IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

SuperCharger Handgrenade blues VME

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:20:24 -0700

The debut from this Danish crew serves as a lesson in the craft of fusing rock'n'roll nostalgia with heavy metal thunder. As the band name suggests, the album is, indeed, a super-charged dose of metal that drives with an unwavering passion throughout. More often than not, it references a multitude of legendary rock acts in such a deliberate manner that it's clear these guys have absorbed all the essential ingredients of their favorite bands and cooked up their own blend of metal'n'roll that, while definitely familiar, is quite unique. There's a distinct Southern feel on here, so much so that you would be forgiven for thinking that SuperCharger hail from the USA rather than Denmark. As for the variety of bands that are referenced, there are simply too many to mention in detail. From the offset there's a Guns n' Roses thing going on, particularly in the use of the piano and the riffing style they employ. The guitar aspect continues throughout the album, albeit mainly in the small nuances heard in the background here and there, while the use of the piano regularly conjures up visions of Axl and Co. in their "Use your illusion" years. There are also regular nods and winks to Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith, AC/DC and even the likes of Little Angels and Status Quo, all executed with a metalized style that affords it a sound unique to SuperCharger. A great little discovery for fans of any of the aforementioned bands and, I would dare say, an eye-opener for fans of Southern rock.

Spellemann winners announced

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:13:00 -0800

Here are the winners of this year's Spellemannprisen, the Norwegian equivilent to the Grammy:

Female Artist: Noora Noor - Soul Deep (Blue Mood)
Male Artist: Sivert Höyem - Moon Landing (Hektor Grammofon)
Pop Group: Montée - Isle Of Now (VME)
Electronica: Röyksopp - Junior (Virgin/EMI Music Norway)
Rock: John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt (VME)
Metal: The Cumshots - A Life Less Necessary (Rodeostar)
Hip-hop: Tommy Tee - Studio Time (Bonnier Amigo Music)
Jazz: Tord Gustavsen Ensemble - Restored, Returned (ECM)
Open Class: Kristin Asbjørnsen - The Night Shines Like The Day (Emarcy/Universal Music)
Lyrics: Kjartan Kristiansen/Aslak Dørum - DumDum Boys; Tidsmaskin (EMI Music Norway)
Best Newcomer: Donkeyboy - Caught in a life (Warner Norway
Music Video: Donkeyboy - "Ambitions"
Hit of the Year: Donkeyboy - "Ambitions"
Spellemann of the Year: Alexander Rybak

More here: http://spellemann.no/

2009 Spellemannprisen nominees

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:53:16 -0800

The nominees for the 2009 Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammy) have been announced:

Female Artist:
Ane Brun - Live At Stockholm Concert Hall (Det Er Mine, Balloon Ranger Recordings)
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone (Propeller Recordings)
Julie Dahle Aagård - Stompin' Feet (Sweet Morning Records)
Noora Noor - Soul Deep (Blue Mood)

Male Artist:
Alexander Rybak - Fairytales (EMI Music Norway)
Martin Hagfors - Men and flies (ME Records)
Sivert Höyem - Moon Landing (Hektor Grammofon)
Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (Rounder Records/Decca Records/Universal Music)

Pop Group:
Datarock - Red (VME/Yap Records)
Donkeyboy - Caught In A Life (Warner Music Norway)
Kings Of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence (Virgin/EMI Music Norway)
Kråkesølv - Trådnøsting (Diger)
Montée - Isle Of Now (VME)

Electronica:
Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - 2 (Eskimo Recordings/VME)
Mungolian Jetset - We Gave It All Away (Smalltown Supersound/VME)
Röyksopp - Junior (Virgin/EMI Music Norway)
Vinter In Hollywood - Outbreak (MTG/Vulcano Records)

Rock:
DumDum Boys - Tidsmaskin (oh Yeah!/EMI Music Norway)
Heroes & Zeros - Simian Vices Modern Devices (Nightliner/Sonet/Universal Music)
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt (VME)
Motorpsycho - Child Of The Future (Rune Grammofon)
Skambankt - Hardt Regn (Tuba Records)

Metal:
Code - Resplendent Grotesque (Tabu Recordings)
Immortal - All Shall Fall (Dunder Records)
The Cumshots - A Life Less Necessary (Rodeostar)
Årabrot - The Brother Seed (Norway Rat Recordings)

Hip-hop:
Chris Lee - Love Ghost (Oslo Records/Bonnier Amigo Music)
Lars Vaular - D'e Glede (VME)
Tommy Tee - Studio Time (Bonnier Amigo Music)

Jazz:
Håvard Stubø Quartet - Way Up (Bolage)
Kim Johannesen/Svein Magnus Furu/Tore Sandbakken - Kayak (Aimsoundcity)
Nils-Petter Molvær - Hamada (Emarcy/Universal Music)
Solveig Slettahjell - Tarpan Seasons (SloMO/Universal Music)
Tord Gustavsen Ensemble - Restored, Returned (ECM)

Open Class:
Crimetime Orchestra - Atomic Symphony (Jazzaway Records)
Kristin Asbjørnsen - The Night Shines Like The Day (Emarcy/Universal Music)
Knut Reiersrud - Gitar (Jazzland Recordings/Universal Music)
Mari Boine - Sterna Paradisea (Lean/Universal Music/Emarcy)
When - Homage Series Vol.1: Sun Ra (Jester)

Lyrics:
Anne Grete Preus - Nesten Alene (Warner Music Norway)
Kjartan Kristiansen/Aslak Dørum - DumDum Boys; Tidsmaskin (EMI Music Norway)
Stein Torleif Bjella - Heidersmenn (EMI Music Norway)
Sverre Knudsen - La Det Brenne (Ohyeah!)
Tønes - Sobihob (VME)

Best Newcomer:
Alexander Rybak
Donkeyboy
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen
Kråkesølv
Vilde Frang

More here: http://spellemann.no/