Updated US tourdates for Swedish crusties Imperial Leather:

12/26 - Sin-e, New York City (NY) w/Death Mold
12/27 - Mr Roboto, Pittsburgh (PA) w/Behind Enemy Lines, Officer Down, Motorpsychos
12/28 - Milwaukee (WI) w/The Cooters
12/29 - tba, Western WI w/The Cooters
12/30 - Triple Rock/Profane Existence 16th anniversary, Minneapolis (MN) w/Provoked, Witch Hunt, Hellshock, more
12/31 - tba, Minneapolis (MN) w/The Cooters
01/01 - tba, Des Moines (IA) w/The Cooters
01/02 - tba, Chicago (IL) w/The Cooters
01/03 - Sudsy Malone's, Cincinnati (OH) w/The Cooters, Envenomed, Appalachan Terror Unit, Restraint
01/04 - tba, Huntington (WV) w/The Cooters, Appalachan Terror Unit
01/05 - The Nancy Raygun, Richmond (VA) w/Social Dropouts, Aghast, Direct Control
01/06 - 1st Unitarian Church/22nd & Chestnut Sts, Philadelphia (PA) w/Hardskin, Cranked Up, The Boils
01/07 - AS220, Providence (RI) w/Denimvenom, Dave & Steve, Sick Electric
01/08 - Central Square VFW (Cambridge), Boston (MA) w/Mouth Sewn Shut, Miquitzli, Conversions, Unholy Trinity
01/09 - North Six, Brooklyn/New York City (NY) w/The Bayonettes, Splitting Headache

Tentative dates for the US tour of Swedish crust-punks Imperial Leather:

12/27 - Mr Roboto, Pittsburgh, PA w/Behind Enemy Lines, Officer Down
12/28 - Milwaukee, WI
12/29 - Minneapolis, MN
12/30 - Profane Existence 16th anniversary, Minneapolis, MN
12/31 - Minneapolis, MN
01/01 - Des Moines, IA
01/02 - Chicago, IL
01/03 - Cincinnati, OH
01/04 - Huntington, WV
01/05 - Richmond, VA
01/06 - Tony's Fest, Philladelphia, PA
01/07 - Providence, RI/Boston, MA
01/08 - Providence, RI/Boston, MA
01/09 - Brooklyn, NY

The one artist who taught me that I should take mainstream Swedish pop seriously was Håkan Hellström. I was perusing files on Napster and just starting to get obsessive with my Scandinavian music obsession when I came across some HH tracks. All I knew was that it was Swedish, so I figured what the heck? Why not? That's the beauty of p2p after all. Well, those songs turned out to be Håkan's amazing debut album "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg" and I was blown away. This album proves that you don't need to understand a single word of Swedish to appreciate great pop music. It wasn't long before I had a copy of the real CD in my hand and was busy Hunting down bootlegs and b-sides. So here's one of those rare finds for you now - the demo version of the title track, labelled as "Ge mig arsenik". I'm not sure if this is the actual demo that got Håkan signed, but it certainly could be. I don't think that Håkan will ever again touch the brilliance of his first record, but it was such a monumental piece of work that I don't think anyone minds. It was the perfect album at the perfect time, a certified classic.

MP3: Håkan Hellström - Ge mig arsenik

The one artist who taught me that I should take mainstream Swedish pop seriously was Håkan Hellström. I was perusing files on Napster and just starting to get obsessive with my Scandinavian music obsession when I came across some HH tracks. All I knew was that it was Swedish, so I figured what the heck? Why not? That's the beauty of p2p after all. Well, those songs turned out to be Håkan's amazing debut album "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg" and I was blown away. This album proves that you don't need to understand a single word of Swedish to appreciate great pop music. It wasn't long before I had a copy of the real CD in my hand and was busy Hunting down bootlegs and b-sides. So here's one of those rare finds for you now - the demo version of the title track, labelled as "Ge mig arsenik". I'm not sure if this is the actual demo that got Håkan signed, but it certainly could be. I don't think that Håkan will ever again touch the brilliance of his first record, but it was such a monumental piece of work that I don't think anyone minds. It was the perfect album at the perfect time, a certified classic.

Håkan Hellström - Ge mig arsenik (demo)

Netherlands-based label Garden of Exile Records has announced that it will be releasing a split 7" featuring Swedish metalcore act Burst and Germany's The Ocean with artwork from Seldon Hunt (Isis, Neurosis, Pelican). Burst contributes a slower, more experimental track entitled "Flight's end" and The Ocean's song will be called "Killing the flies" and will feature guest vocals from Tomas Hallbom of Breach (SWE) and Nate Newton from Converge. It comes out in mid-October.

Download three new songs from Enter the Hunt: http://www.entertheHunt.com/

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Turbonegro - High on the crime (NOR)
03. Vink - Triathlon (FIN)
04. Technicolour - Teach me love (FIN)
05. Discore - Rautakahle (FIN)
06. Kent - Palace & main (SWE)
07. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
08. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
09. @junkmail - Hyvä minä (FIN)
10. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)

No new challengers this week as the chart is taking the summer off and will be back August 18.

This week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (01) Jenny Wilson - "Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward"
02. (03) LCD Soundsystem - "Disco Infiltrator"
03. (04) The Sunshine - "She's My Television"
04. (02) Josh Rouse - "It's the Nighttime"
05. (12) Svenska Akademin - "Du Vill Så Du Kan"
06. (13) El Perro Del Mar - "Here comes that Feeling (21)"
07. (15) Missy Elliott - "Lose Control"
08. (05) Turbonegro - "High On The Crime"
09. (06) Röyksopp - "Only This Moment"
10. (07) Mattias Alkberg BD - "Politix"
11. (08) Daft Punk - "Technologic"
12. (09) Doktor Kosmos - "När Min Pojke Går På Stan"
13. (10) The Hellacopters - "Everything's On TV"
14. (11) Hello Kinski - "The story of Eric and Jerry"
15. (14) Timbuktu - "Det Löser Sig"
16. (16) White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
17. (17) Thievery Corporation - "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter"
18. (18) Sambassadeur - "New Moon"
19. (19) Queens of the Stone Age - "In my head"
20. (20) Juliette & The Licks - "You´re Speaking My Language"

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Vink - Triathlon (FIN)
03. Technicolour - Teach me love (FIN)
04. Discore - Rautakahle (FIN)
05. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
06. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
07. Millencolin - Ray (SWE)
08. Kent - Palace & main (SWE)
09. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
10. @junkmail - Hyvä minä (FIN)

Challengers:
11. Maija Vilkkumaa - Kesä (FIN)
12. Robyn - Be mine (SWE)
13. Turbonegro - High on the crime (NOR)

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Millencolin - Ray (SWE)
02. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
03. Vink - Triathlon (FIN)
04. Discore - Rautakahle (FIN)
05. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
06. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
07. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
08. Carpark North - Human (DK)
09. @junkmail - Hyvä minä (FIN)
10. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)

Challengers:
11. Technicolour - Teach me love (FIN)
12. Kent - Palace & main (SWE)
13. Clemens - Dans med döden (DK)

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Millencolin - Ray (SWE)
02. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
03. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
04. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
05. @junkmail - Hyvä minä (FIN)
06. Vink - Triathlon (FIN)
07. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
08. Carpark North - Human (DK)
09. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
10. Disco Ensemble - We might fall apart (FIN)

Challengers:
11. Discore - Rautakahle (FIN)
12. Caesars - We got to leave (SWE)
13. Sophie Rimheden & Håkan Lidbo - Främling (SWE)

This week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (02) Jenny Wilson - "Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward"
02. (05) Eels - "Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)"
03. (08) Hal - "Play the Hits"
04. (NY) The Sunshine - "She's My Television"
05. (NY) Queens of the Stone Age - "In My Head"
06. (01) Mattias Alkberg BD - "Politix"
07. (10) The White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
08. (11) Turbonegro - "High on the Crime"
09. (12) Thievery Corporation - "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"
10. (03) The Tough Alliance - "Keep it Pure"
11. (NY) Timbuktu - "Det löser sig"
12. (04) The Fine Arts Showcase - "The Hazel Ridge"
13. (15) Turin Brakes - "Fishing for a Dream"
14. (ÅT) Maxïmo Park - "Graffiti"
15. (NY) Foo Fighters - "Best of You"
16. (NY) New Order - "Jetstream"
17. (NY) The Lost Patrol - "Golden Times"
18. (NY) The Hellacopters - "Everything's On TV"
19. (06) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "Funeral Face"
20. (NY) Daft Punk - "Techologic"

Leaving the chart: Prominent, Kent, The Rakes, Håkan Hellström, The Kills, The House of Love, Looptroop, Hello Saferide and Audio Bullys.

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
03. Carpark North - Human (DK)
04. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
05. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
06. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
07. Disco Ensemble - We might fall apart (FIN)
08. YOR123 & Skandaali - 99% (FIN)
09. Kent - Max 500 (SWE)
10. Jori Hulkkonen - Lo-fiction (FIN)

Challengers:
11. @junkmail - Hyvä minä (FIN)
12. Vink - Triathlon (FIN)
13. Millencolin - Ray (SWE)

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish student radio chart:

01. (NY) Mattias Alkberg BD - "Politix"
02. (NY) Jenny Wilson - "Let My Shoes Lead Me Forward"
03. (01) The Tough Alliance - "Keep it Pure"
04. (NY) The Fine Arts Showcase - "The Hazel Ridge"
05. (03) Eels - "Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)"
06. (17) Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "Funeral Face"
07. (12) Prominent - "Let's Talk it Over"
08. (09) Hal - "Play the Hits"
09. (14) Kent - "Palace & Main"
10. (NY) The White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
11. (10) Turbonegro - "High on the Crime"
12. (11) Thievery Corporation - "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"
13. (NY) The Rakes - "Retreat"
14. (19) Håkan Hellström - "Dom kommer kliva på dig igen"
15. (NY) Turin Brakes - "Fishing For a Dream"
16. (NY) The Kills - "Love is a Deserter"
17. (NY) The House of Love - "Gotta Be That Way"
18. (NY) Looptroop - "Fort Europa"
19. (NY) Hello Saferide - "My Best Friend"
20. (NY) Audio Bullys - "Shot You Down"

Leaving the chart: Dreamboy, Weezer, The Coral, Maxïmo Park, Ane Brun, Stevie Wonder, Paris, Faith Evans, The Bravery, Lady Sovereign and Handsome Boy Modeling School.

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
03. Carpark North - Human (DK)
04. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
05. Disco Ensemble - We might fall apart (FIN)
06. The 69 Eyes - Lost boys (FIN)
07. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
08. YOR123 & Skandaali - 99% (FIN)
09. Kent - Max 500 (SWE)
10. Strip Music - 24 hrs (SWE)

Challengers:
11. Jori Hulkkonen - Lo-fiction (FIN)
12. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
13. Looptroop - Fort Europa (SWE)