknuss Feat. Awa Manneh & ADL - "All Your Lovin'"
16. (09) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 E.P."
17. (18) Mos Def - "Sex, Love & Money"
18. (19) U2 - "Vertigo"
19. (04) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"
20. (NY) Embee - "Not Tonite"

Hot new tracks not in the top 20:
Beatnuts Feat. Akon - "Find Us"
Richard Reagh + Wwnb2 - "Color Of The Birds"
La Nana - "Kabanskij"

Leaving the chart:
(08) Thunder Express - "In My Mind"
(14) The Hidden Cameras - "I Believe In The Good Of Life"
(15) Ron Sexsmith - "Whatever It Takes"
(16) Marit Bergman - "Can I Keep Him?"

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Starmarket will be playing a special record release show at Tantogården in Stockholm tomorrow for their brand new album "Abandon time". Full details at the band's website: http://www.starmarket.nu/

Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (04) Le Tigre - "TKO/New Kicks"
02. (06) Phoenix - "You Can't Blame It On (Anybody)"
03. (NY) The Mo - "Howl In The Jungle"
04. (08) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"
05. (NY) Baby Shambles - "Killamangiro"
06. (07) Kings Of Convenience - "Misread"
07. (10) Blacknuss Feat. Awa Manneh & ADL - "All Your Lovin'"
08. (13) Thunder Express - "In My Mind"
09. (14) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 E.P."
10. (NY) Deportees - "Not Tonight"
11. (15) Starmarket - "Cologne"
12. (17) The Solution - "My Mojo Ain't Workin No More"
13. (NY) M.I.A. - "Galang"
14. (03) The Hidden Cameras - "I Believe In The Good Of Life"
15. (05) Ron Sexsmith - "Whatever It Takes"
16. (12) Marit Bergman - "Can I Keep Him?"
17. (NY) Kanye West - "Jesus Walks"
18. (NY) Mos Def - "Sex, Love & Money"
19. (20) U2 - "Vertigo"
20. (NY) Goldie Lookin' Chain - "Guns Don't Kill People Rappers Do"

Hot new tracks not in the top 20:
Beatnuts Feat. Akon - "Find Us"
The Faint - "I Disappear"
Fatboy - "This Tear Will Never Leave My Eye"

Leaving the chart:
(01) The Hives - "Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones"
(02) Dogs Die In Hot Cars - "I Love You 'Cause I Have To"
(09) De La Soul - "Shopping Bag"
(11) The Ackermans - "Come On, Come On"
(16) Dreamboy - "Uncalled For"
(18) Fibes, Oh Fibes! - "One Hour Baby"
(19) Nancy Sinatra - "Let Me Kiss You"

Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Download the brand new Starmarket track "Cologne": http://www.starmarket.nu/sounds/Starmarket%20Cologne.mp3
The song comes from the band's new album "Abandon Time" which comes out tomorrow. They'll be touring Europe in November, Sweden in December/January and to Spain and Portugal in February. Here's what's confirmed so far:

11/16 - Magnet, Berlin
11/17 - MuK, Giessen
11/18 - Ex-Haus, Trier
11/19 - Jugendhaus Komma, Esslingen
11/20 - Kalkbreite, Zürich
11/23 - Sonica, Rom
11/24 - Rebeldia, Pisa
11/26 - Zentrum Altenberg, Oberhausen
11/27 - Juz Aurich, Aurich
11/28 - Astra Stube, Hamburg

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Via Dagensskiva, here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (02) The Hives - "Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones"
02. (04) Dogs Die In Hot Cars - "I Love You 'Cause I Have To"
03. (16) The Hidden Cameras - "I Believe In The Good Of Life"
04. (NY) Le Tigre - "New Kicks"
05. (07) Ron Sexsmith - "Whatever It Takes"
06. (NY) Phoenix - "Anybody"
07. (NY) Kings Of Convenience - "Misread"
08. (NY) Talib Kweli Feat. Mary J Blige - "I Try"
09. (08) De La Soul - "Shopping Bag"
10. (13) Blacknuss Feat. Awa Manneh & ADL - "All Your Lovin'"
11. (14) The Ackermans - "Come On, Come On"
12. (01) Marit Bergman - "Can I Keep Him?"
13. (05) Thunder Express - "In My Mind"
14. (06) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "#1 E.P."
15. (NY) Starmarket - "Cologne"
16. (NY) Dreamboy - "Uncalled For"
17. (NY) The Solution - "My Mojo Ain't Workin No More"
18. (NY) Fibes, Oh Fibes! - "One Hour Baby"
19. (12) Nancy Sinatra - "Let Me Kiss You"
20. (NY) U2 - "Vertigo"

Hot tracks not in the top 20:
Goldie Lookin' Chain - "Guns Don't Kill People Rappers Do"
The Donnas - "Fall Behind Me"
La Nana - "Kabanskij"

Leaving the chart:
(03) Soundtrack Of Our Lives - "Bigtime"
(09) The Libertines - "Can't Stand Me Now"
(10) Jens Lekman - "Julie E.P."
(11) Mando Diao - "Clean Town"
(15) Strip Music - "Never Die"
(17) R.E.M. - "Leaving New York"
(18) Manic Street Preachers - "The Love Of Richard Nixon"
(19) Svenska Akademien - "Vetande"
(20) Bloc Party - "Little Thoughts"

Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Starmarket has a fancy brand-new website with a vastly updated sounds archive: http://www.starmarket.nu/
Use the links in the menus, not the news section.

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Starmarket is handing out free copies of their new EP "Cologne". Find out how: http://www.starmarket.nu/

Wed, 08 Sep 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Some of the guys from Starmarket, Tiger Lou's band and Union City have a new project called Torpedo. Head over to their website to listen to a couple tunes: http://www.torpedo.se/
They are looking for a drummer, so if you think you might be interested, the website has all the relevant contact info as well.

Streaming playlist: Old stuff

Sun, 15 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0700

DATE ADDED : 08.16.04
LAUNCH : Real / Windows

Tracklist:
01. Honey is Cool - Bolero
02. Amorphis - My kantele (acoustic reprise)
03. Broder Daniel - Dark heart
04. The Hellacopters - Soulseller
05. Nicolai Dunger - What tomorrow
06. Him Kerosene - Whatever gets you by
07. In Flames - Moonshield
08. Fireside - Let Rasputin do it
09. Madrugada - Salt
10. Nine - Getting it out
11. Motorpsycho - Blindfolded
12. Silverbullit/Citizen Bird - Magnetic city
13. Giant Robot - S M L XL
14. Starmarket - You can't come
15. The Plan - Let's leave
16. Souls - Cello (where you were)
17. At the Gates - Cold
18. Weeping Willows - Louisa
19. The Motorhomes - Love
20. Bear Quartet - What I hate

Wed, 11 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Starmarket has confirmed an October 15 release date for their new album "Abandon Time". A month previous to that, a new EP called "Cologne" will be released that will feature two additional songs not on the full-length. And lastly, a full European tour is in the works for November and dates should be coming along shortly.

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Long-running Swedish indierockers Starmarket are back at last! They've finished the new album "Abandon Time" and sent it off to get pressed. Strange Fruit will release it in Germany while Fredrik at Startracks is helping distribute it in Sweden, though not directly through his own label. There's also going to be a three-song EP in September. Download the song "Antichrist" right here: http://www.starmarket.nu/sound/Starmarket_antichrist.mp3

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Fredrik Brändström of Starmarket/The Crystal Committee will be standing in on bass for Johan Gustavsson on the upcoming Randy shows with Bad Religion as Johan is becoming a father. Congrats! Will Johan Brändström feel intimidated with his older brother on stage?

Mon, 02 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Starmarket has finished recording fifteen new songs for their next album, tentatively titled "Don't Fear the Dark Ends". Not all of the tracks will make it on the final product and there's still no label yet, but they'll finish up with mixing later this coming spring at Studio Gröndahl.

Thu, 11 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Chalksounds has put together another festival, this one taking place at Debaser in Stockholm on January 16. Moonbabies and The End Will Be Kicks will be playing and DJ Norrland and Fredrik Brändström (Crystal Committee, Starmarket) will spin records. The first twenty people through the door will receive free copies of the new Moonbabies CD, too.

Also from Chalksounds comes word that US label Minty Fresh is working with Soviac trying to get their music into the movies. No word yet on whether they've been successful yet, but I'll let you know.

Thu, 11 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Bands confirmed so far for the upcoming "Chalksounds V/A Vol 1" compilation from Chalksounds records: Moonbabies, Starmarket, Alarma Man, The End Will Be Kicks, The Je Ne Sais Quoi, KVLR, Park Hotel, Ellis the Vaccuumchild and The Crystal Committee. Look for it in the spring.

Fri, 14 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Here's a couple songtitles for the brand new songs that Starmarket has laid down for their new album: "Ship of Sorrow", "Antichrist" and "The Vanishing Gates". As mentioned before, guitarist Fredrik is filling for Pelle of Fireside on their upcoming BRMC support gigs, as he's busy in the studio with The Hives. Starmarket plans to finish recording when Fredrik returns and hopefully have it all wrapped up sometime before Christmas. Still no word yet on what label will release the finished product.

Tue, 11 Nov 2003 00:00:00 -0800

It has been confirmed that Fireside will be opening for BRMC around Europe. The dates:

11/17 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR)
11/18 - Cirkus, Stockholm (SWE)
11/19 - Vega, Copenhagen (DK)
11/20 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
11/22 - E-Werk, Cologne (GER)
11/23 - E.Montmarte, Paris (FRA)
11/25 - Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg (GER)
11/26 - Universal, Berlin (GER)
11/28 - Elserhalle, (D) Munich (GER)
11/29 - Abart, Zurich (CH)
11/30 - Alcatraz, Milan (ITA)

Guitarist Pelle Gunnerfeldt is currently too busy recording The Hives, so Starmarket's Fredrik Brändström will be filling in.

They have also posted the video for "Follow Follow", the third single from the group's most recent album "Get Shot". Check it.

Thu, 23 Oct 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Starmarket reports that they've gotten down to business and recorded seven songs for their next album and it's sounding "better than ever." As reported here back on 09/25, the band's label Background Beat (an offshoot of Startracks) closed up shop leaving the band without an outlet to relase the finished product, but they are confident that "somebody nice will take care of it in the end."

Fri, 03 Oct 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Bo Kaspers orkester - Vilka tror vi att vi är
02. Per Gessle - Mazarin
03. Lasse Stefanz - Det här är bara början
04. Carola - Guld platina & passion - det bästa
05. User - User
06. Pauline - Candy rain
07. Fred Åkerström - Freds bästa
08. E.S.T. - Seven days of falling
09. Mustasch - Ratsafari
10. Bad Cash Quartet - Midnight prayer
11. Anna-Lotta Larson - Tidlöst
12. Lars Winnerbäck & Hovet - Söndermarken
13. The Cardigans - Long gone before daylight
14. Bubbles - Bless
15. ABBA - ABBA Gold - greatest hits
16. Robyn - Don't stop the music
17. Pugh Rogefeldt - Pughs bästa
18. Eagle-Eye Cherry - Sub rosa
19. Lisa Nilsson - Samlade sånger 1992-2003
20. Kent - Vapen & ammunition

Parasol is now the official US outpost for all things Startracks. That means Tiger Lou (US tour in November/December), Kristofer Åström, Christian Kjellvander, Starmarket, Moneybrother, The Lost Patrol, Fireside and more we be readily available for purchasing domestically come mid-October. Jim, why don't you tell me these things before posting about them on the Parasol blog?

Thu, 25 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Word has it that Startracks has shut down sub-label Background Beat, thus dropping Starmarket, Leiah, and Revolvo in the process.

Thu, 18 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Italy's Wain Records is releasing a new comp in late October called "Breathing the Static" that features quite a few Swedish bands. The tracklist:

01. Last Days of April - Angel youth
02. The Bigoz Quartet - Rita hayworth under a three
03. Face Tomorrow - Worth the wait
04. The Stereo - Tell your football dad no!
05. Seed'n'feed - Romeo & juliett
06. That Very Time I Saw - The wave not the stone
07. Leiah - Untitled
08. Hillside - Maladjusted and jaded
09. Hot Water Music - It's hard to know
10. On When Ready - Talk a lot
11. Amical - Procon
12. Lights at Amber - When it's gone
13. 7 Years - Every action, every word
14. Starmarket - Mexico summer
15. Estrich Boy - Saving the end of summer
16. Favez - Someday all this will be mine
17. The Miles Apart - Safer
18. Tiger Lou - When I was a kid
19. Buck - Tamara
20. Four Square - Mistreated
21. And the Winner Is - No horse, no gun, no wife... poor guy
22. Ariel Kill Him - Lepantra
23. Nitrojuice - 20 seconds alone
24. The Ordinary Me - Running in circles
25. Solea - Apotheke (live)

Tue, 09 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700

I posted the tracklist for the new Startracks comp way back on 06/24 but this message from label mainman Fredrik Holmgren is too good to pass up:

"Ok, I said for years it will never happen to me. Now I'm down at the level of Bad Taste and Burningheart...
I'm sorry, I am really!
The first label compilation ever is to hit the stores 24th of September. It had to be done and honestly I find it of healthy quality. It's priced as a single (even lower then Universal dared too go ! :) ). Here are the final set list, even a exlusive one with Mr. Åström. And yes it even by the bands on it looks like yet another Burningheart comp. Kids I found those artist, launched them some I even invented and then BHR cashed in. I'm for real kid!"

That tracklist again, to refresh your memory:

01. Fireside - Throw it away
02. Christian Kjellvander -Broken Wheels
03. Kristofer Åström & Hidden truck - One good moment
04. Tiger Lou - Nova Lee
05. Loosegoats - Days of black (nights are light)
06. Kristofer Åström - 8 long years (previously unreleased)
07. Songs of Soil - Page
08. The Lost Patrol - Stating the obvious
09. Revolvo - Moscow mule
10. Jaffa de Luxe - Don't forget about Raquel
11. Candysuck - Popcorn
12. Leiah - Cover Discover
13. Starmarket - Mexican summer
14. Moneybrother - Thunder in my heart
15. Buck - Rock dream
16. Monster - Don't answer the phone
17. Refused - Pump the brakes

Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Fireside's lastest album "Get Shot" is released in the US today. I wonder how it'll do? Look for more Scandinavian dates and possibly a full European tour later this fall.

In other Startracks-related news, Christian Kjellvander will doing a tour in October and November with his backing band Lazy Grace Frontier and Ebrelius Quartet plus support from Nicolai Dunger. Sounds like a good time to me! After that, he's gonna do some European dates in November before taking time off for recording in the US. Maybe some shows over in this part of the world too? Who knows?

Cobolt will be doing a 5-song EP for Startracks imprint StarEP that should be out sometime around September or October.

Leiah and Starmarket are both working on new records due out this spring.

Tue, 24 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The latest from Startracks Records:

Christian Kjellvander will be recording the new track "Portugal" next week for a video/single release sometime around October. He debuted the song live at Hultsfred fest and you can view footage of it here.

Fireside's latest album "Get Shot" finally gets a US/Canada release now on August 19 and the label says that tour plans are definitely in the works.

The label's latest signing Tiger Lou has set August 20 as the release date for their new EP. The tracklist:

01. Sam, as in Samantha
02. Nova Lee
03. When I was a kid
04. Trouble & Desire

You probably didn't notice as there hasn't been much publicity about it, but Simba Records recently released the Kristofer Åström "Plastered Confessions" EP in the US. Simba also put out a similar Marit Bergman EP over here that's worth checking out as well. And while we're on a tangent here, let me add that Simba is also working on a Joni Mitchell tribute CD that will feature contributions from Kristofer and Dennis Lyxzén (International Noise Conspiracy, Lost Patrol) among others. FYI, the label's website appears to still be a work-in-progress as I think it just came online.

And lastly, Startracks has finalized the tracklist for their first label-showcase compilation. It also comes out August 20 and will be dirt cheap:

Fri, 28 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Jeez, what a slow news day. Ain't hardly nothing happening at all.

In an amazing feat of quick turnaround, I got two new mp3s ready from that P3 broadcast yesterday at the Umeå Open. Check it out on the right.

Gearhead will be putting out "Oslo City", the latest album from Norway's Mensen on April 8 in the US. Nicke Anderssen of The Hellacopters produced, so it definitely might be something worth checking out. Some mp3s can be found here.

Carola, Jennifer Brown, Robyn and Lisa Nilsson have all been added to the Piteå Dansar Och Ler (Piteå dances and smiles) fest.

Pitchfork reports the Jaga Jazzist will finally be getting a proper US release through the label Gold Standard Laboratories (GSL). As is the case with a lot of 'new' artists taking their first steps on US soil, the release will be a compilation of already-released material under the name "Animal Chin". Look for it in stores on April 7. It also seems that the labels Ninja Tune and Smalltown Supersound are working on reissuing their older works and a few of em may even already be available for mailorder. Not to mention, there's also talk of a US tour. Wait and see.

The Cardigans have confirmed even more festival appearances this summer:

6/6 - Rock Am Ring, Germany
6/7 - Rock In Park, Gemany
6/9 - Pink Pop Festival, Holland
6/29 - Werchter Festival, Belgium

Northside has three new records available for preorder: Mari Boine's new album "Eight Seasons", her remix album entitled, uh, "Remixed" (featuring mixes by Bill Laswell, Jah Wobble, Those Norwegians, more), and the new Wimme CD which is called "Bárru". So yeah, order 'em from their website or wait until April 22 when they hit the shelves.

Starmarket has put up an mp3 of a new demo track they did called "Remembrance". Download it now.

Courtesy of Nordic Sounds magazine, MIC can now present a unique perspective on Nordic musical life as we bring you an Irishman's encounter with Nordic culture. National but not nationalist. Nurturing. cooperative but slightly protectionist. No it isn't a country's foreign policy. It's the response of Irish Times' music critic Michael Dervan to the contemporary music scene he encountered on visits to all five Nordic countries.

Read more. (from MIC Norway)

Chaosbreedis the name of a new Finnish "death metal supergroup" featuring Nalle Österman on drums (ex-Gandalf), Oppu Laine on bass (ex-Amorphis, Mannhai) Marko Tarvonen on guitar (Moonsorrow), Esa Holopainen also on guitar (Amorphis), and Taneli Jarva on vocals (ex-Sentenced, The Black League). Apparently they are currently rehearsing material to be recorded this summer at the famed Sunlight Studios in Stockholm with producer Tomas Skogsberg. They plan to circulate a demo online sometime this spring and are looking to secure a record deal in the near future. Anyone interested in offering them a contract or maybe booking them can get a hold of em at chaosbreeders@hotmail.com.

Tue, 18 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Got a new mp3 today from yesterday's broadcast of the last Hederos & Hellberg show. I'll put the whole thing up eventually, but for now you can enjoy their Hellacopters cover done in their standard slowcore fashion. Of course, that also means the Kristofer Åstrõm mp3s will go away. Get 'em while you can, I guess.

Some words about Katatonia and their new album "Viva Emptiness":

Destructive, finite and somber, Viva Emptiness is, in fact, in a league of its own. - DigitalMetal.com

Katatonia are simply one of the finest European rock bands over the past decade, yet in Britain they remain virtually unknown - apart from readers of Terrorizer magazine. - DJ Martian

I, for one, am in total agreement. Definitely one of my most anticipated releases this year.

I'm happy to report the new Logh album is done! Read all about it.

Last Days of April will finally release their latest album "Ascend to the Stars" in the US on June 3 from Crank! Records.

Starmarket reports they have completed work on a seven-song demo in preparation for their next record to be recorded in June. Tentative titles so far include "Horse On the Run", "Biscuits for Everyone" and "Rendundance".

I missed it when it was first posted, but here's a short interview with Garm (or whatever you want to call him) from the always-interesting Ulver.

If you sign up for The Klerks mailing list, you get to listen to a preview of the new b-side "Moving Much Too Fast" from the single "Shame". Read more.

Check out the video for the new Millencolin single:

Battery Check: high / low
E20 Norr: high / low

For those that might be curious, here's a full report on The Sounds' recent trip to the US. (in Swedish)

The tracklisting for the upcoming Fireside album "Get Shot" (out April 7) has been announced:

01. All You Had
02. Follow Follow
03. The Betrayer
04. Backwards Over Germany
05. Throw It Away
06. I'm Coming Home
07. Problem (to You)
08. All Criminals Are Us
09. Swinging Sid's Chain Around
10. Player

View the cover art here. The next single will be "All You Had" and it'll be out either late March or April. A Swedish tour will follow, along with the following, already-confirmed shows:

5/02 - Hamburg, Molotow
5/03 - Köln, Underground
5/04 - Dresden, Star Club
5/05 - München, Orange House
5/07 - Bleu CH, Lézard
5/08 - Bern, CH, ISC
5/15 - Berlin, Magnet

Ulf Stureson will release his third solo album on April 11 on Silence Records and they swear it's his best to date. He's also playing at Nalen in Stockholm on April 10 with Florence Valentine, so get tickets here if you're interested.

The Swedish snowboarding movie 'Stomped' just came out on DVD over there and features music from Timbuktu, Fjärde Världen, Loop Troop and more.

Organism 12 is back in the studio working on his second album. Look for it this coming fall on JuJu Records. In other JuJu news, PSTQ is also starting to write for his next record. Again, look for it around fall.

Division of Laura Lee report that they are starting to plan for their next record (due out sometime in 2004) and a full US tour in the fall. For now, they just have a few more US dates lined up:

4/21 - Houston, Engine Room
4/22 - Austin, Emos
4/23 - Dallas, Gypsy Tea Room
4/25 - Phoenix, Mason Jar
4/26 - Coachella fest

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. Kashmir - Surfing The Warm Industry
02. The Rasmus - In The Shadows
03. Roxette - Opportunity Nox
04. Mew - Comforting Sounds
05. C21 - You Are The One
06. St. Thomas -Long, Long Time
07. Winta - Emotions
08. The Raveonettes - Attack Of The Ghostriders
09. The Cardigans - For What It´s Worth

Challengers:
01. Paris - Streetlights
02. Satirne - Hey No Hell
03. Kwan - Shine
04. Bertine Zetlitz - Girl Like You
05. Ladybird - Dangerous To Me

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, The Ark and Mando Diao will be performing at Grönan Live this summer. If I remember right, something was said about this some time ago. Apparently this will also be TSOOL's only Swedish show this summer as they are expected to be working on a new album.

David & the Citizens have a new EP coming out April 7 called "New Direction". They've also got a couple gigs lined up with Laakso and Björns Vänner. Check it:

4/18 – Stockholm, Accelerator at Debaser
5/16 – Malmö, KB
5/23 – Göteborg, Pusterviksbaren

Aftonbladet is saying today that Lars Winnerbäck och Håkan Hellström are planning on doing the Kalas tour together. Read more. (in Swedish)

There's a new festival coming to Stockholm on May 31 called Stockholm Calling. Already confirmed for this year's event are The Cardigans, Thomas Rusiak and Christian Kjellvander, along with international acts Zwan and Placebo.

Randy is also planning to do some touring after their new album "Welfare Problems" comes out on April 14. The dates so far:

4/20 - Stockholm, Debaser
4/21 - Göteborg, Pusterviksbaren
4/22 - Oslo, So What
4/23 - Lund, Club Buster @ Mejeriet w/The Rogers Sisters

The band also promises to do a few more Scandinavian dates this summer, so don't despair. They also filmed a video for the track "A Man in Uniform" last weekend, so look for it soon.

Kajsa Grytt will hitting the road in support of her new album "Är Vi På Väg Hem?" starting in April. You can read more about her here (in Swedish). Otherwise, here's the dates:

4/13 - Örebro, Klubb Söndag
4/14 - Uppsala, Katalin
4/15 - Malmöm, KB
4/16 - Stockholm, Södra Teatern
4/17 - Göteborg, Nefertiti
5/17 - Jönköping, Kulturhuset

Looptroop and Fireside have been confirmed for this year's Popaganda Festival in Stockholm. Other bands already confirmed include Buck, Bad Cash Quartet, Shout Out Louds and Franke.

And speaking of the Shout Out Louds, they are the band of the week over at MTVE.com. Check it.

Mon, 03 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0800

The Cardigans are now scheduled to play a couple German festivals this summer: Rock am Ring on June 6, Rock im Park on June 7.
Christian Kjellvander is working on a video for the track "Homeward Rolling Soldier". Keep an eye out for it around March or April. In the meantime, check him out on tour:
03/05 - Oslo - So What
03/07 - Halmstad - Diezelfestivalern
03/08 - Nybro - Mejeriet
03/14 - Norrköping - Kulturkammaren
03/15 - Jönköping - Kulturhuset
03/17 - München/Germany - Orange House w/Brendan Benson
03/18 - Dresden/Germany - Star Club w/Brendan Benson
03/19 - Berlin/Germany - Magnet w/Brendan Benson
03/20 - Munster/Germany - Gleis 22 w/Brendan Benson
03/22 - Bochum/Germany - Matrix w/Brendan Benson
03/23 - Örebro - Strömpris
04/04 - Helsingborg - The Tivoli
04/05 - Ronneby - Föreningarnas hus
04/15 - Copenhagen/Denmark - Lille Vega
04/16 - Århus/Denmark - VoxHall
See the video for Dub Sweden's new single "Walk Me Home": Modem / Broadband
Wolf will be entering Abyss Studio in June with producer/engineer Peter Tägtgren to work on a new album. Look it around fall from No Fashion Records with cover art from Holm (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond) that will include "a lot of fire." Sweet. They also plan to do a video and tour.
The lineup and dates for the upcoming Norweigan Zoom tour has been annouced. Scheduled to play are Helldorado, Johndoe, Nicolai and X.Lover. The dates:
3/5 - Luftslottet, Grimstad
3/6 - Checkpoint Charlie, Stavanger
3/7 - Caledonien Scene, Kristiansand
3/8 - Sort og Blå Scene, Porsgrunn
3/11 - So What!, Oslo
3/12 - Hulen, Bergen
3/13 - Meieriet, Sogndal
3/14 - Kroa, Volda
3/15 - Tapperiet, Molde
3/20 - Blårock, Tromsø
3/21 - Sinus, Bodø
3/22 - Hydranten, Hamar
3/27 - The Spitz, London
Norway's Sondre Lerche seems to be on his way up in the world, at least over here in the US. Read this feature about his recent show in Baltimore. More info and a sample here.
Lars Winnerãck is back from his self-imposed sabbatical and ready to work on his new album "Söndermarken", whose title is inspired by the Danish park. Read more here. (in Swedish)
This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:
01. The Rasmus - In The Shadows
02. C21 - You Are The One
03. St. Thomas -Long, Long Time
04. Winta - Emotions
05. The Raveonettes - Attack Of The Ghostriders
06. The Cardigans - For What It´s Worth
07. Grant - Just The Thing
08. Sahara Hotnights - Alright, Alright
09. Caesars Palace - Candy Kane

Challengers:
01. The Embassy - It Never Entered My Mind
02. Håkan Hellström - Den Fulaste Flickan I Världen
03. Kashmir - Surfing The Warm Industry
04. Desmond Foster - Love, Love, Love
05. The Knife - Heartbeat
Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.
The Crystal Committee (members of Starmarket) and The Lost Patrol (Dennis from t(I)NC) have both been confirmed for the upcoming Umeå Open fest. Other acts already confirmed include Cult of Luna , Advance Patrol, Ison & Fille, Marit Bergman, My Left One, Paris, and Peckish.
Finish 'polka-metallers' Finntroll have posted a .zip file containing an mp3 of a new song entitled "Visor Om Slutet". It's the first recorded material they've made public since being joined by new vocalist Tapio Wilska. Look for the track to surface on a new release sometime in spring.

Fri, 14 Feb 2003 00:00:00 -0800

A crapload of news from Startracks today. Here goes...
The new comp coming out will have one exclusive track from Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck called "8 Long Years". The other artists on it will be Christian Kjellvander, Fireside, Loosegoats, Songs of Soil, Lost Patrol, Starmarket, Leiah, Buck, Jaffa de Luxe, Candysuck, Revolvo, Moneybrother and Monster. It'll be out on March 10 in Scandinavia and will be "dirt cheap" they say.
The label will also be doing yet another comp, this one to showcase "Stockholm's most popular indie club" Club Accelerator. Also coming out on March 10 and at a price around 100 SEK/$10 USD. The bands: Franke, Isolation Years, Fireside, The Radio Dept., Embassy, Bear Quartet, David and the Citizens, Moneybrother, Laakso, The Knife, The Concretes and Paper.
Christian Kjellvander will doing a few solo dates supporting American singer/songwriter Brendan Benson:
3/17 - Munich - Orange House
3/18 - Dresden - Star Club
3/19 - Berlin - Magnet
3/20 - Munster - Gleiss 22
3/21 - TBA
3/22 - Bochum - Matrix
The next Fireside single for the song "All You Had" will be out mid-March. The upcoming album, produced by Kalle Gustafsson (TSOOL) and mixed by Kalle with help from Guy Massey (Oasis, Radiohead, Spiritualized, Manic Street Preachers and Echo and the Bunnymen), is still being worked on but is on track for an April release. Touring will follow immediately, including the already confirmed Umeå Open Festival on March 28-29.
Dennis Lyxzen's Lost Patrol may have signed to Burning Heart, but they still will be doing something for StarEP in spring. Dennis will also appear on a panel on the program "Pop i fokus" on SVT today. Other folk on the panel include Marit Bergman and Candysuck.
and now for other news...
Could it be for real this time? Dolores Recordings says that Broder Daniel is going into the studio in March to work on a new album and a new single will be out in April or May. I'll believe it when I see it.
Shelflife Records will release the album "Lesser Matters" from Radio Dept. in the US in March. The label describes the band as "early Jesus and Mary Chain and Primal Scream" and they're getting quite a bit of hype in native Sweden, so check 'em out. Magnum Music will put out the album in Taiwan and Rex Records will do a single for the band in the UK.
Bad news for people looking forward to that Union Carbide Productions box set - looks like the date's been set back to September because Ebbot doesn't feel like he has enough time to put the thing together with how busy TSOOL is currently. There still might be a single around May for their appearance at Hultsfred Festival, so keep your fingers crossed.
Northside has confirmed that the 5th Annual Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis on September 18-21 is starting to come together. Already confirmed are Filarfolket (reunion), Ellika Frisell and Solo Cissokho, Maria Kalaniemi with Sven Ahlbäck and Johan Hedin, Gjallarhorn and Mari Boine Band. In other Northside live-happening news, Väsen Trio is booking a tour for October 16-26 and Värttinä will come over in November.

Wed, 29 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800

The Klerks will be appearing on the MTV Nordic program Morning Glory on February 8, 9 and 11. They will perform the single "She, She, She" and do an interview.
Here's the dates for Opeth's upcoming Australian tour:
4/10 - Brisbane, The Arena
4/11 - Melbourne, The Corner
4/12 - Adelaide, Uni Bar
4/13 - Sydney, The Metro
Seen the video for "By the Grace of God" from The Hellacopters yet? Click here.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives has announced the dates for their upcoming US tour:
3/15 - Orlando FL The Social
3/16 - Ft. Lauderdale FL Culture Room
3/18 - Atlanta GA Cotton Club
3/20 - New York NY Irving Plaza
3/21 - Washington DC 9:30 Club
3/22 - Philadelphia PA Theatre of Living Arts
3/23 - Boston MA Paradise
3/24 - Providence RI Met Cafe
3/26 - Ottawa Barrymore's Music Hall
3/27 - Montreal Cafe Campus
3/28 - Toronto Opera House
3/29 - Columbus OH Little Brother
3/31 - Detroit MI Magic Stick
4/2 - Minneapolis MN 400 Bar
4/5 - Denver CO Bluebird
4/8 - San Francisco CA Bimbo's 365 Club
4/10 - Seattle WA Graceland
In a sign of big things to come, The Sounds have two songs featured in the upcoming movie "Final Destination 2", "Dance With Me" and "Rock'n'Roll". As stated before, James Iha's Scratchie Records will be releasing the album in the states. The movie hits US theatres tomorrow.
The Wannadies's full version of the video for "Little by Little" gets its TV premiere on MTV2 at 6:20. They may not be one of my faves, but the video's greatness is undeniable.
Kristofer Åström reports that Fireside has finished up with nine of the songs for the upcoming album and comments "it's turning out really good. I'm satisfied with how it sounds." Eh, not the boldest statement I've heard, but I'm still quite excited for when it finally comes out. Don't forget to download the new track "Throw it Away" if you haven't already.
Bad Taste Records has kindly put up the video for "Playerin" from Last Days of April. Check it: High / Low (Real Media)
Also, if you haven't already done so, vote for the band's video for "All Will Break" on the MTV Up North Chart or check out that mp3 I put up on the right.
Logh will be on P3 Live tonight at 9pm (12 noon Pacific). I plan on recording it, but you can also listen online at the P3 site. (click the link 'Lyssna' in the upper-right)
Hot on the heels of news of their StarEP release, Moneybrother has revealed they are working on a full length for Burning Heart Records. Mainman Anders Wendin (ex-Monster) says that him and producer Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet) have twelve tracks ready to go for a summer release. He's also got an all-star lineup for the backing band: Fredrik Sandsten (The Soundtrack of Our Lives), Magnus Öström (Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Nicolai Dunger's "Soul Rush"), Björn Yttling (Peter, Björn & John, live keyboards for Ceasars Palace), plus Monster's horn section (Viktor Brobacke, Gustav Bendt and Patrick Andersson). The music is decribed as a mix of soul, reggae, and punk - not far from the sound of his old band.
Soviac reports they are finished with the second part of their new recording. They are working at Pelle Gunnerfeldt's Gröndal Studio with Johan Gustavsson (Randy) and Kalle Ohlsson (The Bear Quartet).
The new album from Crystal Committee is now available from Chalksounds and you can download the preview mp3s for "So Sinister" and the title track "Forever Overhead". Described by the label as "A true indierock masterpiece in the vein of Ride, early Starmarket", the band consists of Fredrik from the aforementioned Starmarket with help from Mattias Norlamder (Blithe, Komeda), Kristoffer Larsson (Cobolt) and Pontus Levahn (also in Starmarket).
Also from Chalksounds comes this mp3 from Carpet People. The track is called "A Road Trip" and it comes from the forthcoming album "More Bad Weather Coming Out of the Rain".
LOK has a live album called "Blästrad Levande" coming out on February 24. The recording is from a show in Göteborg last August 14. Preview the cover art here.

Mon, 25 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0800

New music today: Motorpsycho and Ulver from Norway plus super-hype band of the moment, The Sounds. Look to your right.
Believe it or not, but The Haunted are set to appear on the MTV show "Cribs". Apparently MTV newsman Iann Robinson is a big fan of the band. So yeah, if you want to see a tour of the band's homes, check out the show on December 4.
Finnish doom band Shape of Despair has a new bassist, Sami Uusitalo. The band is scheduled to enter the studio early next year to record their next album. Expect a late 2003 release on Spinefarm Records.
Crystal Committee (ex-Starmarket) will have their debut album out in February on Chalksounds Records. Entitled "Forever Overhead", it was recorded at Studio Gröndal. I'm not positive, but I assume it was produced and engineered by studio owner Pelle Gunnerfeldt of Fireside.
Also out on Chalksounds in the near future is the new album from Moonbabies. The band is still working hard in the studio, so a release isn't expected until around March.
Export Music Sweden (ExMS) reports that net earnings for exports from the Swedish music industry grew 37% in 2001 from the year previous for a total of 500M euros. And that wasn't even all that great, they say as sales weren't quite as good as hoped for. 2002 looks to be better though. with good sales coming from TSOOL, In Flames and others.
The Ark, Håkan Hellström, Robyn, and The Sounds will be performing on the Swedish TV show Faddergalan on December 9th.
See the new Madrugada video for the song "Majesty" here: High or Low. The band has also put up a tour diary on their website. Check it out.
Rumor has it that The Soundtrack of Our Lives will be back to tour the U.S. in February and March with a stop at South by Southwest along with Citizen Bird/Silverbullit and Isolation Years. Look for them on Late Night With David Letterman in late January, too.

Fri, 08 Nov 2002 00:00:00 -0800

Cobolt, featuring ex-Refused bassist Magnus Björklund, have a new album out on BCore Disc. It's called "Passoã". Fans of bands such as the Red House Painters might wanna check em out.
Håkan Hellström's new album "Det är så jag säger det" went straight to no. 1 on the Swedish music charts. Like no one saw that coming.
Hey, whaddya know? Marie Fredriksson is out of the hospital after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor and will be back in the studio soon to work on the next Roxette album.
"A Swedish Blondie?" Aftonbladet reviews the latest album from The Sounds and provides some samples to listen to here.
Christian Kjellvander is the band of the week over at MTVE.com. There's an interview posted and you can also view his video for "Oh Night". The track is also available to your right, in convenient mp3 form.
Starmarket has started working on material for their next record. They've got about 5 songs so far with the goal of finishing 10 by Christmas. Their statement on the matter:
Worth to mention is also our new way of working, writing together, sometimes from scratch, sometimes from some ones idea. As a matter of fact it's a long time since it was so much fun to do new stuff.
Satyricon's upcoming European tour has been postponed to early next year. They promise the new tour will be a "MUCH better one for the benefit of our fans, record company and Satyricon" and will be posting dates as they are confirmed.