Artist:
Melissa Horn - Innan jag kände dig
Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Group:
Deportees - Islands & shores
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Movits! - Ut ur min skalle
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & nightmares

Newcomer:
Avicii
Newkid
Niki & The Dove
Rebecca & Fiona
Den Svenska Björnstammen

Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen

Guldmicken (best live):
Daniel Adams-Ray
Graveyard
Melissa Horn
Kapten Röd
Veronica Maggio

Dance:
Avicii - Samlad produktion
Axel Boman - Samlad produktion
Jonsson/Alter - Mod
L-wiz - Samlad produktion
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man

Hip-hop/soul:
Ison & Fille - För evigt
Mohammed Ali - Vi
Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer
Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Pop:
JJ - Samlad produktion
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
The Sound of Arrows - Voyage
Syket - With love

Rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Khaos legions
Graveyard - Hisingen blues
The Haunted - Unseen
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Opeth - Heritage

More here, including voting info: http://www.sverigesradio.se/p3guld

Pop:
Anna von Hausswolff - Singing from the grave (Kning Disk/Playground)
jj - jj No 3 (Sincerely Yours)
CEO - White Magic (Sincerely Yours)
Nicolas Makelberge - The Unforgettable Planet (Emotion)

Dance:
Cloud - Hökarängen Space Program (Hökarängen Space Program)
Dmitry Fyodorov - Shapeless (Adrian Recordings)
Jarl & Fotmeijer - Lifesigns (Innertrax)
Skudge - Samlad produktion (Skudge Records)

Synth:
Code 64 - Trialogue (Progress Productions)
Cryo - Hidden Aggression (Progress Productions)
Page - Nu (BAM / Cosmos Music Group)
Social Ambitions - Almost gone (Electric Fantastic Sound)

Hardrock/Metal:
Ghost - Opus Eponymous (Rise Above)
Watain - Lawless Darkness (Season of Mist)
Khoma - A final storm (Selective notes)
Dark Tranquility - We are the void (Century Media)

Rhythm:
Haci Tekbilek - Türlü (Country & Eastern)
Helt Off - Marknadens Soldat (Pope Records)
Million Stylez - Everyday (Adonai Music)
Serengeti - Standing Steady (Illegyal Records)

Jazz:
Elin Larsson Group - Live and Alive (Playing With Music)
Lekverk - Everyday (Parallell)
NEO (Nässjö Extreme Orchestra) - NEO (Johannes Nästejö - LIV Produktion)
The Country - The Country (Found You Recordings)

Punk/Hardcore
Antipati - Frågor som rör det allmänna (Kjell Hell Records)
Hårda Tider - Gatan Kallar (Hårda Skivor)
Old Fashioned Ideas - We're in this shit together (Old Fashioned Ideas)
The Baboon Show - Punk Rock harbour (National)

Hip-Hop:
Academics - Tare Lugnt 4 (Random Bastards)
Carlito - Guldburen (Redline Records)
PH3 - Löser ett fall (Pope Records)
Zacke - Visst är det vackert (BD Pop)

Rock:
Bad Hands - Take The Money And Run (NONS Records/3NO Music AB)
Dundertåget - Dom feta åren är förbi (Razzia)
Pascal - Orkanen närmar sig (Novoton/3NO Music AB)
The Bear Quartet - Monty Python (Adrian Recordings)

Folk/Visa:
Anders Svensson, Magnus Gustafsson, Susanne Gustafsson, Anders Löfberg, Jörgen Svensson - Bålgetingen, Låtar efter August Strömberg (Giga Folkmusik)
Mats Edén, Daniel Sandén-Warg, Leif Stinnerbom, Magnus Stinnerbom - Anno 2010 (Giga Folkmusik)
OK Star Orchestra - Sound Classique (Dreamboat Music)
Ola Magnell - Rolös (National)

Experimental:
Ombudsman - And His Father Was A Great Machine (Substream/Mareld)
Erik Enocksson - Man tänker sitt (Kning Disk)
Leif Jordansson - The Comet / The Doll Maker (Brus & Knaster)
New Tango Orquesta - Vesper (HOOB Records)

Singer/Songwriter:
I'm Kingfisher - Arctic (Playground)
Daniel Norgren - Horrifying Death Eating Blood Spider (Superpuma Records)
The Tarantula Waltz - Did Not Leave To Find But To Forget, To Leave Behind (Brus & Knaster)
The Tallest Man On Earth - Wild Hunt (Gravitation)

Best live act:
Anna Von Hausswolff
The Tallest Man On Earth
Masshysteri
Robyn

Best unsigned act (in collaboration w/P3 Lab):
Alice B
Katakomb
Ascend
Broken Boys

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on February 4 at Nalen in Stockholm. More info: http://www.manifestgalan.se/

A new video clip from JJ. Link: http://www.sincerelyyours.se/yours0158.php

01. Håkan Hellström - 2 steg från paradise
I like all of Hellström's albums but his previous one had about 3-4 songs that I loved, so I was a but surprised that "2 steg..." turned out to be his best album of his career.

02. Masshysteri - Masshysteri
Pure melodic punk perfection. A darn shame they've split up.

03. Robyn - Body talk
A bit disappointing that all the talk of 3 albums turned out to be 15 new songs in total, but thankfully some of the songs were killer ones!

04. Monty - 2010
A great album that I believe didn't get the attention it deserved. Montt Mardié in Swedish sounded excellent.

05. Johan Heltne - Sara,
This is what Kent would sound if they were still good (plus if they were a bit more into jazz).

06. CEO - White magic
With no new The Tough Alliance we had to do with CEO, which was just fine, just fine.

07. jj - jj n° 3
A lot of people weren't that keen on jj's second album but I really liked it. Shame they're so terrible live though.

08. The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a scheme
Another boring live band, although I don't care as long as they release albums as brilliant as this.

09. Ludwig Bell - Jag har försökt förklara
Some of it a bit too cheesy perhaps, but some of the songs on Bell's album are pure pop masterpieces.

10. Orup - Född i november
The big Swedish comeback of the year? Orup delivered a great personal album, oddly enough with lyrics not written by him.

Fantastic songs in no particular order

Supergruppen - Farsta centrum by night
Ludwig Bell - Silvertejp
Oskar Linnros - Ack, Sundbyberg
Masshysteri - Dom kan inte höra musiken
Robyn - Dancing on my own
Håkan Hellström - Man måste dö några gånger innan man kan leva
Museum of Bella Arts - Who do you love
Säkert! - Dansa, fastän

Best cover of the year:
jj - My life

Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Albums (in no particular order, except for "You're a wasteland...""):

"You're a wasteland, honey" Robert Svensson (my album of the year)

"Let this be the last night we care" Alcoholic Faith Mission (my only other 10/10)

"Trilogi" Fredrik

"This wilderlessness" Yamon Yamon

"In never out" Pg.lost

"Conscious castle" Another Nation's National Anthem

"s/t" EP, Night Minutes

"Dada bandits" Rubik

"White mountain" Kiki Pau

"Clinging to a scheme" The Radio Dept.

mp3:
"The sound and the sore" Cut City

Laura Studarus

Jónsi: Go -- Not just my top Scandinavian album, but my top album of the year. Period. There's so much emotion in this one that the first time I heard it (a lo-bit stream over crappy computer speakers) I cried. The fact I also happen to be a noted wimp should in no way stop you from checking this out.

Club 8: The people's record -- Yet another in a long string of reasons why Johan Angergård (Club 8/Legends/Pallers/Acid House Kings) should continue on his quest for world domination. (Or failing that, musical domination.) So many bands lose their way after so many albums -- their attempts to infuse their sound with new elements as convincing as a child's Halloween "scary" costume. And then there's Club 8 -- who has mixed afro/Cuban beats in with their sweet pop, and created a delicious hybrid beast...all without sacrificing an iota of their identity along the way.

Jens Lekman: Sure he didn't put an album out this year, but he played a one-off gig in Los Angeles that had everyone swooning. One of the best performers working today. Full stop.

Ólafur Arnalds: ...And they have escaped the weight of darkness -- Second in emotional resonance only to Go. It can be difficult to write about experimental instrumentals without sounding foolish -- so at the risk of sounding increasingly stupid, this album will recalibrate your perception of beauty.

The Radio Dept.: Clinging to a scheme -- It's about time! Back and better than ever. Welcome.

Casiokids: Topp stemning på lokal bar -- Are these "kids" playing near you? (Given their touring schedule it's a real possibility.) Go! Go! Go! Are you currently at a Casiokids concert? Dance! Dance! Dance!

Seabear: We built a fire -- Another gloriously dreamy album from the Icelandic collective. This is nostalgic chamber pop ready to soundtrack new memories.

Kaskas: In the meanwhile -- Finland's Yo La Tengo blending influences and styles with grace. A side-project that -- if the world is just and good -- will become a full-time gig.

Söder tea: If this were music, it would be a perfect ten. I'm starting to feel like a junkie asking my friends in Sweden to hook me up. No I can't quit any time I want, and of course, I don't have a problem.

Sambassadeur: European -- Classic pop with an orchestral flair. Why these guys haven't caught on stateside is one of life's great mysteries. (Then again, I'm from the country that just nominated Justin Bieber for a Grammy, so what do I know?)

01. The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a scheme
03. Håkan Hellström - 2 steg från paradise
04. Masshysteri – Masshysteri
09. Säkert – Facit
11. Tallest Man on Earth - The wild hunt
15. Robyn - Body talk part 1
20. JJ – n° 3
21. Anna von Hausswolff – Singing from the grave
26. The Bear Quartet – Monty Python

Read more: http://gaffa.se/artikel/45193 (in Swedish)

01. Band of Horses
02. Familjen
03. Håkan Hellström
04. The Radio Dept.
05. The National
06. Shout Out Louds
07. jj
08. The Bear Quartet
09. Jonathan Johansson
10. Robyn

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

05/21 – Point Ephemere, Paris (FRA)
05/22 – Europavox Festival, Clermont Ferrand (FRA)
05/23 – Comet, Berlin (GER)
05/25 – The Charlatan, Gent (BEL)
05/26 – Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)

01. The Radio Dept.
02. The National
03. Håkan Hellström
04. Jonathan Johansson
05. jj
06. Hello Saferide
07. Shout Out Louds
08. Robyn
09. The Bear Quartet
10. The Mary Onettes

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

01. This is Head
02. jj
03. Anna Ternheim
04. The Bear Quartet
05. Beach House
06. Håkan Hellström
07. The Radio Dept.
08. Kent
09. Love Is All
10. Jonathan Johansson

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

01. This Is Head
02. jj
03. Anna Ternheim
04. The Bear Quartet
05. Beach House
06. Håkan Hellström
07. The Radio Dept.
08. Kent
09. Love Is All
10. Jonathan Johansson

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

01. Beach House
02. The Radio Dept.
03. Loney, Dear
04. Shout Out Louds
05. jj
06. Moto Boy
07. Håkan Hellström
08. Yeasayer
09. David & the Citizens
10. Efterklang

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

01. TALK 1
02. Familjen - När planeterna stannat
03. Elephant9 - Fugi fønix
04. Yosei - The raven
05. TALK 2
06. The Tarantula Waltz - Bacchus
07. Hortlax Cobra - Smoke
08. Sonic Ritual - Early graves
09. Meleeh - Vowbreaker
10. TALK 3
11. Khoma - From the hands of sinners
12. The Ark - Echo chamber
13. Darkthrone - Those treasures will never befall you
14. Fun - Slonko
15. TALK 4
16. Degrees - Can't walk thru this alone
17. jj - Let go
18. Bruket - Polisen lägger pussel
19. Dreamboy - Pay attention
20. TALK 5
21. Moto Boy - IF you your bed could cry

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.

01. Jonathan Johansson
02. Kent
03. jj
04. Shout Out Louds
05. Joel Alme
06. Lake Heartbeat
07. El Perro del Mar
08. The xx
09. The Soundtrack of Our Lives
10. Markus Krunegård

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

01. Håkan Hellström
02. El Perro del Mar
03. The Bear Quartet
04. jj
05. Jens Lekman
06. Beach House
07. Hot Chip
08. Kent
09. Midlake
10. Yeasayer

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Punk/Hardcore:
En Svensk Tiger - Versace style (Buzzbox records)
Troublemakers - Made in Sweden (Svindel)
Tysta Mari - Sveriges Casino (11743)
The Clichés - Monkey see, monkey do (Randale)

Dance:
Minilogue - Samlad årsproduktion
Samuel L Session - The man with the case (Be As One Imprint)
The Field - Yesterday and Today (Kompakt)
Tomas Andersson - Stiff Disco (Funk Noir)

Jazz:
Bengt Berger - Beches Brew (Country & Eastern)
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - The Half Naked Truth 1998-2008 (Moserobie)
The Opposite - Intertwined (Kopasetic)
Plunge With Bobo Stenson - Origo (Kopasetic)

Rhythm:
Calle Real - Me Lo Gané (Timba Records)
Jaqee - Kokoo Girl (Rootdown Records)
Music is the weapon - Music is the weapon (Music is the weapon)
Syster Sol - Dömd att bli bedömd (Swing Kids)

Rock:
Florence Valentin - Spring Ricco (Startracks)
Makeouts - In A Strange Land (Bachelor Records)
Murder by guitar - Murder by guitar (Jeet Kune Records)
Skriet - Skriet (Novoton)

Pop:
Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen (Häpna)
El Perro Del Mar - Love Is Not Pop (Licking Fingers)
JJ - JJ n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)
Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen (Hybris)

Hårdrock/Metal:
Abandon - The Dead End (Black Star Foundation)
Candlemass - Death Magic Doom (Nuclear Blast)
Katatonia - Night Is The New Day (Peaceville)
Tribulation - The Horror (Pulverised)

Synth:
Arvid - Andetag (Wonderland Records)
Dupont - Entering The Ice Age (Progress Productions)
Emmon - Closet Wanderings (Wonderland Records)
Rupesh Cartel - Anchor Baby (Megahype)

Singer/songwriter:
Ane Brun - Live at Stockholm Concert Hall (Balloon Rangers Recordings)
David Åhlen - We Sprout In Thy Soil (Compunctio)
Jonna Lee - This Is Jonna Lee (Razzia)
Kristofer Åström And The Rainaways - Sinkadus (Startracks)

Folk/ballad:
Taken By Trees - East of Eden (Rough Trade)
Miriam Aida - Letras au Brasil (Ajabu)
Tore Berger - I huset långt på landet (Brus & Knaster)
Esbjörn Hazelius - Blunda och du ska få se (Amigo)

Hip-hop:
Mohammed Ali - Processen (Bad Taste Records)
Organismen - Om Gud vill och vädret tillåter (Organismen)
Promoe - Kråksången (Pope Records)
Stor - Nya skolans ledare (Redline Records)

Best live:
Frida Hyvönen (Licking Fingers)
Jenny Wilson (Gold Medal Recordings)
Fever Ray (Rabid Records)
Florence Valentin (Startracks)

Best unsigned:
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Extended Heads
Fulmakten
Nora

Go here for more: http://www.manifestgalan.se/122.aspx

01. Am I the only one to find the "hyped" band JJ boring?

02. Since it took me one year or something to actually find some very good things in Kent's previous record "Tillbaka till samtiden", will I like Kent's 2009 record "Röd" next year? Cause, right now, I think it is... well... not that good.

03. Since some friends told me Lykke Li was a nice person, why do I think she takes herself so seriously every time I see her on stage or in interview?

04. C'mon Sweden! Is there really no Swedish label which can sign Dear Euphoria??? Are you deaf or just dumb?

05. Why the Göteborg music scene is still much more interesting than the one in Stockholm?

06. Since I have been ridiculous in my It's a Trap 2007 top 10 where I said that Du Pacque was about to release their debut album and that it was going to be the best one of... 2008, will I pretend in this top 10 that Du Pacque debut record will eventually be out in 2010 and will be a total killer?

07. Is my iTunes right? Did I actually listen to Mattias Alkberg "Nerverna" more than The Bear Quartet "89" ?!!

08. How could I love so much Existensminimum's album "OK boys" this year, when I found his first one so lame?

09. Will there be in 2010 and how will sound the debut albums of Absolut Noise "darling" bands Bad Hands, Bedroom Eyes, Hajen, Holana, Johan Tenbrink, Love is a Burning Thing, The Open Up and Bleeds, Outmen, Poppets, Palpitation, Sibling Sense, Skatan, This is Head, We Are the Storm and You Say France & I Whistle?

10. Will Promise & the Monster release a new album one day?

---------------------------
Absolut Noise is a France-based blog devoted to Swedish music.
http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/

10. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
A record that is expansive in sound, but still very direct in feeling. [ingenting] aimed for the stars with this one and nailed it.

09. Agent Side Grinder - Irish recording tape/The transatlantic tape project (Enfant Terrible)
Enjoyable as separate entities, though far better when considered as a matched pair. This band has not only mastered the sound of old-school industrial, they can also write great catchy songs (see: "Irish recording tape") and create engrossing abstract soundscapes ("The transatlantic tape project").

08. Pistol Disco - Evergreen (Celebrity Lifestyle)
This group gets better and better with every release and now, with the addition of live drums, they've soared to new heights of brain-roasting awesomeness. Listen LOUD!

07. The Bear Quartet - 89 (Adrian Recordings)
A no-brainer. Still reigning as Sweden's best band.

06. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile (Adrian Recordings)
The rawest of breakup records, the grandest of pop. Gustaf Kjellvander's defining moment as an artist (thus far).

05. Wadruna - Runaljod - gap var Ginnunga (Indie Recordings/Fimbulljóð Productions)
Pure pagan beauty, performed in the old ways to appease the old gods. If you don't like this, you're no fan of Scandinavian music.

04. Björn Kleinhenz - B.U.R.M.A./Head held high on fearsome pride (DevilDuck Records/SellOut! Music/Tomt Recordings/Eget Bevåg Grammofon)
Another twofer, except this time I've listened to all these songs on shuffle so many times I can't separate them anymore. 2009 was the year that Björn Kleinhenz dedicated himself to his art 100% and it shows. I always have high expectations for his work, but these two records blew me away.

03. Samuraj Cities - Mixed up record collections (Imperial Recordings)
The music reflects the title; a brazen mix of different sounds and ideas, leading the way for the future of Swedish indierock. Sometimes it's a noisy mess, but that's also what makes it so great.

02. David Åhlén - We sprout in thy soil (Compunctio)
Devotional music is incredibly powerful when performed with such fervent conviction and grace as this. There is a new strain of inspirational music coming out of Sweden right now and its artists are creating some of the most exciting music I've heard in years.

01. Elmo - Once (BD Pop)
Far and away my absolute favorite album of 2009. Elmo takes the melodramatic teen-angst pop of Broder Daniel and ups it to near-farcial levels of hysteria, but they never ever falter. When frontman Magnus Ekelund said that this was the "ultimate Elmo album", he was telling the absolute truth. You can't go up from here.

Honorable mentions

2009 was a very good year for music and there are many worthwhile albums that didn't quite make the cut. Here's 5 more in alphabetical order:
Pintandwefall - Hong Kong, baby! (Supersounds Music)
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom (Universal)
C.Aarmé - World music (Spegel)
Turboweekend - Ghost of a chance (Mermaid Records)
Dear Euphoria - Heal my violence (La Paloma)

Heard too late

These records would've made the list if I had properly heard them at their time of release:
The Scrags - s/t (Alleycat Records)
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Lost in reflection (Fang Bomb/iDEAL Recordings/Release the Bats/When Skies Are Grey)
Tyrant - The rebirth (reclaim the flame) (Listenable Records/Hells Cargo)

Contributor Lists

Simon Tagestam

Albums

01. Samtidigt Som - Flykt, kärlek & broderskap (Luxury)

02. jj - jj n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)

03. Fever Ray – s/t (Rabid)

04. Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Vi mot världen (Epic)

05. Frida Hyvönen – Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)

06. Maskinen – Boys II Men (Pope Records)

07. Taken By Trees – East of Eden (Rough Trade)

08. Körsbärsfettera - Alla ska ha linne (self-released)

09. Sad Day For Puppets - Unknown colors (HaHa Fonogram)

10. Christopher Sander - Hej hå! (Vesper Records)

Songs

01. Montt Mardié – Gloria

02. jj – Are you still in Valda?

03. Anna Järvinen – Äppelöga

04. Samtidigt Som – Tienes mi corazón

06. Maskinen – Pengar

06. Alexis Weak – Disney på is

07. Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Unicorn

08. Christopher Sander - Fattig bonddräng

09. [ingenting] – Halleluja!

10. Makthaverskan - German boy

Arnulf Koehncke

01. Moritz von Oswald Trio - Vertical ascent (Honest Jon's Records)
While technically hardly a Scandinavian album (percussion is handled by Finn Vladislav Delay, electronics and programming by German techno- and dub-mastermind Moritz von Oswald plus modular synths by German Max Loderbauer), I just can't not list this record here. For me, it's this year's equivalent to last year's highlights by Auton or Viktor Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble: A demanding record that pulls you in with its hypnotic patterns and movements, makes you smile at its more obvious moments, and makes you miss it when you're without the beautiful gatefold vinyl and a record player.

02. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of dependence (Virgin/EMI)
I was looking forward to this album and the accompanying gig this fall. The gig did not disappoint -- like always, Erlend still wants to own the stage while Erik charmingly stresses his storytelling-skills and seems to divide his time between his baby and the gym nowadays. But the album surprised me at first. Judging from the last record, I had expected more sixties pop and less starkness and quietude. But I like how this album is less easily had, doesn't let the listener in as easily, but will grow on you nonetheless.

03. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
This records sees [ingenting] exchange the more obvious references in their music for more subtle nods to pop music's giants paired with impressively direct lyrics and straight-to-the-point arrangements. If maturity didn't have such negative connotations, one could call the album just that. And "classic" of course, like 80's indiepop is classic, or Sibiria and Vapnet maybe, though in more cynical ways than this record. It seems only fitting that [ingenting] chose to finally drop those "nothing"-puns from their album titles.

04. Frida Hyvönen - Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)
I've always been unsure about the reference points of year-end lists. Is it calender years or more likely personal years? I'm in favor of personal, so I list this album because to me, despite technically being from 2008, it's really a 2009 record. Somehow, the album's full potential -- its melodies, its power, and most of all, its soul (in the secular, Phil Spector meaning of the word)---had passed me by until I saw Frida and her bandmates play live in Berlin in the spring of 2009. So I'm only making up now for not listing it in 2008.

05. The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules (Bubbles)
A friend of mine once compared TWBA to IKEA. They make highly functional music that's devoid of any ornaments and goes straight to the point. And like IKEA-furniture, TWBA's music works extremely well for its purpose: I've seen them play in a gallery's shopwindow for more than 1000 dancing people gathered in the February-cold street before them, and their songs never fail to fill any indie-dancefloor. I guess I'd rather have IKEA than the "next big thing" from England then.

Singles

01. [ingenting] - Dina händer är fulla av blommor
From the first time I heard this song when [ingenting] performed it on Nyhetsmorgon, I was struck with its directness, the way it seems to speak to every single listener. I really like how non-cynical popmusic can do that sometimes!

02. The Fine Arts Showcase - Friday on my knees
It's great how Gustaf and his bandmates deconstruct this song about two-thirds through, dropping riff and chorus for 120 gloomy seconds of noisy guitar and bass, only to shortly resurrect it all before the end. Who needs radio-oriented hits when we can have this instead?

03. The Radio Dept. - David
Yet another year without an album by The Radio Dept. And still I consider them my favorite Scandinavian band. I'm left hoping the new album will sound more like this single and less like its unfocused b-sides. Still, allowing myself a nostalgic moment, they most probably just won't make another "Lesser matters".

04. The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517
We all need our functional dancefloor-fix from time to time, don't we? Especially when it's this well-done.

05. Kommun - Death of a CEO
I've been looking forward to the Kommun-record ever since the people behind Vapnet and Sibiria announced that, since everyone was making "serious" Swedish records now, they'd make a "non-serious" English record instead. And while I haven't fully connected with the album yet, I can't really escape this deeply political singalong about a businessman's afterlife.

Less obvious non-scandi mentions (besides those Grizzly Bears, Animal Collectives, and Pains of Being Pure at Heart): My friend's sister's project Music for Your Heart, Brooklyn's giddy Uninhabitable Mansions, the new Au Revoir Simone record, that Thom Yorke song on the "New Moon" Soundtrack (less movie, more music), and finally moving to and living in Phnom Penh.

Matt Giordano

01. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
It was always going to be difficult to follow up "Mycket väsen för ingenting", and for a while I thought that this one fell short. The one day it clicked, I could not even compare the two. This is another stellar release for the band.

02. The Bear Quartet - 89 (Adrian Recordings)
A triumph, but honestly I did not even expect less. The Bear Quartet have returned in the only way they could -- a bludgeoning, brooding album that closes their decade of output by making the audience reconsider what The Bear Quartet is once again.

03. Markus Krunegård - Prinsen av Peking / Lev som en gris dö som en hund (V2)
I try to imagine what pop music in English would sound like if we had an artist like Markus Krunegård. But then I realize that the industry here is exponentially more vapid, someone like Markus would be swept into the corners of dimly lit rooms, never to see his due.

04. Asha Ali - Hurricane (3NO)
Three years after her magnificent debut, Asha Ali gave us a devastating album of loss and internal strife. This album is so personal and fragile it must have been difficult to release it.

05. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile (Adrian Recordings)
Another album of loss, but with a very different approach. Gustaf Kjellvander gives us an outside view of the degradation of his relationship, which is always quite to difficult to do. However, in typical TFAS fashion, he succeeds greatly.

06. Pistol Disco - Evergreen (Celebrity Lifestyle)
Falling into the category of noise and shoegaze, which I've been listening to a lot lately, Pistol Disco reach amongst the highs. Put this record on and just ease your mind, and it will take your imagination places.

07. Kristofer Åström - Sinkadus (Startracks)
A new Kristofer Åström album always yields quality. This time, he has rotated three backing bands on record, and it adds so much to his already well-honed songwriting craft.

08. Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen (Hyrbis)
What a way to start a career. Jonathan Johansson created one of the better pure-pop albums of the year.

09. jj - jj n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)
Another very good debut, and another very good pop album. jj borderlines on twee, yet mixes soft beats and great vocals.

10. Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite (Hyrbis)
David Pagmar keeps getting more bombastic with each release. Top-notch songwriting and arranging keeps Montt Mardié fans guessing where he'll take his sound next.

Songs:

01. Peter Bjorn and John - Stay this way

02. Elias and the Wizzkids - Mr. Right Guy

03. Montt Mardié - Bang bang (An echo in Warsaw)

04. Asha Ali - The contract

05. The Bear Quartet - Northern

06. Ingenting - Lång våg

07. Markus Krungegård - Prinsessan av Peking

08. The Fine Arts Showcase - London, my town

09. Kristofer Åström - A song for while I'm away

10. Markus Krunegård - Kär i en borderline

03-22 - Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA
03/24 - The Earl, Atlanta, GA
03/25 - Cats Cradle, Carrboro, NC
03/28 - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington, DC
03/29 - First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, Philadelphia, PA
04/05 - Wexner Center, Columbus, OH
04/06 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater, Bloomington, IN

Considering the timeframe, I'd assume a SXSW appearance is in the works as well.

01. The Bear Quartet
02. Kings of Convenience
03. Håkan Hellström
04. Taken By Trees
05. JJ
06. Lake Heartbeat
07. Hello Saferide
08. Markus Krunegård
09. Kent
10. The Tough Alliance

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01. Mew
02. Jenny Wilson
03. Kristofer Åström
04. Kent
05. Håkan Hellström
06. Montt Mardié
07. Love Is All
08. JJ
09. Sally Shapiro
10. The Bear Quartet

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

08/03 - Big Chill festival, Eastno (UK)
08/08 - Øyafestivalen, Oslo (NOR)
08/23 - Samfundet, Trondheim (NOR)
08/28 - Logen, Bergen(NOR)
08/29 - tba, Porsgrunn(NOR)
08/30 - Oseberg Kulturhus, Tønsberg (NOR)
10/10 - Factory festival, Paris(FRA)
10/11 - Chabada, Angers, (FRA)
10/12 - Euros, Dieppe(FRA)
10/13 - AB, Brussels (BEL) w/Shining (ex JJ members)
10/14 - Aeronef, Lille (FRA)
10/15 - Nancyjazz pulsations, Nancy (FRA)
10/16 - Jazz sur son 31, Toulouse (FRA)
10/17 - Octob`rock festival, Reims (FRA)]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700 news