Top 10s for 2004: Fredrik Brändström (Starmarket/The Crystal Committee)

Starmarket
Abandon time
Strange Fruit

Being a massive Starmarket fan, "Abandon Time" really took me by surprise. It appears that singer Fredrik Brändström has decided that his other band The Crystal Committee from now on will concentrate on the slower alt.country tinged songs, and Starmarket will do the shorter, faster, and poppier numbers. I wouldn't say that Starmarket has regressed per se, but it could be seen that way since we all know that bands usually go from playing fast rocky music to a slower more mature sound, and not the other way around. Not that I mind the least though, I think Starmarket are great, whether they play depressive emo, or catchy power pop. Also, this album really makes me want to witness them play live, and I hope they decide to play in London next year (and not just Spain and Germany).
- Simon Tagestam

Blackstarfoundation has licensed the new Abandon album "In reality we suffer" for release in the UK via Codebreaker (the new label from the Rage of Achilles people) and in the US via Earache. Hopefully that means it should be easy to find just about everywhere. In other BSF news, Tias Carlson filmed a video for the song "Butterfly" in Häckeberga this past weekend and should be available online shortly.

Starmarket will be playing a special record release show at Tantogården in Stockholm tomorrow for their brand new album "Abandon time". Full details at the band's website: http://www.starmarket.nu/

Updated tourdates for Crowpath and Abandon:

10/29 - Baracke, Münster (GER)
10/30 - Witte Theatre, Ijmuiden (NL)
10/31 - CS Turenne, Reims (FRA)
11/01 - Juz, Saarlouis (GER)
11/02 - Molodoi, Strasbourg (FRA)
11/03 - GG31, Winterhur (SWI)
11/04 - Ex Steffi, Karlsruhe (GER)
11/05 - Rote Zora, Altenburg (GER)
11/06 - tbc, Magdeburg (GER)

Download the brand new Starmarket track "Cologne": http://www.starmarket.nu/sounds/Starmarket%20Cologne.mp3
The song comes from the band's new album "Abandon Time" which comes out tomorrow. They'll be touring Europe in November, Sweden in December/January and to Spain and Portugal in February. Here's what's confirmed so far:

11/16 - Magnet, Berlin
11/17 - MuK, Giessen
11/18 - Ex-Haus, Trier
11/19 - Jugendhaus Komma, Esslingen
11/20 - Kalkbreite, Zürich
11/23 - Sonica, Rom
11/24 - Rebeldia, Pisa
11/26 - Zentrum Altenberg, Oberhausen
11/27 - Juz Aurich, Aurich
11/28 - Astra Stube, Hamburg

Swedish hardcore act Crowpath is touring Northern Europe with countrymen Abandon from Göteborg. Dates so far:

10/29 - Baracke, Münster (GER)
10/30 - tba
10/31 - tba
11/01 - Juz, Saarlouis (GER)
11/02 - Molodoi, Strasbourg (FRA)
11/03 - GG31, Winterhur (SWI)
11/04 - Ex Steffi, Karlsruhe (GER)
11/05 - Rote Zora, Altenburg (GER)
11/06 - tba

Starmarket has confirmed an October 15 release date for their new album "Abandon Time". A month previous to that, a new EP called "Cologne" will be released that will feature two additional songs not on the full-length. And lastly, a full European tour is in the works for November and dates should be coming along shortly.

Long-running Swedish indierockers Starmarket are back at last! They've finished the new album "Abandon Time" and sent it off to get pressed. Strange Fruit will release it in Germany while Fredrik at Startracks is helping distribute it in Sweden, though not directly through his own label. There's also going to be a three-song EP in September. Download the song "Antichrist" right here: http://www.starmarket.nu/sound/Starmarket_antichrist.mp3

Svenskunderjord reports that Göteborg-based record label Twice Records will be releasing a comp in two weeks featuring a selection of up-and-coming Swedish hip-hop artists entitled "Unsigned". Contributors will include Alibi, Rico Wondahman, Obnoxiuz, X.O, S.T, S.P, Nabila, WordSilah, Enhet V, Los Abandonados and more. Download a sampler mp3 here: http://www.sassi-records.com/promo/twice_records_unsigned.mp3

Blackstar Foundation reports that they've received the master for the new Abandon album and should be sending it off for pressing soon. "78 minutes of pure anxiety." Sounds good to me. They also report that the new Araki album will be pressed as a double LP and should be ready by the end of May. That's Tiger Lou's old band, for those that don't know.

Vocalist Peter Nagy aka Kimera has left black metal band Mörk Gryning. His statement:

"This decision doesn't have anything to do with any kind of personal conflicts or whatsoever between me and any other member of the band. I've been having these thoughts for a very long time, and now is a good time to Abandon the ship. I just have total loss of creativity to provide Mörk Gryning for its development in the future, and there are other musical paths that I rather want to explore. And that's mainly with my other bands Eternal Oath and Amaranth. With four albums recorded, great response from fans and media throughout the years (as well as bad ones), some gigs and even a tour, Mörk Gryning leaves nothing but good memories behind. I want to thank all the fans, media, and all other people who have supported me throughout the years. And of course: Good luck to the rest of the band for the future, whatever happens. CHEERS!"

Legendary black-metallers Mayhem have Abandoned their plans to record their new album at Puk Studios in Denmark and instead will be kickin' out the jams old-school style with a mobile studio in the mountains of Norway. Aww yeah, keeping it real dudes. Well, sorta. They plan to record the drums first in Oslo and then take the files with them to wherever they end up recording the rest. Engineer Børge Finstad will assist.

Trapdoor Fucking Exit has put up the video for the song "Short Term Investment", recorded live at Umeå Punkfest in 2001. Check it out.

Amulet recently filmed a video for the single "Breaking News". They say it "involves a low key gig at an Abandoned house and a deathdefying girl in a van who brings terror to the city of Oslo." I'll let you know if they post in online.

Turbonegro's complete festival schedule for the summer:

06/02 - Flippaut festival, Bologna, Italy
06/05 - Ruisrock, Turku, Finland
06/12 - Hultsfred Festival Hultsfred, Sweden
06/20 - Kick off Festival, Wiesen, Austria
06/21 - Southside Festival, Neuhausen, Germany
06/22 - Hurricane Festival, Schlessel, Germany
06/27 - Roskilde Festival, Denmark
06/28 - Open Air, St Gallen, Switzerland
07/05 - London, Meanfiddler (clubshow) UK
07/12 - T in the Park, Kinross, Scotland, UK
08/07 - Nordland Musikkfestukke, Bodö, Norway
08/08 - Öya festivalen, Oslo Norway
08/09 - Wrightegaarden, Langesund, Norway
08/23 - Reading Festival, Reading UK
08/24 - Leeds Festival, Leeds, UK

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - In The Shadows
02. Outlandish - Guantanamo
03. A-Teens - Perfect Match
04. Her Majesty - F.U.N.E.R.A.L
05. Jennifer Brown - Weak
06. HIM - Funeral of hearts
07. The Sounds - Rock n´ Roll
08. The Cardigans - You´re The Storm
09. Melody Club - Cover Girl
10. Darude - Music
11. Mew - Comforting Sounds
12. Kwan - Shine
13. Equicez - Live From Pass It
14. Bertine Zetlitz - Girl Like You
15. Elin Sigvardsson - Where To Start
16. Timbuktu - Ett Brev
17. Paragon - Försök Förstå
18. Pauline - Runnin´ Out Of Gaz
19. Surferosa - Neon Commando
20. Homy - Bus Stop

Challengers:
01. Jon - This Side Up
02. Antique - Moro Mou
03. Fireside - All You Had
04. The Concretes - You Can´t Hurry Love
05. Kamera - At Work
06. C21 - She Cries

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

Labrador Records is now distributed by Mortes Nois in Estonia. For more info email mrnois@hot.ee.

Dolores Records has announced they will be releasing a limited edition CD single for the new supergroup Vanessa and the O's on June 10. The band features ex-members of Popsicle along with James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins and is described as electronic pop in French. Crazy, eh? More info soon.

Bad Taste Records is the label of the month over at the Danish radio program New Rocking Sounds which airs Tuesdays at 8pm on 93.7 in Århus. They'll be interviewing Last Days of April, Logh and various others from the roster along with playng tunes from said bands. Be sure to check it out or wait for the clips to hit the online archives.

Listen to "Mattias Alkbergs Begravning" from Planekonomi, another band featuring Mattias from Bear Quartet. More info here. Look for 2 EPs this fall and a full-length sometime next year.

One of my pals over at indieworkshop.com reviews the new Flaming Sideburns album today.

"No one has satisfactorily explained why a country of 4.5 million generates so much music: is it the dark winters? Subsidised music lessons? Rubbish TV?" - John Bungey, The Times (UK)

Norweigan music appears to be making quite a few headways beyond their borders as evidenced in this article from MIC Norway. Turbonegro and Jaga Jazzist might be the first names to come to mind for most folk, but now there's also Beady Belle, Tord Gustavsen, Per Arne Glorvigen, and St. Thomas to pay attention to.

Johnny Bråttom Records will be holding a record release show on May 30 at Kulturkammaren in Norrköping for their forthcoming "Svensk Populärmusik Volym Två" compilation. The bands scheduled to appear are Slagsmålsklubben, recent Dolores-signees Cdoass, Bremen Brotröster GmbH, Björn Kleinhenz, and The Flu. As for the tracklisting of said comp, it is as follows:

01. Cdoass - The Box
02. Niccokick - Run, Run, Run
03. Björn Kleinhenz - How Long Is The Night?
04. Slagsmålsklubben - Filter Fabric Facts (DJ Upperkurt Instrumental Remix)
05. Idiot Savants - Daily Routine
06. Music 77 - Kameror
07. Pete Thompson - Folk Song
08. Lola Barbershop - Ticket To Happiness
09. The Kid - Baton Rouge
10. Junip - Turn To The Assassin
11. The Topeka Twins - Hunting Song
12. Menteroja - Call Me
13. Bremen Brotröster GmbH - Greater/Better
14. The Flu - Golden Hair
15. Celestine - Sunflower
16. José González - Heartbeats
17. Café Polymorf - A Good Time
18. Quit Your Dayjob - Pissing On A Panda
19. Joni - Frank Xerox
20. Ane Brun - Are They Saying Goodbye?
21. Sandy Mouche - A Year

Aftonbladet reports that famed Swedish videomaker Jonas Åkerlund is working with Blondie on the single "Good Boys" in LA. The new album ""The Curse of Blondie" comes out around September or October. Åkerlund's previous credits include artists such as Satyricon, Madonna, Metallica and The Prodigy.

This new album will be 'harder' than the previous one and more guitars. To sum it up: a groovier album!

That's Peter Tägtgren of Pain describing work on the new album. He says he's already finished all of the backing music along with five of the thirteen vocal tracks and should be able to have it out sometime this fall on Stockholm Records.

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Robert Wells - Rhapsody in rock the complete collection
02. Alcazar - Alcazarized
03. Eddie Meduza - Live(s)!
04. v/a - Fame Factory volym 5
05. Moneybrother - Blood panic
06. The Cardigans - Long gone before daylight
07. Timbuktu - The botten is nådd!
08. Glenmark Eriksson Strömstedt - Den andra skivan
09. Lisa Nilsson - Samlade sånger 1992-2003
10. Jill Johnson - Discography
11. Lars Winnerbäck och Hovet - Söndermarken
12. Kent - Vapen & ammunition
13. Antique - Blue love
14. Cornelis Vreeswijk - Cornelis Vreeswijks bästa
15. Monia - Söderns hjärtas ros
16. Siw Malmkvist - Siws bästa
17. Elin Sigvardsson - Saturday light naive
18. Simson Dupont - Simson Dupont
19. Fame - Give me your love
20. The Sounds - Living in America

Tomas Ledin is going on tour in support of his new live album "I Sommarnattens Ljus" which comes out on June 2. The dates so far:

07/08 - Öja Slott, Öja
07/19 - Bergs Slussar, Linköping
08/03 - Stadsparken, Örebro

The lineup for Sommarrock, which takes place July 10-12 in Svedala, Sweden: Mikael Wiehe, Bubbles, Joddla w/Siv, Advance Patrol, The Ark, Danne Stråhed, Häjkån Bäjkån Band, The Mo and Di Leva.

This week's Swedish college radio chart (from Dagensskiva):

Leaving the chart:
(10) Randy "A Man in Uniform"
(11) Solomon Burke "Soul Searching"
(12) Fireside "All You Had"
(13) Magnus Carlson "Jag ber dig"
(16) Queens Of The Stone Age "Go With The Flow"
(18) The Go-Betweens "Caroline and I"
(19) David & The Citizens "New Direction"
(20) Hot Hot Heat "Bandages"

The full details for Finland's Koneisto Festival has been released. Some of the artists scheduled to appear include Björn Torske, Ralph Myerz & Jack Herren Band, Erlend Oye (acoustic set + "magnificent singing DJ set"), Datarock, Jori Hulkkonen, Rinneradio (feat. Dj Slow, Siiri Nordin and MC Paleface) among many others. The acclaimed electronic music festival was the first of its type for all of Scandinavia and the selection of performers "seeks to establish an interesting balance between commercial and experimental music" over the event's 9 stages. It all goes down in Helsinki from July 25-27 and more info can be found from the fest's official website.

Blabbermouth reports that HIM will be touring Europe in support of Ozzy Osbourne and Godsmack this September. I'll keep you posted.