Artist: The Fine Arts Showcase
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The playlist for this week's radio show on Sirius:
01. TALK 1
02. Fattaru - Stila upp din skit
03. Samuraj Cities - Thxa1000000
04. The Fine Arts Showcase - I don't worry
05. TALK 2
06. Imagine I Had Hands - Captive
07. Scraps of Tape - Pickpockets vow
08. FAP - Jag drar till sjöss en sväng jag
09. TALK 3
10. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times
11. Mainliners - Good storm
12. Breach - Gheeá
13. TALK 4
14. Him Kerosene - Neutrino
15. Familjen - Nu händer det igen
16. Sista Sekunden - D.I.We
17. Nine - Time has come
18. TALK 5
19. Emperor - Towards the pantheon
20. September - Can't get over (Long disco mix)
21. Kornstad - Turkey, Texas
22. TALK 6
23. Camouflage - Syster sol
24. Lolita Pop - Salta diamanter
25. Leather Nun - Gimme gimme gimme
26. TALK 7
27. Superfamily - I could be a real winner
28. Juvelen - Hanna
29. The Book of Daniel - Death caps and moonshine
30. Monkeystrikes - Serial faller in lover
31. TALK 8
32. Torpedo - Hang me high
33. Erik Enocksson - The lingering procession
34. Hederos & Hellberg - No fun
35. TALK 9
36. Death By Kite - Himmelfahrtskommando
37. The Tough Alliance - Something special
38. Seance - Controlled bleeding
39. TALK 10
40. Shout Out Louds - Hard rain
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!
Sideshow Bob - Luge on black pavement
8
It's hard to follow up a record like TFAS's stunning "Radiola". Doing so with an album of cover songs by close friends Rough Bunnies seems an odd choice, but it works surprisingly well. Lyrically, there's very little difference - the same characters are back, only now Frida and Anna are writing the songs instead of appearing in their titles. And the same topics of drinking, drugs, and love gone wrong remain the focus. The wit is still there (in "You should be in love with me" - which I hope will be the next single - the protagonist offers "we could watch TV / until our eyes get dry / from being inside / and we could only go out when it was spring outside" as though that's appealing). The title sounds hokey, but truth is, Gustaf Kjellvander is a real singer, one who cares about every tiny turn of phrase and who's got a voice that can transform songs that sounded mediocre at best in their original versions into shining moments of pop brilliance. These songs may lack the depth or diversity of his own, making the album more like a candy bar than a satisfying meal, but who doesn't like candy? And bonus points to Kjellvander for leaving the gendered pronouns intact (I especially like hearing him sing "seems like the meaning of my life is to drive my men away").
- Nancy Baym
Hello Saferide CDs are finally back in-stock, along with various titles from Adrian Recordings such as The Fine Arts Showcase. David & the Citizen DVDs too! I also got a few copies of that new "Svensk Postpunk - Klassiker" 2xCD collection that I've been eager to hear and you can pick that one up right here. Go shopping! My distro closet is packed solid!
The playlist for my radio show on Sirius this week:
01. Beyond Dawn - Far from showbiz
02. TALK 1
03. Superfamily - The radio has expressed concerns about what you did last night
04. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dance with your shadow
05. Pan Sonic - Hinaaja / Tugboat
06. TALK 2
07. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Hold
08. The Bear Quartet - I don't wanna
09. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - When she's GONE
10. TALK 3
11. Laakso - High drama
12. Park Hotell - The guest who stayed forever
13. Fun - Hold it close
14. TALK 4
15. The Book of Daniel - Rabbit boy
16. Watain - Storm of the Antichrist
17. Viktor Sjöberg - w/Nothing
18. Kristofer Åström - Fallen
19. TALK 5
20. Mainliners - Olivia
21. Oddjob - Kings are walking out
22. Lemonator - Heart burns
23. TALK 6
24. Tobias Hellkvist - Slowly but surely
25. Attrap - Just a word away
26. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
27. TALK 7
28. The Leather Nun - No rule
29. Alog - Son of king
30. Thunder Express - Vegas
31. TALK 8
32. Closer - Sensing the wake
I'm a bit overburdened right now, so Nancy Baym will take care of today's mp3:
The Fine Arts Showcase's 2006 second record, "Radiola", was a rare gem of sonic perfection, traversing genres and sounds in a poignant and catchy 35 minute journey. And what better to follow that up with than... a cover album of songs by The Rough Bunnies, a friend's obscure lofi band? Hey, why not? Especially if it all sounds as good as this first single, "Dance with yr shadow". Always an evocative (yet never maudlin) singer, Gustaf Kjellvander's got the sound of heartbreak, confusion, and longing down so perfectly that he makes a romantic like me want to take him home and fix what ails him in 17 seconds flat. Surely a new speed record. It's a sad song about the angst of being blown off by someone you thought you had a thing with wrapped in plaintive verses and a retro new-wave hook that can cause serious infectious reaction. If only the second half were as compelling as the first.
Note: The album is now set for a May 25 release. Probably. Read more.
The Fine Arts Showcase - Dance with yr shadow
UK-based label PoppyDisc, the label run by Creation/Poptunes co-founder and Television Personalities member Joe Foster, has licensed The Fine Arts Showcase album "Radiola" for release.
Stickman Records is sending Gustav Kjellvander (The Fine Arts Showcase) out on their 'Song Slam' tour along with Chris Wicky (Favez). Dates and more info: http://www.antistars.de/
The Fine Arts Showcase narrowly missed out on being included in my top year-end top 10 (to be published tomorrow), but they did end up on two staff lists and the attention is well-deserved. "Radiola" is a fine album, full of heartfelt, honest lyrics and beautiful melodies. I suppose the first single "Chemical girl" is as good a place to start as any - there's quite a few excellent tracks worth spotlighting, but I'll trust the wisdom of the artist and label to put their best foot forward. As I've said before, it's rare to hear this sort of frank drug talk from a Swedish artist, outside of the usual sad rock'n'roll clichés. That fact alone separates TFAS from many of the also-rans, but it wouldn't make a lick of difference if the music wasn't good enough to support it. It is.
The Fine Arts Showcase - Chemical girl
Didn't make to Tack! Tack! Tack! last night for The Tough Alliance and The Fine Arts Showcase? Here's what you missed: [click here]
Only a few more pre-sale tickets left for next month's Tack! Tack! Tack! show with The Tough Alliance and The Fine Arts Showcase. Better act fast if you want one: [click here]
The Fine Arts Showcase