ITSATRAP

The Radio Dept. - All about our love

Apparently The Radio Dept. cover Sade's "All about our love" as the b-side on their new "Heaven's on fire" single and you can check it out right here: http://www.lagasta.com/the-radio-dept-cover-sade/

PopMatters reviews Midaircondo

PopMatters reviews the latest Midaircondo album "Curtain call": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/120981-midaircondo-curtain-call/

Teddybears - Rocket calculator

Discobelle is counting down to the release of the new Teddybears album "Devil's music" with a bunch of mash-ups and remixes: http://www.discobelle.net/2010/03/10/teddybears-rocket-calculator/

Aversionline on Yersinia

Aversionline on Swedish metalcore act Yersinia: http://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2010/03/10/yersinia-lejonhjarta-cd/
Definitely not my thing, but like Scarred By Beauty I can't deny that they're good at what they do.

Jens Lekman and Kings of Convenience in Indonesia, The Philippines

Jens Lekman will be heading to Indonesia and the Philippines for a few shows with Kings of Convenience:

03/27 - Sabuga, Bandung (IDN)
03/28 - Ritz Carlton Ballroom, Jakarta (IDN)
03/30 - Saguijo (Jens only), Manila (PHL)
03/31 - NBC Tent, Manila (PHL)

New album from EP's Trailer Park in April

EP's Trailer Park will release the new full-length album "Scissors & knives" on April 12 via Brus & Knaster.

The Je Sais Quoi unveil new album

Swedish indie/punk/funk act The Je Sais Quoi will release their new album "Transparent for you all" on April 5 via the band's own label Family Affair and will only be available either as a digital download or vinyl. This will be the band's first recordings with new drummer Pontus Levahn (Tiger Lou, Torpedo, etc.) and you can hear a few sample tunes (and read more about it) at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thejenesaisquoi

Joensuu 1685 to support Wolf Parade (really this time)

I posted it before back in late January, but now it appears to be confirmed: Finnish act Joensuu 1685 will support Wolf Parade on tour in Europe:

05/17 - Concorde 2, Brighton (UK)
05/18 - The Forum, London (UK)
05/19 - Glee Club, Birmingham (UK)
05/20 - Vicar Street, Dublin (IE)
05/21 - Club Academy, Manchester (UK)
05/22 - Tivoli De Helling, Utrecht (NL)
05/25 - Teatar Itd, Zagreb (HUN)
05/26 - Menza Pri Koritu, Lublijana (SLO)
05/27 - Salumeria della Musica, Milano (ITA)
05/31 - Noveau Casino, Paris (FRA)

Vanhelgd to record new album this month

Vanhelgd will be going into the studio on March 19 to record 10 songs for their sophomore album. Says the band, "Hopfully we will get a crappier sound than on our hifi nu-metal album Cult of Lazarus."

Nikola Sarcevic - Nikola & Fattiglapparna
(Stalemate Music)

Millencolin have written some very catchy skate punk songs during the 16 years they've been around, but unlike some of their contemporaries (e.g. NOFX) you can't give them any credit for much lyrical flare. Back in the day when CDs were all the rage it happened to me more than once that I bought a new Millencolin CD and reading the lyrics in the booklet on my way home totally killed all the excitement I'd built up in shop when buying the album. Usually I tried to ignore the lyrics when listening to the CD and most of the time it still sounded alright, but I couldn't completely ignore their crassness. This problem has only increased with the years and it really came to show when in 2004 Nikola Sarcevic released his first solo album "Lock-sport-krock" (with English lyrics, it very much sounded like an acoustic version of Millencolin). I liked a couple of songs on it, but the cheesy lyrics make it quite a hard listen. "Roll roll and flee" that was released two years later and was an improvement, so I'm a bit disappointed that Sarcevic now has decided to sing in Swedish on this, his third solo album ("Nikola & Fattiglapparna"). By having Swedish lyrics Sarcevic really puts them in the spotlight (if you're Swedish that is; if you're not, it probably has the opposite effect). Even though there are one or two good moments to be had on the album, most of it sounds like a poor man's Kristofer Åström with kindergarten-like lyrics and some terrible rhymes. I heard in an interview that Sarcevic wrote the lyrics first in English then translated them to Swedish which, to be honest, doesn't sound like such a great idea. It's a bit of a shame that the album is so dire, since Sarcevic's got a bit of knack for a melody and I kind of like his voice.
- Stefan Nilsson