In These Woods - Bear

Bad news/good news: Voices Break the Silence, whose long-awaited/highly anticipated debut album was finally supposed to see light of day in 2010, has gone on permanent hiatus. In their place, a new band has formed by vocalist/guitarists Dick Pettersson and Nicklas Sandström called In These Woods and they have a new 5-song EP on the way. In mere weeks too, that is, if everything goes according to plan. "Bear" is the first track and first taste of what's to come; unsurprisingly (and quite satisfyingly) not far from what came before -- pure quality Scandinavian indierock, chock full of big riffs, bigger melodies and at a mere 2.5 minutes, all killer, no filler. I suppose that means it might be time to update my 2010 watchlist.

MP3: In These Woods - Bear

Sirius playlist week #7

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

01. Champagne Riot - The champagne anthem
02. TALK 1
03. The Late Parade - We will walk straight through this wall
04. Bolywool - Save my soul
05. Darkthrone - Eyes burst at dawn
06. Boy Omega - Follow the herd
07. TALK 2
08. Isobel & November - She came down the mountain
09. Dream Evil - Kill, burn, be evil
10. TALK 3
11. Martin Senter - Ingenting förlorat
12. Pascal - Tyst här i mörkret
13. Hello Saferide - Anna
14. Brothers of End - Big bird
15. TALK 4
16. Voices Break the Silence - Lost

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.

Sirius playlist week #2

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

01. November - En ny tid är här
02. TALK 1
03. Viola - 2010s (maybe the world won't end)
04. Love Is All - Kungen
05. Niels Nielsen - We are youth
06. NEI - 40 rabbits
07. TALK 2
08. Voices Break the Silence - Lost
09. Oriel Joans - Knuckles whiten
10. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Arms and legs together
11. David Åhlén - Great is thy faithfulness
12. TALK 3
13. Sambassadeur - Sandy dunes
14. Folkvang - Stugsista
15. Nirvana 2002 - Slumber
16. TALK 4
17. Obliteration - Exterminate
18. Java - Smokescreen
19. Thee Gutted String - White
20. TALK 5
21. Grande Roses - The farm

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.

Voices Break the Silence - Lost

Hell yes, Voices Break the Silence are back and apparently there's even a new album on the way. This is the first taste and it's a killer slice of Swedish noiserock, albeit also revealing a slightly poppier direction for the band. Whatever, makes no difference to me -- I'm stoked on it regardless. More details forthcoming?

MP3: Voices Break the Silence - Lost

Convoj - Liberty City

Tomorrow at Debaser Malmö: It's a Trap! Clubnight featuring Convoj and Pretty Whores! I shouldn't have to remind you how great Convoj are since I've been talking them up from the very beginning, but I've got an mp3 below just in case you remain ignorant. Those guys are easily one of the best acts keeping the classic Swedish indie/noiserock/post-hardcore/post-punk sound alive. Few others compete; I can count them on one hand: NEI, The End Will Be Kicks, Giant Boar, Voices Break the Silence. Am I missing anyone? You might be able to lump Aerial in there once their new album comes out, but that's about it. Anyhow, point being: great band, not to be missed.
As for Pretty Whores, I haven't heard their new EP yet, but it seems to be getting good reviews and I most certainly approve of their shortened name (minus "Of Manhattan"). I think they'd be better off dropping it altogether and starting fresh, but whatever -- they're young dudes, they'll figure it out.

MP3: Convoj - Liberty City

Sirius playlist week #7

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

01. Saralunden - Les mains d'un autre
02. TALK 1
03. Agent Side Grinder - The screams
04. Victims - Victims in blood #5
05. The Garlands - Freedom
06. Livaventura - Keep on driving
07. TALK 2
08. Anna Ternheim - Better be
09. NEI - City of gold
10. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Lost & losing
11. TALK 3
12. A Camp - Golden teeth and silver medals
13. Leif Jordansson - Mellan drömmar och bränder
14. Mechanical Bird - Harbour me
15. Samtidigt Som - Vid min sida
16. TALK 4
17. Wolfbrigade - Deny tomorrow
18. Dismember - Beyond good and evil
19. Marvins Revolt - Deliberate deeds
20. Timo Räisänen - Sweet Marie
21. TALK 5
22. Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend

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.

MyFriends: City, Dear Derailed, Livaventura, Pure Faen, Sonic Ritual, Viisikko

Voices Break the Silence post new track

The excellent Swedish noiserockers Voices Break the Silence have a new track up at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/voicesbreakthesilence

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.

Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend

I love big, 90s-style indie guitarrock and I am unashamed. I enjoy plenty of other genres as well of course, but that's the stuff I grew up so it remains my top-tier favorite. Too bad there's not too many bands out there embracing the style though, it's like all that "rockism" talk scared people off of making music with guitar, bass and drums. What's wrong with the old formula? It's not broken, it still sounds just as fresh to me as it always did. And there's still plenty of room to grow, just listen to contemporaries like Culkin (remember?) or today's featured artist Voices Break the Silence. I posted a track from these guys way back in 2006 and nothing has really changed since then - the band remains totally awesome and pitifully unsigned. It makes no sense, but so goes the fashion I suppose. This is classic indie rock, emphasis on the rock. I don't see how anyone who loves stuff like Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr. couldn't be way into this as well. It's got the monster riffs of Chavez, but it's also got the romantic melodicism of Midwest mainstays like The Promise Ring. 90s, 00s - whatever. This is not nostalgia, this sound never went away as far as I'm concerned. As I always say, good music is good music, now and forever.

MP3: Voices Break the Silence - This awful friend