Melody Club + Sahara Hotnights = Casablanca

#1 Hits from an Another Planet on Casablanca, the new Swedish pop supergroup featuring members from Melody Club and Sahara Hotnights: http://alienhits.blogspot.com/2010/01/casablanca-downtown.html

     

Farewell to 2009

A few statistics for the year, should you be curious...

Total news items: 3880
Reviews: 77
Mp3s: 235

Top downloads (for tracks posted in 2009):
01. Florence Valentin - Spring Ricco
02. Ison & Fille - Jag skratter idag
03. King Diamond - No presents for Christmas (slightly cheating since I also posted it last year)
04. The Scrags - Psycho cyclone
05. Mercy - Heavy metal warriors

Top search terms:
01. Porno (no surprise, though I suspect most people aren't actually looking for the Swedish rapper)
02. Darkthrone
03. King Diamond
04. Melody Club
05. Black Uniforms

Remember, the mailorder goes on hibernation tomorrow so get your orders in now. Otherwise, I'm hard at work on revamping the site for 2010 and will be back with regular updates next week. Take care and happy New Year!

     

Swedish Grammis 2010 best video nominees

The nominees for the Swedish Grammis/MTV award in the category of best music video have been announced:

Adam Tensta, Eboi, Infinite Mass - Area turns red 09 (dir. Marcus Lundin)
Adiam Dymott - Miss you (dir. Senay & Kolacz)
Air France - No excuses (dir. Marcus Söderlund)
Amanda Jensen - Happyland (dir. Jerker Josefsson)
Bob Hund - Bli aldrig som oss bli värre! (dir. Johan Söderberg)
BWO - Right here right now (dir. Josef Andersson)
El Perro Del Mar - Change of heart (dir. Filip Nilsson)
Elin Lanto - Love made me stupid (dir. Robinovich)
Fever Ray - When I grow up (dir. Martin de Thurrah)
Jenny Wilson - Like a fading rainbow (dir. Marcus Söderlund)
Pato Pooh feat. Adam Tensta - Follow me (dir. Maceo Frost)
Peter Bjorn and John - It don't move me (dir. Filip Nilsson)
Promoe - Svennebanan (dir. Magnus Härdner)
Taken By Trees - My boys (dir. Marcus Söderlund)
The Sound Of Arrows - Into the clouds (dir. The Sound Of Arrows)
Timbuktu - Välj mej (dir. Daniel Wirtberg & Jonas Rudström)
Promoe - Mammas Gata (dir. Magnus Härdner)
Moneybrother - Born under a bad sign (dir. Kalle Haglund)
Mando Diao - Gloria (dir. Jörn Heitmann)
Melody Club - The only ones (dir. Peder Bergstrand)

View/vote here: http://grammis.mtv.se/

     

2010 Swedish Grammis, the list

Here you go, the (almost) full list of nominees for the 2010 Swedish Grammis:

Album:
A Camp - Colonia
Agnes - Dace love pop - The love love love edition
Amanda Jenssen - Happyland
Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
Erik Hassle - Hassle
Kent - Röd
Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen
Mando Diao - Give me fire!
Takida - The darker instinct
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom

Folk music/ballad:
Cajsastina Åkerström - Sånger om dej och mej
Esbjörn Hazelius - Blunda och du ska få se
Miriam Aida - Letras ao Brasil
Olle Adolphson - Tystnaden smyger som en katt... 1956-2004
Sofia Jannok - Åssogáttis - By the embers
Sofia Karlsson - Den allra båsta (1999-2009)
Sofia Karlsson - Söder om kärleken
Stefan Sundström - Ingenting har hänt
Taken By Trees - East of Eden
Väsen - Väsen Street

Hard rock:
Candlemass - Death magic doom
Crucified Barbara - 'Til death do us party
Dead By April - Dead By April
Hammerfall - No sacrifice, no victory
Hardcore Superstar - Beg for it
Lillasyster - Det här är inte musik, det här är kärlek
Mustasch - Mustasch
Raised Fist - Veil of ignorance
Renegade Five - Undergrounded universe
Wolf - Ravenous

Jazz:
Alice Babs - As time goes by
Bengt Berger - Beches brew
Georg Wadenius/Arild Jensen - Jul på Svenska
Jan Lundgren Trio - European standards
Jeanette Lindström - Attitude and orbit control
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - The half naked truth
Lina Nyberg - The snow
Lisa Ekdahl - Give me that slow knowing smile
Magnus Lindgren - Batucada jazz
Trummor & Orgel - Visions

Club/Hip-hop:
Andreas Tilliander - Show
J-Son - Never half stepping
Ken Ring - Hip hop
Lorentz & M Sakarias - Vi mot världen
Mange Schmidt - Odenplan Stockholm 1988
Maskinen - Boys II men
Mohammed Ali - Processen
Näääk - Näääk vem?
Promoe - Kråksången
Swingfly - God bless the IRS

Composer:
Amanda Jenssen & Pär Wiksten - Happyland
Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen
Christian Walz - The corner
Deportees - Under the pavement - the beach
El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop
Joakim Berg & Martin Sköld (Kent) - Röd
Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen
Nina Persson, Niclas Frisk, Nathan Larsson (A Camp) - Colonia
Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom

Female artist:
Agnes - Dace love pop - The love love love edition
Amanda Jenssen - Happyland
Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen
Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
Jenny Wilson - Hardships!
Laleh - Me and Simon
Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig
Miss Li - Dancing the whole way home
Pernilla Andersson - Ashbury apples
Sarah Dawn Finer - Moving on

Male artist:
Christian Walz - The corner
Erik Hassle - Hassle
Freddie Wadling - The dark flower (Den mörka blomman)
John Me - I am John
Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen
Markus Krunegård - Lev som en gris dö som en hund
Olle Ljungström - Sju
Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
Tingsek - Restless soul

Newcomer:
Adiam Dymott - Adiam Dymott
Dead By April - Dead By April
Erik Hassle - Hassle
John Me - I am John
Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen
Larz Kristerz - Hem till dig
Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Vi mot världen
Maskinen - Boys II men
Miike Snow - Miike Snow
Name The Pet - Name the Pet

Pop:
A Camp - Colonia
Asha Ali - Hurricane
BWO - Big science
Calaisa - Grafton Street
El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop
Fibes, Oh Fibes! - 1987
Jill Johnson - Music row II
Melody Club - Goodbye to romance
Miike Snow - Miike Snow
Peter Bjorn And John - Living thing

Producer:
A Camp - Colonia
Amanda Jenssen & Pär Wiksten - Happyland
Bloodshy & Avant (Miike Snow) - Miike Snow
El Perro Del Mar & Rasmus Hägg - Love is not pop
Goran Kajfes (Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet) - Magnus Carlson & The Moon Ray Quintet
Jenny Wilson - Hardships!
Kent & Joshua - Röd
Laleh - Me and Simon
Salem Al Fakir - Astronaut
Thomas Rusiak (Adiam Dymott) - Adiam Dymott

Rock:
[Ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet
Bob Hund - Folkmusik för folk som inte kan bete sig som folk
Deportees - Under the pavement - the beach
Dundertåget - Skaffa ny frisyr
Europe - Last look at Eden
Florence Valentin - Spring Ricco
Kent - Röd
Mando Diao - Give me fire!
Takida - The darker instinct
The Bear Quartet - 89

Lyrics:
Amanda Jenssen - Happyland
Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen
Caroline af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
El Perro Del Mar - Love is not pop
Joakim Berg (Kent) - Röd
Laleh - Me and Simon
Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen
Louise Hoffsten/Peter Lemarc - På andra siden vättern
Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom

For the full list in a hard-to-read format, go here: http://www.grammis.se/

     

Melody Club + Anna Järvinen - I don't believe in angels

Swedish pop act Melody Club recorded a new Christmas single together with Anna Järvinen of all people and you can now hear it at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/melodyclub

     

Kite confirm new EP

Kite, the excellent Swedish synthpop duo featuring Nicklas Stenemo (Melody Club, The Mo) and Christian Berg (Strip Music, Yvonne), will release their sophomore EP "II" on October 16 via Progress Productions and once again, it will be available on both CD and vinyl. Details here: http://progress-productions.com/kite2/
You can also hear a couple new tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/progressproduction

     

Melody Club - The only ones (video)

Expressen is premiering Melody Club's new video for "The only ones": http://www.expressen.tv/1.1584210

     

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Thorleifs - Sweet kissin' in the moonlight
02. Caroline Af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
03. Promoe - Kråksången
04. Larz Kristerz - Hem till dig
05. The Boppers - Vibrations
06. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
07. E.M.D. - A state of mind - deluxe
08. Alcazar - Disco defenders
09. Måns Zelmerlöw - MZW
10. Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
11. Lisa Ekdahl - Give me that slow knowing smile
12. Innocent Rosie - Bad habit romance
13. Melody Club - Goodbye to romance
14. Moneybrother - Real control
15. Malmö Opera Kör & Orkester - Jesus Christ superstar
16. Sofia Karlsson - Söder om kärleken
17. BWO - Big science
18. Bob Hund - Folkmusik för folk som inte kan bete sig som folk
19. Susanne Alfvengren - Bbortom tid och rum - det bästa
20. Shirley Clamp - För den som älskar...en samling

     

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Caroline Af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
02. E.M.D. - A state of mind - deluxe
03. Larz Kristerz - Hem till dig
04. Alcazar - Disco defenders
05. The Boppers - Vibrations
06. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
07. Lisa Ekdahl - Give me that slow knowing smile
08. Malmö Opera Kör & Orkester - Jesus Christ superstar
09. Måns Zelmerlöw - MZW
10. Kevin Borg - The beginning
11. Thåström - Kärlek är för dom
12. Moneybrother - Real control
13. Maia Hirasawa - GBGvsSTHLM
14. Melody Club - Goodbye to romance
15. Sofia Karlsson - Söder om kärleken
16. BWO - Big science
17. Pauline - Never said I was an angel
18. Miss Li - Dancing the whole way home
19. Magnus Lindberg - Ett eget liv
20. Stiko Per Larsson - Kap farväl

     

Melody Club - Goodbye to romance
(Epic)

For acts like Robyn and Lykke Li, straddling the genres of pop and indie has been the key to critical acclaim and popularity abroad rarely seen by Swedish artists. However, the same balancing act has not worked so well for Melody Club. They're a big name act at home, but are otherwise largely unknown. There are too many guitars for them to catch on with the foreign fans of September or Alcazar, yet they're just not cool enough to attract the indie bloggerati. Sweden may be the go-to place for all your cheesy pop or quirky indie needs, but the focus on those particular genres by most Scandophiles means that some of Sweden's best bands escape their attention.

If you have, by some miracle, heard a Melody Club album before, you'll know exactly what to expect from "Goodbye to romance". Disregarding the current trend to do the opposite, Melody Club have moved away from their original electropop sound and added more guitars and a stronger 1960s influence, but are still unmistakeably Melody Club. The infectious choruses and entertaining lyrics the band are known for are present on every track. After just a few listens, I feel attached to all of them individually and find it difficult to choose a standout. "Oh Candy call me"'s brilliantly catchy riff made it an early favourite, while anthemic recent single "Girls don't always wanna have fun" has been the biggest grower. However, the track that never seems to leave my head is "Where do I belong", a song that would have fit perfectly on my favourite Melody Club album, "Face the music".

While "Goodbye to romance" doesn't quite match up to "Face the music", it's one of my favourite albums of 2009 so far and thoroughly recommended to anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge of the Swedish music scene.
- Jessica Popper