Solid synth/bit-pop from Finland via ye ol' inbox. No other information provided, none needed.

Ke/hil - Hellstation LP
Technically this was released at the tail end of 2010, but I didn't get to hear it until this year. If this was a ordered list, this one would definitely be No. 1. It perfectly captures a sense of isolation and bleakness that cuts right into my heart.

Genocide Organ - Under-Kontrakt LP
I've never been a huge fan of G.O. but this album made me re-evaluate large parts of their back catalogue completely. I still say they are over-rated, but there are definite gems in the discography and this one is one of them.

Brighter Death Now - Very Little Fun 4LP
Over four slabs of vinyl there's bound to be subpar material, so I wouldn't consider this one an essential buy, but there is however plenty of really great material on there. The packaging could've been more elaborate though. It isn't really the box set it was claimed to be.

Current 93 - HoneySuckle Æons LP
Certainly not one of the greatest C93 albums, but it's a pleasant listen and the artwork is the best Tibet's done in a long while. No standout tracks, but I hold it in higher regard than last years "Baalstorm, Sing Omega".

Kinit Her - Gratitudes CD
This one is weird. I tried to include a track on a mix tape for a friend, but on their own none of the tracks were any good. Listening from start to finish though, it's a monumental album encompassing everything from early music via black metal to straight up neofolk. I am very much looking forward to the LP on Release The Bats.

Ectoplasm Girls - T X N LP
Seems like this has been in the works forever, and now it's finally out. They've gotten quite a bit of attention and it's all well deserved. Twisted, dark and ritual industrial music. They always make me think of the weirder Psychic TV material, though I am not sure it's really an apt description.

Maska Genetik - Strada LP
It would seem that Maska Genetik is a dead project (these songs were recorded between 2002 and 2005), which is a damned shame. Aside from Haus Arafna/November Növelet, Maska is my favorite Galakthorrö band. Creeping, oozing analog angst pop at it's best.

Haus Arafna - New York Rhapsody LP
Last years You was a bit of a let down, and I wouldn't call "New York Rhapsody" a crowning achievement either. But I do in fact prefer this, mostly instrumental, album over the predecessor. If I understand it correctly it was a commissioned work for some fashion show and I can totally see some featureless skeleton walking down the run way to this.

Sutekh Hexen - Luciform LP
Sutekh Hexen blasted into the world from nowhere last year and they are yet to let me down. A full on relentless black metal/noise hybrid that is not to be missed!

The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud
I was never a huge The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud fan back in the day, I had one album and it had a handful of great songs on it, but suffered greatly by being something like 70 minutes long. Now, thanks to iTunes I can pick and choose and once you weed out the filler material they are a sensational band.

× × ×

Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words was finally put to rest on the 26th of February 2011 at a very emotional show at Fylkingen in Stockholm. Now all focus is on various collaborative efforts -- following up the debut Soma Sema 7" with an album, recording a mini LP with IRNI -- and Trepaneringsritualen (10" on Release The Bats, 7" on Fang Bomb, tapes on Järtecken, Waves of Decay and Lustvessel + a reissue of the "Veil The World" tape and possibly a US tour in Fall 2012) and hopefully further opportunities to act as backing band for Deutsch Nepal across the world.

---------------------------
http://www.soma-sema.se/
http://www.de-za-kh-a-da-sh-ba-a-ha-v.se/

11/17 - tba, Köln (GER)
11/18 - Exil, Zürich (CH)
11/19 - Gare de Lion, Will (CH)
11/20 - Treibhaus, Luzern (CH)
11/21 - Le Kiwi, Clermond Ferrand (FRA)
11/23 - tba (GER)
11/24 - Goldmarks, Stuttgart (GER)
11/25 - Autumn Falls Festival (V2*), Brussel (BEL)
11/26 - on3-festival, München (GER)
11/27 - Lucerna Music Bar, Prague (CZ) w/The Wombats
11/28 - Rhiz, Vienna (AUS)
12/01 - D! Club, Lausanne (CH) w/The Wombats
12/02 - Kofmehl, Solothurn (CH) w/The Wombats
12/03 - Deposito giordani, Pordenone (ITA)
12/04 - New Age Club, Treviso Roncade (ITA) w/The Wombats
12/05 - Maggazzini Generali, Milan (ITA) w/The Wombats

Another sample from the new Ville Leinonen album "Auringonsäde/Pommisuoja", out now via Fonal Records.

This is a preview of Ville Leinonen's new album "Auringonsäde/Pommisuoja", due out September 7 via Fonal Records and his 13th release overall.

Swedish label Exergy Music is back from the dead, the reason being that "many of my old artists have finished new music that is too good for not being released," plus, "I have also bumped into some new artists that i just love." Guess that once you're in, it's hard to walk away forever. Anyhow, their first new release will be Akaba with the song "Fake it", as you can see/hear above. After that, look for new stuff to follow from the likes of Nanook of the North, Molesome and maybe also Vera Vinter. I'd also be way into a new Vijaya record, but I know the chances of that are slim to none.

One of the biggest pleasures for the ear in this year of 2010 was the beautiful "Majakanvartijan Uni" by the Finnish singer-songwriter Ville Leinonen. The album is so atmospheric, warm and cozy that you could live there. Unfortunately, there's a lack of information about this artist in English so Ville kindly agreed to answer some questions, thus the interested reader can know more about him and his music.

Hello, Ville!

Hei! Siistiä, englanninkielinen haastattelu on harvinaista herkkua! Thrilled to answer your questions.

Please tell some things about "Majakanvartijan Uni (The dream of the Lighthouse Keeper)". Is there the connection with any actual lighthouse and what does N 61° 28' 16.95" E 23° 47' 7.24" stand for?

"Majakanvartijan Uni" is a musical story of a lonely lighthouse keeper who seems to be the only human survivor after the massive destruction of Earth's ecosystem in the year 2067. It all came down when the oil company Lotion Da Vies president Lord Verneux went totally mad and started to blow up his own oil pipelines around the seas of the world.

The lighthouse keeper is badly wounded but stayed alive in his isolate tower in the center of the black poisonous ocean, and somewhere between his imagination and this realism of apocalypse, the story begins. He collects radiowaves and remains of all wwws trying to puzzle what happened, and if there's anybody else living on the planet still. Sadly, all he can find seems to be just pieces of old broadcasts and advertisements, and he's getting weaker.

N 61° 28' 16.95" E 23° 47' 7.24" are the original coordinates of the supernatural event that made the whole album appear to me in December 2008. It suddenly just appeared full and finished one night like a light out of the sky. I just captured it. [note: The original demoversion of the whole album is going to be released soon! About that DVD later...]

Tell about people who helped you make the album. I heard that Islaja took part.

If you buy "Majakanvartijan Uni" the album (CD or white vinyl) you can find a list of people who play on it. I asked my friend Janne Lastumäki to produce the album. Janne, being a multi-instrumentalist, plays a lot of different instruments there. Of course I do too. And then there are lots of musicians who I think are the best in Finland. On solo albums I always liked to ask the best to collaborate with. Yes, Islaja is one of the best of the best.

Parts of the making/recording process are filmed and can be viewed as several short promo-videos on Vimeo. In one video, where the recording of "Mal Du Soley" takes place, there are papers with musical notation -- and people sing according to it. When did you learn notation? Did you already understand it when you recorded "Raastinlauluja" or you decided to learn it later?

I have studied music since I was little, so notation is quite natural language for me. "Raastinlauluja" was my first album (or actually a cassette) made in 1997. I made some notations then too, when rehearsing live shows of that material in Savonlinna (my original home town).

The making of "Majakanvartijan Uni" film is going to be released soon also. It's my first film direction. The note papers you mentioned are the ones that Rakkauden Äänet (Voices of Love) used when making the backing vocals on the album.

"Majakanvartijan Uni" was released on Sound of Finland. Why don't you continue to release your solo albums through Fonal Records?

Fonal Records is musically the best Finnish label, no objections to that, but all my albums that Fonal have released have originally been released by other labels first. I have been a Poko Rekords artist since 2000. Sound Of Finland is a new label by the same Poko staff. SOF has a wide distribution in Finland and I sing in Finnish, so simply that's it.

Your vocals sound strong, clear and free -- different from how it was on "Raastinlauluja". Maybe it was made rough intentionally since that record is experimental, but anyway, did you do anything later to train your voice or did it happen naturally, getting better with practice?

Thank you for saying so. (Ville smiles)

Well, it seems that singing develops just by singing. Playing and singing in front of the audience is the best school for it. When I recorded "Raastinlauluja" I was a 21-year old (young) drummer and I never thought that I would really be a vocalist, especially I never thought about singing live. It was more just like an art form to explore mental moods, and somehow I also had to find ways to introduce my poetry that time. I actually thought I was going to be a poet... ha haa -- so original when you're in your twenties and start to be psyched about love, death and everything.

What's your attitude on easy and free file-sharing? What do you think about the fact that people can download your music for free: stealing or a great opportunity for music to find its listener?

It is absolutely horrible that people share music freely in the web and are not buying records anymore. It should be every artist's own decision to put music there for free, not some pirate nerds' choice. I'm trying to support my family by making music. It's not just a hobby for me. Same thing goes for Madonna also.

Good, we'll buy everything you advertise here! Do you remember your first experience as a musician?

I was born in a musicians' family. I really had no choice. I started to play drums seriously when I was 5 or 6. I remember rehearsals, gigs and traveling on a bus from very early on. First I joined a local marching band of 20 different aged children. Then I suddenly became a drummer of Savonlinna Big Band. So playing all kinds of legendary standards of jazz, military music, old hit tunes, folk music, classical and children music was a normal part of my childhood. I also started to do some restaurant dance music gigs for money when I was 12. Of course, that time rock'n'roll hit me. At first it was Kiss. Then became bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and all kinds of heavy metal genres but at the same time I also found my mother's favorites of 50's and 60's pop and folk music. So I'm a mixture of all that. I'd like to do music where you can find all those elements at the same time. That's my quest.

You played drums in Office Building, took part in recording of some Risto albums (drumming also), and currently you're a member of Teemu Elon Puhuvat Eläimet (backing vocals and synths). Are there any other projects you're involved?

Well, I played drums in O.B. 1999-2003 and in Risto-band 2005-2008. At this moment I take part only in Puhuvat Eläimet (Talking Animals) from Pori, and then there's my own band Majakan Soittokunta. But I have different kinds of projects that come and go all the time. One current project is an album of songs made by 10 year-old kids from schools of Tampere (town where I live nowadays). I'm a producer and a musician on that one. And then the reggae album will be out next year...

Are you into listening to music of other artists? Do you collect records, spending a lot of time listening to music or you rather concentrate on making your own thing? Could you name your favorite artists/bands?

I listen to music a lot but it's very rare that I find anything especially new. The best things going on in Finland right now are M.A. Numminen, Islaja, Pekko Käppi, Omfalos Renaissance, Circle, Rättö & Lehtisalo, Joose Keskitalo. On the other hand I have started to dig some finnish hip hop and rap like Asa, Jätkäjätkät, Raappana and Paleface.

My all time favorites are Leonard Cohen, Einstürzende Neubauten, David Bowie, Kiss, Priest, Samhain, A-Ha, Scott Walker, Alice Cooper... There's so much perfect music in the world! I love also all kinds of horror movie soundtracks and strange ethnic soundscapes, Indian, Asian...

Question about "Hei!" album. What was the criterion of choosing songs for making this cover album?

I had been unable to write a new material for almost 4 years. I don't know why, but after I finished my band Valumo, I somehow lost interest in doing songs with that same formula I had done for ages. Year 2006 was a busy year. There was much going on that time. I moved away from Tampere where I had lived for six years and did a great amount of solo gigs around everywhere, not having a steady place to sleep. During one year I had small but peppery gigs around Finland and also some in England, Spain, France, Russia, Tanzania. I started playing drums in Risto-band, I toured with some other Fonal bands. Well, there was just no time for writing songs... and a huge lack of ideas. (Ville smiles)

I have always loved to add some good old 70' Iskelmä songs (Finnish and international) to my gig repertoire. So making a cover album at that point of my life was a foregone conclusion. That album ("Hei!") helped me to go further from rock and also indie-alternative music that Valumo represented. It was just fun being a "normal" pop singer for one year. After the album came out we made some very nice concerts with Chrisse Forever-band at big festivals in Finland. The version of the song "Pieni ja Lämpöinen" was played on the national radio stations regularly. So "Hei!" was a success, at least compared to anything I'd done before.

The songs were chosen on the basis of lyrics. I chose the ones which fit best to my life situation that period. All my albums are kind of diaries about their times.

There's a video on YouTube (poor quality though) where you perform "Old clock", a Russian song. How come that you covered Alla Pugacheva?

Ha haa! That's from my 2007 gig at Ikra-club in Moscow. For any Finnish songwriter it's absolutely great honour to be asked to play in Russia. Of course I added a few Russian songs for that gig, otherwise I would not have been writing signatures for beautiful Moscow girls the whole night.

Pugacheva is one of the brightest stars when talking about hit music internationally in the 70's. I have loved her music since I was a kid.

Question about Valumo band. On your myspace page it is said that "today it's dead and buried", haha. Why so brutally, you're not interested in playing rock music anymore or what?

Ville Leinonen & Valumo existed from 1998 to 2005. We did four studio albums and two live albums which are still quite good. It was a unique band, but I grew to realise that there has to be more than just one way to operate in music. I mean, my rockstar fantasies died when I turned 28. After that we still tried to "make it" for two years with Valumo. I don't want to go backwards never more. It's nothing against rock and loud electric guitars, vice versa. Actually, it is the character Iskelmäprinssi (and its side persons) that is dead and buried. If someday I wake up with ten new total heavy pop classic riffy melodic anthems which sound like pure Valumo, there's no way of stopping the comeback. [note: Valumo's last gig in autumn 2005 was recorded and it's available only on double vinyl, it's called "Alive II". It's probably the best album of that band.]

Well, if we take for example "Blue lagoon II" song from "Valloittaja", then it'll become clear why the band's records still sound good -- shamanic vocals with instruments going out of control closer to the end -- you can hardly hear this kind of rock music on the radio, it won't make you bored...

What do you do in life except music?

Mostly I'm at home with my daughter and wife, trying to keep myself fit and healthy. I read books a lot about history, art, war and politics. Then there's always music in all its forms. I try to write and compose, record and mix almost all the time. Right now when I'm writing this I also listen and mix some new songs. I'm on a train to pick up my new (old) guitar from maintenance.

Tell about your plans for 2011.

I'm doing solo gigs around Finland more than this year. So keep your eye on the gig calendar.

At the present I write lyrics for my next solo album. I hope it'll be ready by summer 2011. We have some gigs with Majakan Soittokunta coming. You don't want to miss those!

The reggae album "2 Leijonaa" with the other male singer Niko Ahvonen will be out next February. There will be some concerts with that project also. Then I'm thinking about making a fairytale album for children soon. We are editing my first DVD with Sami Sänpäkkilä. It will be ready in two or three months. It contains fresh live material, demoversions and documentary material about "Majakanvartijan Uni" year 2010. With SOF, we have to make new websites which would contain possibilities to download new music that is not available anywhere else. For example, the latest ambient album "Camp Crystal Lake" for the price of an empty C-cassette.

Picture by Ninni Luhtasaari

Kiitos paljon Ville, it was so interesting!

Спасибо! И холодной зимы!

You can listen to the single "Tyttö" from the forthcoming reggae album on YouTube.

Yeah, there's also strange bits and pieces of my music on YouTube from past years, shot with mobile phone cameras on various events. But actually Valumo-era is not presented at all. All the VHS-material is still not digitalized. There's also a famous ice-hockey player named Ville Leino and a Neurology Doctor named Ville Leinonen in Finland. Anyway, have a good safe surfin' Finlandia!

Interview by Alex Kudryavtsev.

Oh, and those Moloken tourdates:

09/15 - L'Orient, Linköping (SWE) w/This Gift is a Curse
09/16 - Sugar Bar, Stockholm (SWE) w/This Gift is a Curse
09/17 - Ungdomens Hus, Uppsala (SWE) w/This Gift is a Curse
09/18 - Ungdomens Hus, Oskarshamn (SWE) w/This Gift is a Curse
09/19 - tba, Karlskrona (SWE) w/This Gift is a Curse
09/23 - Nuclear Nightclub, Oulu (FIN) w/Radar
09/24 - Lutakko, Jyväskylä (FIN) w/Radar
09/25 - S-Osis, Turku (FIN) w/Radar
09/26 - Kuudes Linja, Helsinki (FIN) w/Radar
09/29 - tba (NOR) w/Manhattan Skyline
09/30 - tba (NOR) w/Manhattan Skyline
10/01 - Garage, Oslo (NOR) w/Manhattan Skyline
10/02 - Fru Lundgreen, Trondheim (NOR) w/Manhattan Skyline

This is the new Fatboy single "Bad news from pretty red lips", to be officially released on September 15. The clip seems kind of an odd choice to me as none of the action is synced to the song, but I do actually like the way it sounds, much more than anything on their last album. Anyhow, as mentioned before, the band's new album "Overdrive" will be out October 6 via Razzia Records.

Though I really did enjoy the show, I still have a few bones to pick. One, and this is more of a general complaint not specific to Junip, the mandatory/expected encore is bullshit. I love seeing a band play a solid, well-planned and focused set; even better if they leave the audience wanting more (and don't give it to them). Second, Mr. González needs to ween off the covers. I fully expected "The ghost of Tom Joad" since the band recorded it for the "Black refuge" EP, but had I left pre-encore, I would have missed it and been none the wiser. In fact, I kinda wish I did leave pre-encore because what they did play was not worth sticking around for. Two covers (the aforementioned Springsteen plus a Nico song) with an unmemorable original sandwiched between? Lame. Shame to go out on a bad note.

This year's rendition of Popadelica can be divided into two categories (and of course, one or two bands in the in-between). The Rookies and the Veterans. The Rookies consists of artists that just released their first record or are about to, those bands are always interesting to see live. Here we have acts like First Aid Kit, Bye Bye Bicycle and We are the Storm. First Aid Kit was kind of a disappointment -- not that Johanna and Clara Södergberg didn't pull the songs off or anything -- I just know they can do so much better. Their gig at Arvikafestivalen last year was something out of the ordinary. Perhaps they were a little nervous about actually having a record out now. Or maybe it was the fact that they did their first show with drummer boy Niklas. I'm sure people in the audience were pleased nonetheless.

Bye Bye Bicycle, on the other hand, showed no signs of nervousness or stage fright. Perhaps they should have. Their music is great Göteborg pop at its best, but front man André Vikingsson is a bit too much. I know, it's a whole concept thing, but Bye Bye Bicycle is walking a fine line. Perhaps if I give them, and André definitely, some more time things will give. As for We are the Storm, they are slowly building a buzz about themselves much thanks to the incredibly catchy and direct "I woke up to the bells". Read this for a more detailed review of their concert.

The oldies but goldies then. Here we have Hästpojken, Timo Räisänen, Salem Al Fakir and The Sounds. I really enjoyed the first release from Hästpojken, "Shane Mcgowan" and "Caligula" are still two of my favorite tracks (still frequently represented whenever it's time to put together a playlist of some sort). "Från där jag ropar" is a whole other kind of record and I haven't got used to that one yet. Say what you want about Martin Elisson, at least he looks like he's having fun on stage. The gig at Popadelica two years ago was better though. Timo Räisänen and his men got an award for best live act in 2008. I can see why. Go to a couple of his concerts and you'll realize that's more or less the only thing he's got. I still miss one genuine good song. Salem Al Fakir and The Sounds both did okay, but it rarely gets interesting. Salem got a big cheer when playing his hit single "Keep on walking". It's actually a good song. The Sounds did their best, I'm sure, but they did look a little bit weary.

What about those band in between? The Kissaway Trail was one of those. With their second record, "Sleep mountain", the Danes are out on an extensively tour around Europe. They feel very much New York rather than Odense. I think this will be the year they get the attention they deserve. Denmark's answer to Arcade Fire (more here).

To summarize things -- Popadelica 2010 was just as cozy and inspiring as always. All I can ask for next year is a bit more of warmth in the air; the rest is already taken care of with grace and elegance.

- Christian Stenbacke

Another dose of Norwegian folk to close out the week (this is "Listen to Norway" #6). Same label as last time (Ta:lik), but with a far more robust lineup of musicians: Camilla Granlien Band features the namesake vocalist flanked by full band, though in this example, "I Hellarskogen", it's a more subdued arrangement of guitar, contrabass and organ. Of the course the main attraction is Camilla's expert vocals and she is marvelous at putting Olav Aukrust's words to a melody of her own creation. Just as naturally, I am drawn to the tune's melancholy qualities which made it stand out among its album-mates. Maybe not the most appropriate selection for what has turned out to be a sunny, spring day, but beautiful nonetheless. Enjoy!

10. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
A record that is expansive in sound, but still very direct in feeling. [ingenting] aimed for the stars with this one and nailed it.

09. Agent Side Grinder - Irish recording tape/The transatlantic tape project (Enfant Terrible)
Enjoyable as separate entities, though far better when considered as a matched pair. This band has not only mastered the sound of old-school industrial, they can also write great catchy songs (see: "Irish recording tape") and create engrossing abstract soundscapes ("The transatlantic tape project").

08. Pistol Disco - Evergreen (Celebrity Lifestyle)
This group gets better and better with every release and now, with the addition of live drums, they've soared to new heights of brain-roasting awesomeness. Listen LOUD!

07. The Bear Quartet - 89 (Adrian Recordings)
A no-brainer. Still reigning as Sweden's best band.

06. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile (Adrian Recordings)
The rawest of breakup records, the grandest of pop. Gustaf Kjellvander's defining moment as an artist (thus far).

05. Wadruna - Runaljod - gap var Ginnunga (Indie Recordings/Fimbulljóð Productions)
Pure pagan beauty, performed in the old ways to appease the old gods. If you don't like this, you're no fan of Scandinavian music.

04. Björn Kleinhenz - B.U.R.M.A./Head held high on fearsome pride (DevilDuck Records/SellOut! Music/Tomt Recordings/Eget Bevåg Grammofon)
Another twofer, except this time I've listened to all these songs on shuffle so many times I can't separate them anymore. 2009 was the year that Björn Kleinhenz dedicated himself to his art 100% and it shows. I always have high expectations for his work, but these two records blew me away.

03. Samuraj Cities - Mixed up record collections (Imperial Recordings)
The music reflects the title; a brazen mix of different sounds and ideas, leading the way for the future of Swedish indierock. Sometimes it's a noisy mess, but that's also what makes it so great.

02. David Åhlén - We sprout in thy soil (Compunctio)
Devotional music is incredibly powerful when performed with such fervent conviction and grace as this. There is a new strain of inspirational music coming out of Sweden right now and its artists are creating some of the most exciting music I've heard in years.

01. Elmo - Once (BD Pop)
Far and away my absolute favorite album of 2009. Elmo takes the melodramatic teen-angst pop of Broder Daniel and ups it to near-farcial levels of hysteria, but they never ever falter. When frontman Magnus Ekelund said that this was the "ultimate Elmo album", he was telling the absolute truth. You can't go up from here.

Honorable mentions

2009 was a very good year for music and there are many worthwhile albums that didn't quite make the cut. Here's 5 more in alphabetical order:
Pintandwefall - Hong Kong, baby! (Supersounds Music)
Thåström - Kärlek är för dom (Universal)
C.Aarmé - World music (Spegel)
Turboweekend - Ghost of a chance (Mermaid Records)
Dear Euphoria - Heal my violence (La Paloma)

Heard too late

These records would've made the list if I had properly heard them at their time of release:
The Scrags - s/t (Alleycat Records)
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Lost in reflection (Fang Bomb/iDEAL Recordings/Release the Bats/When Skies Are Grey)
Tyrant - The rebirth (reclaim the flame) (Listenable Records/Hells Cargo)

Contributor Lists

Simon Tagestam

Albums

01. Samtidigt Som - Flykt, kärlek & broderskap (Luxury)

02. jj - jj n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)

03. Fever Ray – s/t (Rabid)

04. Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Vi mot världen (Epic)

05. Frida Hyvönen – Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)

06. Maskinen – Boys II Men (Pope Records)

07. Taken By Trees – East of Eden (Rough Trade)

08. Körsbärsfettera - Alla ska ha linne (self-released)

09. Sad Day For Puppets - Unknown colors (HaHa Fonogram)

10. Christopher Sander - Hej hå! (Vesper Records)

Songs

01. Montt Mardié – Gloria

02. jj – Are you still in Valda?

03. Anna Järvinen – Äppelöga

04. Samtidigt Som – Tienes mi corazón

06. Maskinen – Pengar

06. Alexis Weak – Disney på is

07. Lorentz & M.Sakarias - Unicorn

08. Christopher Sander - Fattig bonddräng

09. [ingenting] – Halleluja!

10. Makthaverskan - German boy

Arnulf Koehncke

01. Moritz von Oswald Trio - Vertical ascent (Honest Jon's Records)
While technically hardly a Scandinavian album (percussion is handled by Finn Vladislav Delay, electronics and programming by German techno- and dub-mastermind Moritz von Oswald plus modular synths by German Max Loderbauer), I just can't not list this record here. For me, it's this year's equivalent to last year's highlights by Auton or Viktor Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble: A demanding record that pulls you in with its hypnotic patterns and movements, makes you smile at its more obvious moments, and makes you miss it when you're without the beautiful gatefold vinyl and a record player.

02. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of dependence (Virgin/EMI)
I was looking forward to this album and the accompanying gig this fall. The gig did not disappoint -- like always, Erlend still wants to own the stage while Erik charmingly stresses his storytelling-skills and seems to divide his time between his baby and the gym nowadays. But the album surprised me at first. Judging from the last record, I had expected more sixties pop and less starkness and quietude. But I like how this album is less easily had, doesn't let the listener in as easily, but will grow on you nonetheless.

03. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
This records sees [ingenting] exchange the more obvious references in their music for more subtle nods to pop music's giants paired with impressively direct lyrics and straight-to-the-point arrangements. If maturity didn't have such negative connotations, one could call the album just that. And "classic" of course, like 80's indiepop is classic, or Sibiria and Vapnet maybe, though in more cynical ways than this record. It seems only fitting that [ingenting] chose to finally drop those "nothing"-puns from their album titles.

04. Frida Hyvönen - Silence is wild (Licking Fingers)
I've always been unsure about the reference points of year-end lists. Is it calender years or more likely personal years? I'm in favor of personal, so I list this album because to me, despite technically being from 2008, it's really a 2009 record. Somehow, the album's full potential -- its melodies, its power, and most of all, its soul (in the secular, Phil Spector meaning of the word)---had passed me by until I saw Frida and her bandmates play live in Berlin in the spring of 2009. So I'm only making up now for not listing it in 2008.

05. The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules (Bubbles)
A friend of mine once compared TWBA to IKEA. They make highly functional music that's devoid of any ornaments and goes straight to the point. And like IKEA-furniture, TWBA's music works extremely well for its purpose: I've seen them play in a gallery's shopwindow for more than 1000 dancing people gathered in the February-cold street before them, and their songs never fail to fill any indie-dancefloor. I guess I'd rather have IKEA than the "next big thing" from England then.

Singles

01. [ingenting] - Dina händer är fulla av blommor
From the first time I heard this song when [ingenting] performed it on Nyhetsmorgon, I was struck with its directness, the way it seems to speak to every single listener. I really like how non-cynical popmusic can do that sometimes!

02. The Fine Arts Showcase - Friday on my knees
It's great how Gustaf and his bandmates deconstruct this song about two-thirds through, dropping riff and chorus for 120 gloomy seconds of noisy guitar and bass, only to shortly resurrect it all before the end. Who needs radio-oriented hits when we can have this instead?

03. The Radio Dept. - David
Yet another year without an album by The Radio Dept. And still I consider them my favorite Scandinavian band. I'm left hoping the new album will sound more like this single and less like its unfocused b-sides. Still, allowing myself a nostalgic moment, they most probably just won't make another "Lesser matters".

04. The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517
We all need our functional dancefloor-fix from time to time, don't we? Especially when it's this well-done.

05. Kommun - Death of a CEO
I've been looking forward to the Kommun-record ever since the people behind Vapnet and Sibiria announced that, since everyone was making "serious" Swedish records now, they'd make a "non-serious" English record instead. And while I haven't fully connected with the album yet, I can't really escape this deeply political singalong about a businessman's afterlife.

Less obvious non-scandi mentions (besides those Grizzly Bears, Animal Collectives, and Pains of Being Pure at Heart): My friend's sister's project Music for Your Heart, Brooklyn's giddy Uninhabitable Mansions, the new Au Revoir Simone record, that Thom Yorke song on the "New Moon" Soundtrack (less movie, more music), and finally moving to and living in Phnom Penh.

Matt Giordano

01. [ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet (Labrador Records)
It was always going to be difficult to follow up "Mycket väsen för ingenting", and for a while I thought that this one fell short. The one day it clicked, I could not even compare the two. This is another stellar release for the band.

02. The Bear Quartet - 89 (Adrian Recordings)
A triumph, but honestly I did not even expect less. The Bear Quartet have returned in the only way they could -- a bludgeoning, brooding album that closes their decade of output by making the audience reconsider what The Bear Quartet is once again.

03. Markus Krunegård - Prinsen av Peking / Lev som en gris dö som en hund (V2)
I try to imagine what pop music in English would sound like if we had an artist like Markus Krunegård. But then I realize that the industry here is exponentially more vapid, someone like Markus would be swept into the corners of dimly lit rooms, never to see his due.

04. Asha Ali - Hurricane (3NO)
Three years after her magnificent debut, Asha Ali gave us a devastating album of loss and internal strife. This album is so personal and fragile it must have been difficult to release it.

05. The Fine Arts Showcase - Dolophine smile (Adrian Recordings)
Another album of loss, but with a very different approach. Gustaf Kjellvander gives us an outside view of the degradation of his relationship, which is always quite to difficult to do. However, in typical TFAS fashion, he succeeds greatly.

06. Pistol Disco - Evergreen (Celebrity Lifestyle)
Falling into the category of noise and shoegaze, which I've been listening to a lot lately, Pistol Disco reach amongst the highs. Put this record on and just ease your mind, and it will take your imagination places.

07. Kristofer Åström - Sinkadus (Startracks)
A new Kristofer Åström album always yields quality. This time, he has rotated three backing bands on record, and it adds so much to his already well-honed songwriting craft.

08. Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen (Hyrbis)
What a way to start a career. Jonathan Johansson created one of the better pure-pop albums of the year.

09. jj - jj n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)
Another very good debut, and another very good pop album. jj borderlines on twee, yet mixes soft beats and great vocals.

10. Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite (Hyrbis)
David Pagmar keeps getting more bombastic with each release. Top-notch songwriting and arranging keeps Montt Mardié fans guessing where he'll take his sound next.

Songs:

01. Peter Bjorn and John - Stay this way

02. Elias and the Wizzkids - Mr. Right Guy

03. Montt Mardié - Bang bang (An echo in Warsaw)

04. Asha Ali - The contract

05. The Bear Quartet - Northern

06. Ingenting - Lång våg

07. Markus Krungegård - Prinsessan av Peking

08. The Fine Arts Showcase - London, my town

09. Kristofer Åström - A song for while I'm away

10. Markus Krunegård - Kär i en borderline

01. Buying an old school and moving out in the country again and running a really cool café there this summer with some friends. Lots of work but definitely worth it.
http://www.hablingbo.com/

02. Releasing SKRIET's (Isak from Pascal's side project) debut album. A subdued and dark album which fit my autumn mood perfectly.
http://www.myspace.com/skrietsthlm

03. A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding head. Great album I only which the vocals were a little bit higher, but great none the less.
http://www.aplacetoburystrangers.com/

04. Tap Tap - On my way. Maybe not as perfect as their debut album but great anyway. Maybe it's just that the surprise factor of hearing them for the first time isn't as big this time. I think it will grow on me though.
http://www.myspace.com/taptapmusic

05. Pascal - Orkanen närmar sig (The hurricane is approaching). Technically this won't be released until January 2010 [however] since we have been working with it since July it has made a big impact in me this year. Pascal's best and heaviest album so far. Really great stuff!
http://www.kyssmig.com/

06. Brian Eno & David Byrne - Everything that happens will happen today. Maybe I'm getting old but I really enjoyed this quite mellow album from two of my favorite artists. Nice to see them working together again. It's not as close to being as good as "My life in the bush of ghosts" (which is one of my favorite records) but very enjoyable anyway.
http://www.everythingthathappens.com/

07. Antennas album ("Feeling feline tonight") making great success in Austria and topping their indie charts for week. Also the band having a successful tour in Europe following the album.

08. Bat For Lashes - Two suns. An album filled with gauzy vintage synths and odes to teenage love . It's bravely backward-looking and weirdly prescient at the same time. If only all pop could be this good.
http://www.batforlashes.com/

09. Existensminimum - OK boys. Magnus returned with a synth driven pure pop album and I just love it to pieces.
http://www.existensminimum.com/

10. The Bear Quartet - 89. I never been a huge fan of The Bear Quartet but this album is so fucking good I just couldn't stop listening to it.
http://www.thebearquartet.com/

---------------------------
Daggan runs the label Novoton and is one of the founders of Klicktrack. Next year he is looking forward to releasing new albums by Pascal, Paper, Norma and Antennas.
http://www.novoton.se/
http://www.klicktrack.com/

Second! There are still a few final sleeveless copies of Hello Saferide's "Introducing..." LP available. After that, they are gone forever. Buy now!

Third! Our ongoing CD clearance sale may be winding down and thinning out, but there are still plenty of deals to be had! Please, help me get rid of all these damn CDs!

Fourth, and finally, if you want any chance of your order making it to your house by Christmas, you absolutely have to get it in this week as I will be making my last pre-Xmas trip to the post office on Saturday, December 12. Wait too long and your package might not arrive until New Year's. And then in 2010 I'm shutting down for inventory and renovation, so if you've been considering a purchase, the clock is ticking..

12/04 - Ginger Zone, Scandicci
12/05 - Cantina Mediterraneo, Frosinone
12/06 - Zuni, Ferrara
12/09 - Diagonal Loft, Forlì

Day 1

Thursday effectively began for me at 6am when my plane touched down on my flight from Seattle, WA. After a not-so-quick trip uptown to visit with my family who were kind enough to put both myself and my wife up for a few days, I was back on train, heading downtown to NYU for the Swedish Music Seminar. I was ignorant of the event's full history, but this series of seminars has existed annually since 2001, though 2009 marks the first time they were included as part of the "official" CMJ program. It was also the first time they would take place over the course of two days, at a much more leisurely (and welcome) pace. I had attended before a couple years ago and enjoyed it a lot, made a ton of fantastic connections and was glad to be back, especially since this time out I was coming as a panelist, not just a wide-eyed blogger, moreso a hardened cynic with an axe to grind. Still, my mission is never to rain on everyone's parade, so I mostly contented myself with passive observation and note-taking.

Panel I - State of the Digital World

Not a lot of surprises here; much of the content was taken up with familiarizing the attendees with the benefits of Spotify and its effect on the populace (such as filesharing use going way down as more users take to streaming/progressive downloads). Not that it's completely faultless -- Spotify has already been successfully cracked, so its advantages against (advanced) users who would prefer to own/retain their files are rendered moot. Naturally, labels are upset that the application model is not 100% safe against piracy, but most smart folks understand that some income is better than none, so you work with what you can. Established artists bitch about the meager revenues Spotify pays while their income from CD sales dwindle into nothingness; it's not so hard to figure out which path is in their best interest. Everyone should be aware by now that the good days are gone forever, but some folks are still struggling mightily to hold on to what little they can and this fruitless battle is a consistently recurring theme of this modern age. An important question: would artists be motivated to create without the promise of a big payday? My answer: most certainly, if they are true artists. Financial rewards mean nothing when you are driven to create.

Another prominent topic centered around the importance of "discovery", the methods with which we are introduced to new music. Be it media (digital or print), word of mouth or via automated systems (see Pandora, Last.fm or any other similar recommendation engine), it remains a crucial component of the industry for both the business and fans. Whether or not the algorithm methods will ever supplant the power of personal recommendation remains to be seen, but so far it appears that the latter is winning. As sometime IAT contributor Nancy Baym suggested recently¹, trusting the algorithm can lead to an artistic cul-de-sac, an endless self-reinforcing ghetto. Personal taste is never so cut and dry; we desire nuance and surprise.

Panel II - The Power of Women in the Industry

Women remain a minority in the music industry, but it's not as bad as it used to be. Almost all of the women on today's panel have been working a long time to overcome adversity and prejudice and are now masters of their own destiny, successfully running their own businesses. Nowadays, they say, it's not so much a matter of fighting sexism, it's more about being good role models for change. The lesson: speak out, start it up and don't wait for someone to give you permission. To paraphrase panelist Sofia Talvik, "No one else will work as hard for you as you." That's good advice for anyone, male or female.

Panel III - Media in Today's Music World

The point of view I attempted to impose on the audience in my panel: most modern music magazines deserve to fail. 90% of all music should be destroyed. The industry must be burned to the ground so it can be built again. And also: content is king. I don't believe I was as eloquent as intended, but that's the gist. Our world is becoming more and more niche oriented every day, so to be all things to all people, to be the diamond-selling (or event platinum) superstar is nigh-impossible. Revel in the cult, the obscure; don't look back, forge a new path -- ubiquity is the exception to the rule. And I really am serious about hastening the death of music -- Sweden still reigns supreme when it comes to overall musical quality (percentage good versus total output), but the more the barrier to entry is lowered, the more we have to suffer through endless mediocrity. Honestly, I'd much rather hear something I immediately hate than waste endless hours mulling through albums that inspire mere shrugs, as I do now. Fellow panelist Matthew Schnipper was wise in turning Fader Magazine away from regular record reviews; it's a soul-sucking exercise, possibly deadly when your enterprise is dependent on advertiser dollars. Still, I remember zines like "Grimoire of Exalted Deeds", where 90% of the reviews were absolutely venomous -- I didn't always agree with them, but I knew that when they actually liked something, there was something to it. I am drawn to strong editorial voices, strong emotions. I believe that things will eventually work themselves out, but the sides are being drawn.

Panel IV - CMJ 09 Super Panel: Idol Views from Two Music Nation Leaders - USA and Sweden

I'll own up to watching a few seasons of AI in my time, but c'mon- it's more about the spectacle of human drama than the music. Pass!

Swedish Music Showcase @ Norwood

I was far from my best by the time the bands started playing, but I tried to hold on as long as I could. Jaw Lesson (nee Hajen) confirmed what I already suspected: fantastic voice but lacking the material to match. If nurtured correctly, she will be great someday. Next was Francis whose blues-punk was far more extroverted, but still somewhat lacking. I am reluctant to completely write them off, but would consider their US prospects to be dismal -- they are a decent band, but far from world-class. Sofia Talvik, on the other hand, is totally hopeless. She's an absolutely brilliant self-marketer, but her music is boring and forgettable. Then we have Moonbabies, the one band I really wanted to see most, who eluded me. After fulfilling my obligation of two (short) DJ sets and a 16hr day on 3hrs sleep, plus factor in an exhausted wife and a 45+ min journey to bed, I decided to call it a night. My most sincere apologies! As for Adam Tensta who was set to perform even later, you are good at what you do and I respect that, but I'm not into it. Swedish hip-hop is at its best when it's in Swedish or when it's not trying to be like other hip-hop. Rep for the home team and the fans will follow.

Tracks played:

The Goner - Haven
David Åhlén - Spirit fall
Rickard Jäverling - The wedding ring
Erik Enocksson - Non strigis
Brothers of End - Why
Johan Heltne - Din alkoholism är ingen alkoholism
Detektivbyrån - Laka-koffa
-----------
[ingenting] - Medan vi sov
Bröderna Lindgren - Annan sort
Penny Century - Just because
Mattias Alkberg - Jag bara tänkte, liksom, att
Samuraj Cities - 2 close 2 yr hrt
Broder Daniel - Underground

Day 2

Panel I - Industry and Business Radar

Having missed the introductions, I stumbled into a panel that was dominated by a couple folks extolling all of the big deals they've made for their established artists/bands/brands. Seriously, who the fuck cares if Dr. Dre made a bundle by lending his name to a line of headphones? How is that at all relevant to a room of people interested in importing (or exporting) Swedish music? I have zero interest in hearing the bullshit of a few schmoozers talking about how successful they are at selling corporations their manufactured version of cool and extending their tenuous longevity in the business. At best, that's the domain of already-made-it; at worse, it's music for people who don't care about music. For all the talk of finding new markets and new audiences, they sure seemed clueless about the one they were in front of. Thankfully, Patrik Larsson of Headlock Management managed to get a few words in about the importance of artist development, building leverage and the importance of sometimes saying no. Likewise, Elliot Aronow of RCRDLBL pointed out that most people in the world simply don't care -- you have to figure out ways to make them care.

Panel II - What's Currently Hot (or Not?) in the Music Industry

Sadly, no one seemed interested in making bold, broad statements on the subject matter, but a few folks name-dropped their personal faves. No consensus though, hardly worth repeating. Patrik Larsson did however reiterate the value of artistic development, a hot topic for anyone on the business side of things. Where there was once a tried and true path is now a vast, uncharted ocean. Possibilities are endless, but how many of them are worth pursuing? Most folks agree that communication is key though -- find your fans, keep them close, make them feel special. And then sell them expensive crap they didn't know they needed so that they feel even more special. Or something like that, I might've nodded off.

Panel III - Melodifestivalen

Melodifestivalen and Eurovision have their allure, but they cannot compete with the sights and sounds of NYC. Pass!

¹ this post alludes to what I'm talking about, but I believe that Nancy has elaborated elsewhere (if I remember correctly)

With less big-name international bands on the bill than previous festivals and a year that's seen riots and a pots-and-pans revolution in Iceland, the emphasis was very much on the more brutal end of the extensive local talent base to keep the natives happy and at the aforementioned bar on the Saturday night -- at the peak of the festival's four days of madness -- they exceeded expectations, with a little help from Canada's Cancer Bats. But that's not to say the local bands, amongst which some truly promising talent emerged, proved to be a disappointment.

As a dedicated metal night organised by British metal magazine Kerrang!, there was just one way for the evening to start and Ten Steps Away, a four piece from the suburban sprawl of Reykjavik's outskirts, provided ample opportunity for those floors to get some moisture. Combining some fairly radio-friendly riffs and arena-style posturing, they captured the brash confidence of the night in a stroke even if their music couldn't be considered adventurous. But what they do -- light metal with soul and not a little emotion -- they do very well and with a poise that makes them eminently watchable, if not surprisingly brilliant. Beer was spilt, but not enough.

Noise, a well-established band containing members of the sadly now defunct Sign and likened to Velvet Revolver, came up around mid-evening, just as the notoriously late-coming crowd began to trickle into town and take stock of the dozen or so shows it's possible to see at one time. They provided a more classic metal sound, grinding their way through a set of 80s old-school rock that was tighter than a puffin's backside and just as juicy (roasted in brenninvin -- a real evil brew of a spirit -- is best). Their drummer is called The Eagle and he, along with the rest of the band, showed that you can show off with your instruments without being dressed in spandex or living in decades past.

The rain might have been soaking anyone who dared make a worthy dash between venues to watch as many bands as possible, but being anchored to Sódóma felt like a cleansing antidote to some of the softer music that had dominated the first few days of the festival. The likes of the Brainlove Records day-long jam at Karamba, America's The Golden Filter and Sweden's The Tiny had all left a positive impression with a mix of airy folk (The Tiny), pumped retro synth (Golden Filter) and general goodly madness (all of Brainlove Records), but none had hit the home run just yet. Local alt-rock stalwarts Dikta came nearest but they lacked bite, despite possessing some excellent tracks that you could imagine being played on heavy rotation on mainstream radio.

It was time to make a dash to check out For A Minor Reflection at a graceful old theatre that'd been turned over to the festival for the week. The setting was perfectly suited to the young band's mildly aggressive post-rock compositions and they drew a huge crowd, many of which were chattering in admiration as they headed out into the rain again. For A Minor Reflection, in retrospect, were one of the highlights of the festival. Their grasp of instrumental rock music is staggering given their tender years and relative inexperience -- they are one band who, if anyone at the festival deserves it, will be spread far and wide across the globe just as Explosions In The Sky have been over recent years.

A brief stop at the Reykjavik Art Museum to see Britain's Cocknbullkid (they were too dull to even waste your time with, dear reader) only hastened a return to Sódóma to see Cancer Bats, who'd landed at Keflavik airport only hours before after a long flight from Canada. Perhaps being straight edge worked in their favour, considering the circumstances, and they launched into a set of explosive post-hardcore metal that had crowd surfers clamouring for the front and everyone else straining to see lead singer Liam before he took to the monitor stack. To say their performance was popular would be a gross understatement -- the atmosphere was the most volcanic of the entire festival and tracks from their highly-rated album "Hail destroyer" were despatched all too quickly for the baying audience. New material was also aired to a similar reception.

For sure, the floor was sticky now and the crowd took to subsequent bands Shogun and hardcore mainstays Klink with equal relish. "Fuck Trentemøller! Fuck Trentemøller!" announced Klink towards the end of the night, in reference to the Danish DJ who was performing at the dance-orientated NASA only a couple hundred meters away, and there wasn't a single person there who would rather have been dancing to 4/4 with some carpet under their feet. Metal ruled the festival, and long may it continue.

Words by Ben H. Murray

Múm have played over the years a very influential role in the Icelandic music scene -- sonically and ideologically -- and are undoubtedly one of the country's biggest music exports to date. With a brand new album in their sleeves ("Sing along to songs you don't know"), the band will soon be coming to the US for a series of gigs. Co-founder Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason gives It's a Trap! an all-inclusive interview about Baltic choirs, changing Icelandic values, the IMF, and balloons.

In what way is "Sing along to songs you don't know" different to "Go go smear the poison ivy"?

Well it's two years younger. It's quieter, more easy-going, more relaxed and maybe more untangled. In "Go go smear the poison ivy" there were so many layers and so many things going on. This one is much simpler.

Was it easier to write as well?

I think so, yeah. It was mostly technically easier. On both albums the songs came out really quickly.

What do you mean with technically easier then?

On "Go go smear the poison ivy" we used approximately 160 channels. On this one a lot of the songs were really simple, we had one with only just vibraphones, strings and voice. And another one with only marimba, strings and voice. We've never really done stuff like that before and it was really fun to do.

It was apparently recorded in many different countries, Iceland, Estonia and Finland. I read something about Latvia as well.

We could actually say five different countries. Hildur recorded a lot of her vocals in Berlin and a lot of the early stuff like pianos were done in New York. But actually not Latvia. Well, there's a story about this: we went to Estonia to record the album and we needed a choir for few of the songs. But we hadn't actually contacted any choir before going to Estonia. We talked to some people and they started making phone calls in order to get us one. And all of a sudden we ended up having two choirs instead of none! One was a Latvian (Balsis) and one was an Estonian choir (Suisapäisa). Eventually we decided to use the Estonian one for the album and in parallel to do some recordings of old Múm songs from "Finally we are no one" and "Summer make good" with the Latvian choir.

What are you going to do with these recordings then?

As soon as we're done with the tour we will start thinking about releasing them, because they sound really good.

What do the songs on "Sing along to songs you don't know" talk about?

The lyrical part hasn't really changed throughout the albums. There's always this dream world-theme. But there are maybe more love songs on this one.

Are there any other projects in the pipeline?

Well, we might do some live stuff with the Balsis choir as well. We've been doing some radio theatre pieces. We did one last Christmas in Iceland and that one has just been nominated for the European Prize for Radio Theatre, so we are doing another radio theatre this autumn. Radio theatres are definitely one of our favourite things to work on.

Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?

I don't know, maybe. The thing is, we mostly like working with our friends. We live in a very local community and we keep on doing it like that.

What's the mood in Iceland right now after the protests?

There's a lot of disappointment in the air. People had many hopes. They felt something was changing. Thing is, we wanted real change, not just a change in government, just bring in new parties that act exactly the same way like the old ones. Actually we wanted a new constitution. But as soon as a new government was put in place everything went forgotten. So people are disappointed.

Do you feel something has been achieved?

Yes, I feel people now know that they have the power to change at least something. There has been a little bit of a change in the people's attitude from since the banking crisis happened, which is very good. A lot of the former materialistic thinking is not as highly-regarded now. Before there was only one rule in Iceland: money. It was getting extreme. You couldn't talk about any values or any ideals. The only thing that validated you as a person was how much money you earned.

What do you think still needs to be done?

We need a new constitution and a new way of thinking about democracy in Iceland. On the other hand, we shouldn't have entered the IMF programme and we should have been able to deal with Icesave in a better way. This makes no sense. We cannot pay this sort of loan. Normal people never saw this money. We never came close to it, but we end up paying it.

How everything that has happened has influenced the artistic creativity in Iceland?

Energy is always released when something changes. This definitely has a big impact on any creative thing.

And Múm in particular? Were you influenced artistically?

That's a really hard question. We wrote three songs in January while the protests were happening, but they weren't necessarily in any way connected.

The Icelandic music scene is thriving. Initiatives like Kitchen motors in the past, the creation of Iceland Music Export, and now Gogoyoko and Brak Records are interesting steps. What would you like happening in the future?

More of these collaborative things. Getting together and doing different stuff. And also being spontaneous. The best thing is when you don't know what's going to happen the next year. And actually these initiatives become boring when people know what to expect from them.

How does the Múm collective work?

In a non-structured way. There is no system. We keep the way we work very deconstructed. We just see what happens, we never had any plans. A lot of changes happen on their own. And this is definitely how we are keeping it.

What does the future hold for Múm?

We can't really see beyond the tour. We have a couple projects lined-up. Like I said, the radio theatre and the choir thing. When you're touring it's like being inside a balloon. You can't see anything outside.

Words and pictures by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

12/02 - Ponyhof, Frankfurt (GER)
12/05 - Cantina Mediterraneo, Frosinone (ITA)
12/06 - Zuni, Ferrara (ITA)
12/10 - Baciccia, Piacenza (ITA)
12/11 - Officina 49, Cesena (ITA)
12/12 - Veronika Club, Parma (ITA)

It is not a secret that Reykjavík, a town of 100,000 inhabitants, has a thriving music scene and is home to hundreds of local bands. Unannounced and impromptu gigs in small bars across the city centre are not an uncommon phenomenon, in a place where everybody knows everybody. It's a Trap! flew to Iceland recently and, apart from intensive gig-going, it handpicked a selection of the best new releases by Iceland's new music representatives.

FM Belfast - How to make friends (World Champion Records)
If Scissor Sisters were residing in 101 (Reykjavík's city centre) instead of New York and had an 80's rather than a 70's twist, they would sound close to FM Belfast. If you are on a mission to fill the dancefloor, this packed with great electro-pop tunes album won't disappoint you.
LINK: http://www.fmbelfast.com/
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/fmbelfast

Sudden Weather Change - Stop! Handgrenade in the name of crib death 'nderstand? (Kimi Records)
This bunch of young Icelanders play straightforward and honest alternative rock. Their references hail from the 90's US-alternative scene and the likes of Sonic Youth and Pavement. Their music might lack some originality, but this doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve your unspoiled attention.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/suddenweatherchange

Rökkurró - Það kólnar í kvöld... (12 Tónar)
There is a deep melancholy to this album. Hildur Stefánsdóttir's voice is charismatic and fragile and Rökkurró's melodies haunting and well-developed. "Það kólnar í kvöld..." (Icelandic for "It's getting colder tonight") is a bit raw in some production/arrangement aspects but nonetheless it is great debut from a band that has got lots to offer. I am massively looking forward to the follow-up.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/rokkurro

Reykjavík! - The blood (Kimi Records)
After having attended a smashing live-set by these guys, the last thing I can do is to be objective. I feel compelled to praise this album. In you face, intense punk rock, combined with ridiculously catchy melodic lines and raw guitar power. There's a reason why Reykjavík! are one of the frontrunners of the new Icelandic music scene and "The blood" is the proof for this. Ones to watch!
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/reykjaviktheband

Agent Fresco - Lightbulb universe (Kimi Records)
With a voice resembling in its low passages Thom Yorke and a drummer trying to catch up with Mike Portnoy's complex beats, Agent Fresco make up a very interesting offering. Although math rock is not for all times of the day, if you do happen to be in the mood, Agent Fresco will do the trick really well.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/agentfresco

Sing Fang Bous - Clangour (Kimi Records)
Sing Fang Bous is the solo project of Sindri Már Sigfússon from folk-pop outfit Seabear. This time around Sindri introduces more electronic and experimental elements, without excluding the folksy ones. The outcome is an inspired album full of beautiful soundscapes and tender melodies.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/sinfangbous

All CDs can be purchased from:
12 Tónar
Kimi Records
Smekkleysa

Words and picture by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

The name A Camp might not necessarily sound that familiar but their singer definitely does. She's no other than Nina Persson, the instantly recognizable voice of one of Sweden's most successful bands, The Cardigans. Along with her American husband Nathan Larson, a film music composer and member of 90's alternative band Shudder To Think, they joined forces with Atomic Swing founder Niclas Frisk. Together they make up a very interesting offering that evidently departs from The Cardigans sound, moving towards more traditional, Bowie-esque soundscapes. Eight years after their debut, A Camp are back with a second album called "Colonia" which contains guest appearances by ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Joan As Police Woman and Swedish singer/songwriter Nicolai Dunger. It's a Trap! met up with the trio in Antwerp and had a long chat about music, politics, the US, and maple syrup.

Nina, you met Niclas about 12 years ago. How did that happen?

Nina Persson: Yeah, that was in 1997.

Niclas Frisk: We were in different bands at the time. Nina was obviously with The Cardigans and I had a band called Atomic Swing. Actually the very first time we met was when I played a gig with Atomic Swing and there was this one girl standing in the front, pointing at me because my zipper was down. [Laughs] That was Nina Persson and that was the first time we met.

How old were you at the time?

NP: Eighteen. I was also messing with his guitar pedals, which I know now you should never do.

NF: And this is my revenge! Here I am messing up her performance every night! [Laughs]

[Elsewhere Nina has mentioned that she met Niclas again in a bar in Stockholm on a night when she was very frustrated with her life. They chatted about music, and soon realized they were into similar stuff and that they both needed a new outlet. Not long afterward they met up and started writing music.]

And how did Nathan join? Where you guys already a couple?

NP: No, we met a while after that, in 1998 or so. That's when we became a couple. We also made music together. Nathan's band, Shudder To Think, asked me to sing a song on a soundtrack they did for a movie called "First Love, Last Rites". And I said yes, so we did the recordings with Nathan in Sweden. But then afterwards he came to a Cardigans show in the US and introduced himself and asked me if I could marry him as well! I said, sure... [Laughs]

NP: I know. It was actually me who asked! [Laughs]

How did the idea behind "Colonia" emerge?

NP: Well I guess we started making songs and we talked a lot during the procedure. We were just hanging out and talking about different things and I guess at some point we realized that we were talking a lot about colonialism.

NF: Every time we get together we seem to philosophize a lot; having interesting conversations, lots of fun and making music. The older I get the more I realize that one way to hang out with friends is either make a record with them or go on tour. That's when you have time to hang out. And we wanted to hang out and socialize, I think it's a little bit of that; of course we want to make a good record as well.

NL: What we happened to be reading, the films, the books we were consuming, the kind of information that was coming in, the news, what was going on politically. I think we all filtered that through our brains and then it came out in a certain way.

NF: We get so excited by what we discover, so we want to show everybody.

You said in an interview that the album was inspired by a trip to Africa, colonialism and the decadence of old kings and queens. Does this have any contemporary references?

NL: Absolutely.

NF: What triggered it was the atmosphere in New York and what was happening.

What kind of atmosphere?

NL: The way we define ourselves as humans is constantly changing, we think that we are civilised, in the same way white people in the 1600's though were civilized. It's an illusion based on where the western mindset is at the moment. To some extent everybody who might be in power, the Americans and the Westerners, in the world contemporary scene is doing the same amount of damage and brutality to their fellow humans as they were in the 1600's. If that is an aspect of human nature, how do we make sure that we have the right people controlling the weaponry? How do we move forward, understanding that some people are controlled entirely by their reptile brains, and some people have a moral compass with which to control themselves?

NF: And some people alter between the two all the time.

You supported the Obama campaign. What is you relationship with politics?

NL: In a country like America you have to be involved politically because it's absolutely necessary. In a country like Sweden you are choosing between similar things. It's "a little bit of this and a little bit of that", whereas in America you're choosing between "a lot of this and a lot of that". You really have to fight and it affects the rest of the world in a really big way. So if you want to end a war somewhere, and if you feel that it's important to support a candidate -- let's see what he does! -- then you have to fight for it. That's my relationship with it. It's very personal. Nina understood that and I think she feels the same way. It's sort of a social thing too. In New York we have a group of friends. Nina is involved with the cabaret.

NP: It's called The Citizens Band. It's run by a friend of mine, this woman who is also active in the Obama campaign. It's started eight years ago and I've been part of for the last two years or so.

NL: It's like a song and dance thing in the tradition of Weimar Berlin, the 20's, Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht etc. If you look at those old songs, they are about politics. This is why the Nazis hated them of course. They were about lesbianism and other taboo subjects. This is the sort of group of people that are our friends and they are also very involved with the campaign.

Coming back to the music. Who writes the lyrics?

NL: We all do. The way it actually worked on most of the songs is that Niclas would have the melody and then maybe only one line, or so. And then we take that and work on it together, or Nina will work on it alone for a while and then we all come together and develop it.

In what way is "Colonia" different to the first album?

NP: It's a lot newer.

NL: It's a lot less introverted.

NF: I think it's a little bit more for the mind than for the soul. Just like an urban environment is more for the mind than for the soul. The pace of the lyrics is quicker.

What does the name "A Camp" actually refer to?

NF: We just decided that we would go up to the woods and do some songs, do some drawings, bake some bread and record some music. At some point Nina said that we were having a camp in the woods. And at the same time we were shopping in a supermarket and saw this maple syrup with the name "Camp" on it and on the logo there is a small wooden house on it. It wasn't more than that, we decided; let's call it "A Camp".

How come James Iha is appearing on your album?

NL: He's an old friend. A great guy and a great supporter. He owns the studio were we recorded most of the record. And Niclas independently came to know him and worked with him.

NF: He is a mutual friend to all of us and in some way sort of a remote band member.

Why did you choose Nicolai Dunger to make a duet with?

NP: Nicolai is one of my old favourite male singers and I like his music a lot.

Did you know him personally before?

NP: No, I didn't know him personally before. I actually wrote the song with his voice in mind. We wrote his name in the song and then we had to ask him if he would actually do it. If he said no, we would actually have to rewrite the song. But he said yes.

How long have you been living in the US now?

NP: Well it has been on and off for as long as Nathan and I have been together: ten years. We actually bought a house in Harlem two years ago. So it's been two years more or less that I've been living permanently.

How does it feel to be a European living in the US? Have there been things so far that really struck you?

NP: Nothing ever shocks you really, because we grew up with American culture. All western kids did, with TV and the music. So for me coming to New York was like: Great, it looks exactly like I knew it would. That's the feeling. It's never really like a huge cultural clash. Maybe mentally. I am very Swedish mentally. In social situations I can be a very Swedish person, which means that I can be slightly quieter, more soft-spoken, it might be hard to believe [Laughs], but in an American context I actually am. But I love it, I felt really at home early on in New York. Of course, because I was with Nathan and his family. If I came on my own, it could have been a whole different situation.

Can you compare life in Malmö and New York?

NP: It's very different in a lot of ways. In New York you need to commute a lot. In NY you wake up by screaming kids, in Malmö you don't wake up at all. [Laughs] In NY we have a bunch of friends but it's a much bigger project hanging out with friends, so I guess in NY it's usually me and Nathan hanging out together. In Malmö you can't walk really far at all without running into a friend, which is great. I love both aspects of it. The logistics about New York are quite different, because in Malmö everything is within an arm's length.

Is there something you miss from Sweden and especially from Malmö?

NP: Just my friends, really. Also we do go back so often still, especially when we made this record, I never get to miss anything.

Your first single out of "Colonia" is called "Stronger than Jesus". What is your relation to religion?

NP: Well, none of us is an actual believer, but all of us have relations to religion. I have a strong relation to religion, because I grew up in religious places with an atheist family. [Laughs] I've been around with religious kids in my whole life. And Nathan is of very religious descent.

NL: Yeah, my grandparents and extended family are very religious in a very American way. There's a Mormon side of the family, there's a Baptist side. But then of course my parents grew out of that. The song bears no relationship with religion.

NP: I think Jesus would like that song.

NF: It's a song about love.

NL: That force is more powerful than any person.

Would you ever be tempted to do other things apart from music? You've been flirting with acting for instance. [Nina made her film-debut as a Finnish tango-blond in Amir Chamdin's "Om Gud Vill"]

NP: Yeah, maybe. One thing that I feel that I have not gathered enough outlet for in my life is that I am quite crafty and creative, physically. I make stuff, do the carpenter and so on. I would love to do more of that in my life.

Do you get lots of time off?

NP: Yeah, that's the good thing about this job.

Is it difficult to find work/life balance when you are in the same band with your husband/wife?

NL: For me, I also do film scores and so I am doing that all day and by the time I get home at night, the last thing I want to talk about is music, or listen to it.

Is it easier to express yourself artistically in a band of three rather than in a band of five?

NF: I think it's easier the less you are.

NP: We're much more mobile units now. But the democracy is quicker.

For what reason would you like people to remember you?

NP: I would like people to remember me for my music, especially because I also wrote music.

What are your immediate plans after this tour finishes?

NL: We don't know yet. We will do a US tour after this European tour and then we will do festivals. So it will be like the next fall when we will think about what to do next.

NF: Restoring domestic relations.

NL: I think me and Nina are very lucky in that respect.

Words and picture by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

I'm not sure what's best about Oslo, that the 2 hour drive from the airport made me feel like I've ended up in Narnia, or that the sound at the pedestrian crossings reminds me of the intro to Lil Wayne's "Lollipop". Either way, it's a pretty neat town (despite being ridiculously expensive, I'm trying to ignore what I'll have spent on beer alone come Sunday). It's constantly snowing here, but even though it's quite cold it could have been worse – prior to last year (and since 1998) the festival was based in Trondheim which is further north and allegedly much colder. The gigs at by:Larm are at various Oslo venues, and most of them are within walking distance from each other (like The Great Escape in Brighton, UK or SXSW in Austin, TX). Yesterday I was very lucky, pretty much all the shows I went to were at venues almost door to door. The majority of the shows start at 8 pm, and it's all pretty much over by 2:00 am. There are some shows early on though, one of these was Children and Corpse Playing in the Street who, despite their creepy moniker, play sweet twee folk. It was a little bit short of great melodies, but charming nevertheless. Shame that the tent that they played in was almost empty.

After the show I went for a light lunch, light for the stomach but heavy for the wallet (150 NOK – yipes!). I also managed to have a little nap back at the hotel (I planned to camp, but couldn't find my tent) before I braved the cold again to see the next band. Pony the Pirate are probably getting used to be called "Norway's Arcade Fire" by now, but it is a very fitting description. At first I was very charmed by their sheer energy and drive, but after a while their pompousness and "in your face" style started getting on my nerves. At times it was so pompous that I got vibes reminiscent of 80s power ballad bands such as Scorpions. I'm sure there are a whole bunch of people out there who will go nuts for this though. Good on them!

The contrast between Pony the Pirate and the next band I saw, Denmark's Choir of Young Believers, could hardly have been greater. Whereas the former are so energetic it almost hurt the eyes to watch them, the latter are a rather dull Americana MOR sounding band. My first disappointment at by:Larm!

Just one floor down in the same building as I saw COYB, Iceland's Retro Stefson were meant to play. This was one of the bands I'd looked forward the most to see at the festival. When they entered the stage I was certain I'd gone to the wrong place though, in walked a bunch of teenagers looking way too young to play the music I've listened previously to on their Myspace. Imagine my surprise when they played a set that was one of the best I've seen in some time. It's as if these kids have channelled all their teenage energy into writing and performing fantastic complex songs. I wonder, don't they have video games Iceland? Their charisma and playful songs make them a kind of teenage Icelandic Vampire Weekend. Dang, they were great!

There's no time for sitting down on a bus or in a pub after the gigs at by:Larm to reflect of what you've just experienced. It's hard finding time off to eat, and I've come to realise that I should always have a back-up plan in case the gig I plan to go to is full. I panicked a bit when I couldn't get into Mono to see the daftly named My Little Pony, but then I came to my senses, checked the program and rushed to Sub Scene to catch Manatee Racket, which proved to be a lucky move! Manatee Racket are not as young as Retro Stefson, but equally as energetic (especially their drummer who hit those skins as if his life depended on it). But where Retro Stefson are more of a bunch of geeky teenagers who are yet to discover alcohol, Manatee Rackets came across as a gang of snotty teenagers who are quite familiar with moonshine and dancing until you puke (nothing wrong with either way, and I might be totally wrong, it could be the other way around, who knows what the kids are up to these days, eh!). Erm, anyway, I found their XTC-tinged songs quite alluring.

Einar Stray could have done with a little of Retro Stefson and Manatee Racket's teenage energy. He's a hip looking singer songwriter with an even hipper looking backing band, and he sounds a bit like an early Brigh Eyes on Xanax. Not too exciting, but ok.

While waiting in the Dagbladet tent after Einar Stray played and before Ingeborg Selnes's show, I by chance caught Anne Lene Hägglund play. She's a happy-go-lucky girl playing harmless songs on her acoustic guitar. Nice and as subversive as a cup of tea, although not my cup of tea.

Unfortunately I only managed to catch half of Ingeborg Selnes who played next. It sounded quite good, she's a very charming and quirky singer songwriter. I'm definitely going to try and see her properly today or tomorrow.

My hasty departure from Selnes's gig was due to trying to see Swedish band Parken at Fisk & Vilt. I'm not too familiar with how Parken looks but I think it's a blonde Swedish guy (not too many of them in these parts, right?). So when I got to the venue and saw such a man with a guitar I assumed I was in for a Parken gig. Imagine my surprise when the blonde man started singing in English. It wasn't Parken, but Robert Svensson! Someone had change the bill without telling! Shame on them! Robert Svensson was ok, but I was quite disappointed with not seeing Parken so I couldn't really pay him enough attention. This is where my Swedish part of the night started.

Second Swedish act of the night was Juvelen who played at the lovely Stratos that is situated on the 11th floor of a building with a great view of Oslo (that also has an outdoor part, which makes the venue very popular with smokers and others alike). I've seen Juvelen once before, then it was just him with an electric guitar. This time he had two band members with him, which proved to be much to his advantage, he appeared more comfortable and the sound was far richer than at his solo show. I'm crazy about Juvelen's Prince sounding music so seeing him at this picturesque place was a real treat!

After Juvelen it was back to the mess of a bill at Fisk & Vilt. Far och Son was meant to play, but when I got there The Fine Arts Showcase were setting up their gear. Far och Son was pretty much one of the bands I wanted to see the most at by:Larm, cue similar disappointment as at previous Robert Svensson gig – and despite TFAS having a bunch of great songs, I couldn't really get into it.

At this stage my original plan was in tatters, I had intended to see Jenny Wilson after Far och Son's nonexistent previous performance, but oddly enough they were scheduled to play at Stratos straight after their Fisk & Vilt show. The temptation to see Far och Son at Stratos was just way too much for my intoxicated mind, so this is where I went, and I'm very glad I did. Far och Son rap in Swedish, over fast electro-like pumping beats. Their fun show (especially their phenomenal single "Panik") really got the crowd moving and it was a great way to end my first night in Oslo.

Ok, the night didn't really end there, I managed to go to the Dagblad tent for more drinks, then back to Fisk & Vilt for further refreshments, only to catch the last half of Far och Son doing another show. I enjoyed my first day at by:Larm immensely and now I've got two more to go. Woop! Woop!

Words and (amateur) pictures by Simon Tagestam

Of course, none of my many music teachers (+ others) over the years can compete with Moto Boy's rendition. His new EP of classically-inspired works ("For Martha") is just that: inspired. In the long run, I rather listen to his original torch songs, but since my wife has had this on steady repeat ever since it showed up a week ago, I'm happy to listen again and again. Despite the annoyance this piece has played in my life, it's strongly recommended.

"When I was phoned by Franka Abrahamsen, who asked if we would like to contribute with a cover version of a Nikolaj Nørlund song, I couldn't help but laughing a bit. Fact was, that we were at the Sauna Studio with the same guy producing new Lampshade material. We asked Nikolaj is he would produce his own song in a new version, and he answered with a dry smile that he could at least help us with the chords..."

More new Lampshade material? Finally! Apparently an EP in on the way before the end of the year and I have to say, I'm pretty excited about it. While the members of Lampshade have been quite busy with various sideprojects such as As In RebekkaMaria, This Is Head and so on, none compare to the original. I will not settle, I will not accept substitutions.

First, the standard question: how long have you lived in Göteborg, what brought you there and what keeps you hanging around?

Different for all of us but between 3-5 years.

Martin was brought here first, he had a love story in Göteborg and when we wanted to start this band I (Anders) moved here and soon Jon too. After my four years here, the windy weather keeps me a little confused, it's never still, as in Wermland where we come from, there it's quiet and never cold winds like this. I like both. Right now a lot of things are happening with this band and it suits us to be in a city with much going on, musically, also we have both our booking agency and our distribution company right around the corner here in Göteborg; that's nice since we want to have a straight and good contact with everyone we work with.

How do you guys fit into the city's musical landscape? Are you more at home in the folk or indie scene? Or is there another niche that fits you better? Or does that kind of segmentation even affect you at all?

Since we play instrumental music that happens to reach so many different kinds of people from many different places in the world, I would say we don't have much in common with any kind of scene in Göteborg or anywhere else. I think we contribute with something beautiful to the musical landscape of Göteborg. We don't call us indie but other people do, sometimes we call ourselves folk but there's so much we do which is not "folk", I don't know, we never think about this really.

This summer we have played both at Urkult which is very, very folky out in the deep woods of north Sweden, and at Emmaboda which is called Indieboda and that tells about their profile.

To me, we are something new. Someone called us Folktronica. Maybe that's it. But that's just words, in fact we have people listening to us who have never heard about "indie" or "folk" and they don't care, they are not a part of a scene and we don't have a need to be either.

What inspired your interest in traditional Swedish folk music? Was it hard to find eachother/other people who shared similar interests?

We are from Wermland, in those cabins out in the woods of Wermland everyone has an accordion. It's like people in cities have an e-mail. Both my grandmother and grandfather has always played the accordion for me. (My love for accordion though actually started in 1989 with the extremely beautiful song "Lambada" by the group Kaoma, I got a mix tape from my parents which they bought at a gas station when we drove from Karlstad to Stockholm at the higway of E18, I listened to that song every night, rewind, listen, rewind, listen...).

One day in 2004 me and Martin borrowed an accordion from our grandmother and just did a song. Martin pulled the accordion bass side forth and back and I played the buttons, it was too hard to do it by myself at that time. =)

The three of us knew eachtother before the first time we played together in this band. We had a very clear idea of what to do together and it was magical how easy it was do work together from day one.

Would you say that Detektivbyrån inspires listeners to become more interested in Swedish folk tradition or do you find that it works the other way around, inspiring people who are typically only interested in folk to branch out into other modern indie/experimental music?

Sure, both of them, and that's fun!

"Indie kids" come up to me after shows and tell me their parents gave them an accordion as a birthday present, they started to play it since they listened to us, and that's one of the most beautiful things I can hear after a show. Then there's an local radio station which has this accordion special every Thursday and usually there's just old traditional stuff, but they really dig us and play for the old people out there, and these people send cute e-mail to us, they are glad we are taking care of their accordion tradition.

How excited are you to play this year's Nordic Roots fest? Got any other plans for when you're over here?

Hey, none of us has even been to the US so it's pretty huge for us, both as a band and personally. We met a band that had played at that festival and they told us it's one of the most amazing audience you can get, I asked them if there's something special to think about when we are going and they just answered "Have FUN, have so much fun." And we will. We will enjoy every second of it.

I'm scared of the long flight. It is NOT natural to pretend you are a giant bird together with a huge group of people. People get caught and locked in for stuff like that, but in this case it's legal, we even pay money for it...

We are gonna play at Lotus festival in Bloomington, Indiana the week after the Nordic Roots fest. We have people in both LA, NYC and other cities, wanting us to play at their clubs and we really want it to happen but I'm afraid we won't make it out there since the big distances you got. We'll see what happens. It's the first time we come over but hopefully not the last.

Lastly, how about sharing a song from the new album? Tell us about it.

You can download two songs from the new album at detektivbyran.net, please choose one of them whichever you prefer, or use both! "Om du möter varg" was written on Martin's and my grandmother's electric organ, out in her cabin. "Neonland" was written as a lullaby for my little kid.

For all readers, we'll release our new album "Wermland" on our own label Danarkia, 3rd of September. It's financed, composed, played, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by ourselves and if you want to you can Pre-order it at our website detektivbyran.net
If you do you'll get a signed copy up on the release date.

I flipped a coin and it came up "Neonland", but you really can't go wrong with these guys no matter what you do. If you like what you hear, head to their site for more.

Hear more/pre-order the album: http://www.myspace.com/thedeertracks

If you remember the previous Opium Cartel track I posted last September, this one mines similar territory, though is a bit quieter/folksier. I still hear a bit of the same dark, atmospheric vibe that's in all of Jacob's work dating back to White Willow, however the guest vocals from Rachel Haden (currently on tour with Todd Rundgren, believe it or not) push it closer to Kate Bush avant-pop territory. It starts off twinkly, but slowly progresses into, well, progressive territory. This mix isn't even close to refined so I'm sure the finished version will be even bigger (Jabob: "None of the TOC tracks have actually been mixed yet, and this one suffers a bit from that, as it has like a million tracks"), but it's pretty damn good as-is, so listen up and let your mind fill in the blanks for its as-yet untapped potential. The song and the main melody are in place and that is what's most important.

Errata: the lineup for this recording is Jacob and Rachel plus frequent collaborator Mattias Olsson (Pineforest Crunch, Molesome, etc.) and flautist Ketil Einarsen (Jaga Jazzist). Expect a late 2008/early 2009 release.

On to the shows. Having nagged about how much to do and how little time to do it in, I still managed to catch a whole bunch of bands. One of the downsides of having a fascination close to obsession for music, and thus going to nearly every concert and festival available for many years now, is that it's hard to fully enjoy an artist or a band when having already seen the act far too many times. Sure, The Hives, Håkan Hellström, Mustasch and Kristian Anttila are all good bands/artists, but none of their shows were anything out of the ordinary. The Hives were just as crazy and powerful as always (but honestly, what is there for Pelle Almqvist to say or do that Howlin' Pelle hasn't already said and done?), Håkan was emotional as always and the charismatic Ralf Gyllenhammar of Mustasch played his robust clown card (although you need to be a native to fully understand all of his blabbering) perfectly. The same goes for Ane Brun and Tingsek. I still enjoyed their concerts, but I didn't expect anything else and therefore, was hardly surprised. What did surprise me was the massive crowds that turned up to support both Timo Räisänen and the up-and-coming rockers in Takida. I knew Takida had a big following (you tend to have that when just about every song has a chorus fit for everyone to sing along to) but Timo seemed hardly taken by surprise - instead he put on a show worthy any successful indie/pop artist from Göteborg you can think of.

And then there was Annika Norlin. Why, why, why did Rockparty place Annika and her friends in Säkert! on the main stage in mid-daylight? Never mind the daylight come to think of it, but the stage was far too big and the crowd far too small for Säkert! to be able to really get in under your skin. 'Cuz she's got the songs, Annika Norlin is without doubt one of the best Swedish songwriters there is at the moment, but Annika Norlin is not a stage persona. It's a shame, with a more enthusiastic Annika, and a smaller and more intimate venue, Säkert! will surely blow your mind. Speaking of blowing your mind, you didn't miss Johnossi, did you? Because if you did, you missed one of the coolest and greatest live bands there is. Having their second record out, "All they ever wanted", John and Ossi is once again ready to explode from within as soon as they hit the stage. Having seen the lads a couple of times before, with the latest occasion just a month ago, they did alright. With alright I mean they rocked the arse of all other bands that night, you should see them when they really hit the spot - unbelievable.

I did get to see a couple of first timers as well. Crushing hardcore from Raised Fist, electrifying... whatever you call it from the Finnish Disco Ensemble and soothing singer/songwriter from the young sisters Söderberg in First Aid Kit. And Those Dancing Days of course, finally I got a chance to see for myself what the buzz was all about. Nothing, it turned out. Been a long time since I've been to a concert that dull, but they're still young, so hopefully they'll come around. They reminded me about the short performance I watched with Little Marbles when they played a short set backstage. Young skitty girls with horrendous clothing and skitty little melodies, I just don't get it. So, trying to summarize Hultsfred 2008 I must say that I'm satisfied, even though I missed a few acts that I really wanted to see (Lykke Li, A Beautiful Friend, Robyn and Firefox AK, to name a few) and that Petter Seander, bass player in the Kristian Anttila band, didn't keep his promise to take me to that Håkan Hellström barbecue party in the garden of the house rented by EMI (free beer you know...). He now owes me one.
- Christian Stenbacke

06/24 - LEGOcafe, Cesena
06/25 - Cantina Mediterraneo, Frosinone
06/26 - Karon Beach, Vasto
06/27 - Bahia Light Bar, Napoli

Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/agataandme

First off, the standard question: how long have you lived in Gbg? Where did you move from and what keeps you there?

I have lived in Gothenburg all my life except for short stints as a chef in France and a mod in London. Now I got myself so tangled up in everything it would be impossible for me to move or even take a vacation. At least that's how it feels like.

I play bass with Bonnie & Clyde and The Spurts. I run my own managing company No Good Productions who take care of both my bands as well as the best band in the world; Ram Di Dam. I organise club nights and gigs under the name No Good Club. Now I'm planning on starting a record label as well that would be called No Good Records surprisingly enough.

I tend to keep busy.

How healthy do you think the local Gbg indie scene is nowadays? Good bands? Good venues? Is there enough diversity? How do you think it compares to the scene of 5/10+ years ago?

The Gbg indie scene in is dead! Long live the Gbg indie scene!

It's brilliant right now and it's getting better! There is a new scene on the rise with a couple of bands that I'm pretty sure will make it big. Bands without any ironic touch, silly gimmicks or iPods on stage. Bands that really know how to play and write fantastic music: The Fume, Bye Bye Bicycle, Ram Di Dam and I really hope for B&C and The Spurts as well of course.

There you got it! Gothenburg's soon-to-be legendary new indie scene. Remember where you heard it first!

Speaking of diversity, how much crossover do you see happening between various music scenes? Or does everyone stick to their own niche, more or less?

Well, basically none. It might sound harsh, but right now we are not so interested in what's happening on the other scenes around the city or anywhere else. We are to busy doing our thing. Or inventing it more or less.

What does Gbg have to offer that no other Swedish city can compete with? On the flipside, is there anything it lacks?

My father, who is musician as well, has written a song where the lyrics, translated from Swedish, go: This town is too small to live in but much too big to leave. Thats pretty much how it is and not even Henrik Berggren could have said it better.

We love our city as much as we hate it. It feeds us as much as it feeds on us. It's not always a healthy relationship but we like it that way.

Since you play in both the Spurts and Bonnie & Clyde, this may be difficult, but here's the deal: pick a favorite, give me a song to post and tell me how you came to your decision.

Bonnie & Clyde - I guess there's no one

It's the first track on our brand new EP ("The great tram robbery") and I'm really proud to be a part of it because I think its a great song. We had our release party yesterday (7/6), it was fantastic! Lots of sparkling wine!

Right now I am waiting for the painkiller to kick in so I can go buy some breakfast. I hope I made my point?

I've been doing acoustic or semi-acoustic solo shows for years as well as as touring and playing one off shows with all members of MABD or just doing more punk rock gigs as a trio. I mean, playing solo is nothing new to me, I've been adjusting the sets according to circumstances for seven years or something now. But the question is will I go solo, right? Well, yeah. My plan is to release records under my own name from now on. But I will also keep on playing with The Bear Quartet and get involved with other people. I've had some cool offers already. But I can't really talk about it just yet. I disbanded MABD on Monday and made it public today [Wednesday]. It's a bit early, I think.

So what's up w/BQ then? Is a new album underway? Any clues as to what it will end up sounding like?

As nothing has turned out the way we thought it would the last two years or something regarding The Bear Quartet, I can't really say if there's gonna be an album out this year. But we are going to hook up in Calle Olsson's studio this summer, and I've got like 10-15 songs for that occasion. But how they'll turn out, or even if any of them make final cut, I don't know. Thing is, we used to work so fast before, and in my mind we've made like two or three records already. And I'm tired of them now, this one will sound nothing like the last two (imaginary) records. I know it sounds weird, but I can't explain it any other way. We've made an album full of Talk Talk-like ballads and a funk album. In my head. I have no idea what the other's records sound like in their heads. Same goes for the next one, the real one we are planning. But that's sort of the whole point, as far as we're concerned.

Seeing as how you've been playing acoustic, does that mean we can expect an acoustic album? Or do have other plans? Also, do you think you'll still be singing in Swedish as with MABD or will you also work again in English outside of BQ?

I will most certainly not make an acoustic record. Not in the singer/songwriter vein anyway. I lived under the illusion that I was making mainstream music for Swedish radio the last couple of years, when clearly I was not. I don't know why the radio didn't pick up really. But I think I will sing in Swedish for the most part. Swedes who sing in English kind of annoys me. That said, I think this year (and the last) some people have finally made great records in English although they're Swedes. I'm thinking of playing rockabilly in Swedish. With serious lyrics about real and engaging things. I don't think it's ever been done. But it's just an idea.

I want to take things all the way, that's what I mean. I did feel that MABD was quite mainstream on the last album, and don't get me wrong, that was all fully intended, but I think I prefer to work in the extremes more. Or, I don't know. I want to make a million different records before my head and heart explodes, that's all really. I just don't now where to begin just yet.

But I wouldn't rule out English completely. I just don't think there are enough good Swedish lyrics around and I still want to change that.

It seems odd to me that the mainstream didn't pick up on it more either - especially since the Swedish public seems to go crazy for even the most lackluster Swedish language pop. Maybe you should try your hand at a schlager/dansband record? But seriously, now that you've freed yourself to do your own thing, what do you think you'll do first? What kind of niches are you wanting to explore? How extreme are you going to take it?

Well, I want to make a real old-school hardcore record, a dark, dark post-punk/post hardcore one. And I want to finalize what was supposed to be the next MABD-record. Oh, and I have a full album, lyrics, songs everything written for the most annoying record in the world. It's like Greg Ginn's [Black Flag] solo albums, paired with prime-time Throbbing Gristle, Flipper, No Trend, early PiL and early Butthole Surfers. But with me smeared all over it like a rotten egg.

However, I have a large family that I can't and won't let down, who I (together with my wife) have to support and take care of. I have no education whatsoever, no steady income, or anything like that. Perhaps the most annoying record in the world won't put food on the table or pay the rent. On the other hand, I'm turning 40 next year; time is running out and I don't really have any other options, so I've got nothing to loose. I don't know who'd want to release these records, though. And since I'm already living on the absolute edge financially, I can't really release them myself. I don't know in which end to begin, really. But it's early days yet. Things might work out by themselves.

I dunno, it seems like more and more niche/fringe artists are able to make a go at it nowadays. I know that locally here we have hardcore bands like Sex/Vid blowing through thousands of 7"s in a few weeks that immediately fetch crazy prices on eBay. And they don't even have a web presence. Is it maybe that the underground in Sweden is dead? Or am I mistaken? Are you able to keep up with that stuff?

I started up a kind of community center for grown ups last year, you know, rehearsal spaces, a place for gigs and the occasional party. It was me, Jonas Teglund [Park Hotell] and a bunch of hardcore punks. They, the punks, have several gigs each months, bands from all over the world (I've seen Tervet Käädet, MDC and Born/Dead to name but a few only this year), and the local hardcore bands like Avskyvärld and Kranium are touring constantly all over Europe. They release 7" EPs and splits with other bands and sell them on gigs. You know, just like in the old days. But I don't think they sell thousands of records and I don't think any of them earns a living from touring either. I mean, the underground is not dead in any way, but it's a micro-genre in a small country. Then again, I suppose Kristofer Åström gets by playing his brand of country-rock doing the same thing for about the same sized crowds all over Europe. I don't think there's too much money in the punk/hardcore community. I understand that if I were to sing in English I could probably sell more records and tour more often and at a higher standard in Europe (since Sweden is kinda sick of me by now). But that line of thinking just triggers something profoundly Bear Quartet-ish in me, and I think fuck you, I'm gonna sing in Swedish anyway and even more. No compromise, not even in the face of armageddon, as they say in Alan Moore's Watchmen. I think it's a handicap, but I can't really help it. I just can't conform. Maybe when I grow up.

Ah, so even the hardcore scene is alive and well way up in Luleå, eh? Speaking of which, do you think that living up there has hindered your career at all? I mean, it seems like a big part of the reason MABD is no more is because everyone is so scattered. Do you think you'd be more successful in a more "major" city like Stockholm or Gothenburg? Or is that simply incompatible with your iconoclastic personality?

Hehehe. If I had thought of it as a career. Yeah, of course it's been a problem and will continue to be a problem, living in Luleå. One quite major part of us quitting was my inability to take the business/career side of it seriously, and feeling guilty that I was holding back the others who, in the beginning anyway, felt there was a possibility to actually earn a living from this. But I actually prefer to play Debaser Slussen in Stockholm as to play in Debaser Medis, which is a much bigger venue. I think maybe some of the others were hoping that we would play a even bigger place the next time we played Stockholm. But I didn't (and to be honest, still don't) care enough to make that happen, and they (not everybody, but some of them) haven't really told me to my face, but I think they were a bit disappointed about that.

Every now and then I try to shape up, be a proper Artist, with A Proper game-plan or whatever, but I can't be bothered. I just wanna go home and write some new songs instead, rehearse them, record them and put them out. I don't have time for careering. I'm about something else.

How soon until we get to hear something new then? Have you had any label offers yet or are you considering other distribution plans? My door is always open of course, though money is scarce/nonexistent.

I've had offers. Or rather, one expressed interest and one offer. I'm always considering other distribution plans. My problem is recording, not releasing. Or rather, I care more about being able to make the record(-ings) than getting it out. Record labels and/or means of distribution are the next step. The ideal thing would be to find a way to record whatever I want, and THEN get a label. As my plan is to make all sorts of records, I can understand if the majors and the more traditional indies hesitate to sign me, or to fund my recordings. By that I mean that I can't say anything about when or what will be released. But I'm up for just about anything. Although I'm not too keen on making home recordings. I want a actual studio, maybe a producer and someone to work the studio equipment.

And thanks for the offer. I will consider it.

LINK: http://www.mabd.se/

Frequent readers of It's A Trap! already know that Johndoe are favourites of both Avi and me. The album "Dødvinkel" was one of the best albums released in 2006 and the band delivered on stage as well. Singer Jonas Skybakmoen won't let any language barrier stand in the way of his songs. Their take of singing in Norwegian lifts the songs to higher dimensions, and that's being said from me as a Swede. I have a hard time embracing non-Swedish or non-English speaking music. I envy those who can. In this case however, I absolutely adore the music combined with their lyrics that reek of self-inflicted pain and reflections of an every day situation, it's like poetry really. The indie-/punk rock of this Trondheim-based quartet is similar to The Clash and MABD and even though the focus is on the melodies and not so much on the guitar riffs anymore, it's hard to not mention Randy on the list of influences. The dub sound of "Pyromantikk" and the punk rock in "Konflikt" gave the show the diversity that live shows need. But nonetheless, it's the songs from the latest release that blow me away, especially "Kjøtere". The ferocity of Johndoe live is breathtaking. We who attended are blessed.

Well, even with the risk of being slightly challenged here, Randy was top notch! It is no secret that I rank them as one of the best bands in Sweden and even when they're quite unfocused in their performance, they still kick most bands asses any day. Fredrik, Johan B, Stefan and Johan G are a tight combo and it shows. Seeing that this was a gig outside of any current tour, they still managed to put on an awesome show. Not only are they flawless performers, the songs in the setlist are of such high quality that they would make Jello Biafra or Glenn Danzig (Misfits era) envious. 'Cause one of the trademarks of this band is that they have always stolen with class and, making the music into something their own, something Randy-ish. Focusing on the four most recent records of their back catalogue, they know how to play their cards to the crowd and the crowd swallowed every bit. Hook, line and sinker. The only song not featured on those records was the Lita Ford cover "Kiss me deadly" (from the "The rest is silence" album) with which they closed the gig. And that right there is what makes this band so great; crowd-pleasing, uncompromising AND with great taste in music, all at the same time. The next time I see them (for the 22nd time) I hope they will play "Humanalogism" or "You are what you fight for". I know it's a utopia, but it would be awesome.

Text by Jonas Appelqvist
Pics by Sofia Qvarnström

In 2002, I took my first breath of Swedish air and moved into a beautiful villa just across from the Tunnelbana tracks in Kärrtorp. I remembering smiling widely as Ella and Judy Torkelsson helped me with my things across the Arlanda parking lot into their blue Volvo station wagon. It wasn't so much that I was so desperate as to accept any weak breeze as the winds of change, my last year in British boarding school is saturated with many of my most treasured moments, and I grew and matured quite a bit as my A-Levels loomed, came, and passed. There was a genuine moment as I exited the airport into that grey day, the first definitive moment I'd ever had.

Over the coming months, I fell progressively more in love with Sweden, Stockholm in particular. While Ella was in school, I would walk down to the center of Kärrtorp, take the train into T-Centralen, and walk along the water, through the cobbled streets of Gamla Stan, and the parks of Södermalm. I started to feel less like a stranger or a voyeur observing the city around me. As the year wore on, I started to make friends, many of whom I am still in frequent contact with today, and began the life that I am now thoroughly involved in.

People ask me what it is about Stockholm that left me feeling this way, and I've never been able to give them a satisfactory answer, not for myself anyways. It's like asking a true Yankees fan what it is about the Bronx Bombers that attracts their loyalty. There are obvious things you can point to - friends, a coffee shop, the public transportation, universal healthcare, etc. - but much of one's admiration and allegiance is wrapped up in wordless swells of sentiment, and excluding them seems to detract from the whole.

Having one of the more prolific and creative music scenes in the world (in many ways putting breath into those "wordless swells"), I thought I'd ask various musicians in Stockholm the same question that has been posed to me - namely, "What is it about Stockholm?", amongst other pressing inquiries.

The following is the first attempt to scratch below the surface, to paint various pictures of a multifaceted city in the music and words of some of Stockholm's most talented citizens. My thanks to Norma for being my first test subjects.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

How did Norma come about?

We're all kind of weird, in our different ways. I think that was what brought us together. Norma is all about us three. If you would exchange any of the members, the sound would be totally different. You could describe it as some sort of terrorbalance. We all have a lot of ideas going in different directions, but the result of the struggle is Norma.

Where in Stockholm do you guys rehearse? Where have you rehearsed in the past?

Right now, we actually don't have any place to rehearse. That is one of the biggest downsides of being a band in Stockholm, there are just no cheap dungeons for bands to evolve in. So for now, our apartment (Aron Sandell and Petter Bendelin's) will have to do. But you can't do live drums here, and if we continue like this, sooner or later our neighbours will come knockin'... In the past we've been in a couple of different shelters, but when your guitars start rusting and you have to do warm-up exercises for 30 minutes before you can play a song, you feel like there's just got to be a better way.

What inspirations are present on "1"?

Well, the songs that are on "1" all sprung out from sessions in a small shelter in Zinkensdamm in the summer of 2006. It was dark, humid, and kind of noisy because of the concrete walls. When we first came there, we didn't have an A-to-B plan of what we wanted to do, but because of the preconditions in the shelter, it was kind of hard for us to write proper 3 minute verse-chorus songs. So instead we ended up making 6-10 minute songs with non-traditional structures and few chords. You couldn't really tell if anyone changed chords anyway, so it was better to stick to as few as possible. Mentioning different bands as sources of inspiration is kind of boring, but everything from Pink Floyd and Neu! to Postal Service and Hot Chip inspired "1".

How much would you say living in Stockholm impacts you all as individuals and collectively as a band? Does Stockholm feel like home?

I think it impacts us a lot, both as a band and as individuals. Two of us are from the island Gotland which is a few hours by boat from Stockholm. There's a big difference in living on an island with 60,000 other people or in a city of almost 2,000,000. But I (Aron) would still say that I'm from Gotland and not Stockholm.

As for the band, I think it means a lot, too. Just look at the difference of bands coming from say Gothenburg compared with bands from Stockholm. A good thing about Stockholm is that everyone is really good at what they do, no matter if it's art, music, film or writing. So when people start to take notice of you here, you know that you've probably done something right.

Has Stockholm ever inspired a song - for good or ill?

"The storm" is a song inspired by life here, which of course is both good and bad.

Have any of you wanted to move away - and if so, where?

We've talked about moving to Germany because of the possibilities of getting ourselves a warehouse facility which is impossible here. Haven't made it there yet, but we'll see what the future holds.

What bars, coffee shops, dance nights, 'must see places', etc. would you recommend to a foreigner visiting Stockholm for a week or so?

I think all three of us would like to go out more, but there is little money and even less time, so none of us would be a great guide to Stockholm's club life. The classic, both as a concert venue and bar, is of course Debaser. All three of us have spent a lot of time there. Another favorite is Landet. Two of us used to live nearby. And AG, where we had the release party for "1", is cool. We mostly drink our coffee at home, or in the studio. And when it comes to must-sees, well Stockholm is more of a city that you have to experience by meeting people and hopefully learning where the greatest party of weekend is at.

Where do you guys typically hang out?

The new black is Kungsholmen, two of us just moved here. And then there's Söder, and the places I mentioned before.

On a Friday night, would you guys rather go out to bars/clubs, or to a house party?

We would rather go to our own house party than go out clubbing, because house parties tend to be more wild and you can play whatever music you feel like listening to. But, I mean, it's kind of tiring to clean up afterwards... So a little bit of both is a good recipe to a healthy and happy life.

What clubs have you played at in Stockholm? Which were your favorites and why?

Fritz's Corner, Ljummen i Gräset, Musik Scenario, and our release party. That's it. We've only made 4 appearances ever, if you don't count the ones a couple of years ago when we were experimenting a lot. My favorite was definitely Debaser, but all the gigs have been great. Norma live is awesome though, so hopefully we will hit the road soon.

The only show we ever did outside of Stockholm was on Gotland a couple of years ago; weird gig, we didn't have any finished songs, almost no lyrics, and the audience was really drunk... Did far better than you could expect under those circumstances.

Which bands inspired Norma? Are there any Stockholm-based bands that motivated you?

Our friends, Torpedo ( with Love Martinsen on synthesisers), Antennas and Existensminimum are all really great and huge sources of inspiration for us in many ways.

What does the future hold for Norma?

We're in the middle of recording our first album. Hopefully it will be released sometime this coming spring, and then following that there will probably be some kind of tour. We're improving every song we make, so we're already looking forward to making the next record, and then the next, and so on.

Norma is: Aron Sandell, Love Martinsen, and Petter Bendelin.

LINK: http://www.theamazingnorma.com/
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/theamazingnorma

We never know anything; this band could die at any time, or start conquering the goods. Right now we are in a good spin, with new songs and new people in the band, and some gigs coming our way. Hopefully we will have some release out, if well just found someone who would like to release it. Give us an EP! The new song "Good things (into my mind)" we'll post for you is some kind of new direction, but definitely not the only direction the music is taking. We like to see the songs as contrasts to each other, and give much room for them to evolve. Unity in songs can be really important, but for us right now it tends to be boring, we want to see the larger spectrum of musical opportunities. We are in a creative mood of experimenting; new songs will point in a more Krautrock direction as well as the psychedelic sides of bands like Spectrum, Spacemen 3 and Hawkwind. That's the ideals; the musical reality is something for us to deal with. But, there will be soul.

]]> Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 articles interviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19480 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19480 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19480#comments Hybris on the scam of CMJ and Sonicbids: http://hybrism.blogspot.com/2007/09/sonicbids-and-cmj-cashes-in.html
Check the Ghost Media link for more dirt. Nothing that should surprise most folks, but worth reading nonetheless.]]> Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:16:44 -0700 news industry http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25832-cs-nielsen-against-the-dying-of-the-light-songcrafter-music http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25832-cs-nielsen-against-the-dying-of-the-light-songcrafter-music http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25832-cs-nielsen-against-the-dying-of-the-light-songcrafter-music#comments "Against the dying of the light" is one of the best albums of 2007. Stig Nielsen, oft referred to as 'Country Stig', does indeed emulate the late Johnny Cash, even using the familiar allusions to trains in numerous songs, but he does it so damned well that it feels like a fitting tribute to the Man in Black, an homage appropriate to the history, catalog, and accomplishments that made Cash who he was. Nielsen's lyrics are cultivated and adept, existing so effortlessly alongside his masterly crafted songs. "Bottle for the road" has numerous displays of his lyrical abilities: "Today I feel a chill of autumn coming 'round, leaves like angels are falling; today your memory cannot hold me in this town...", and the wonderful fragment, "I had too many cups of water that you never turned into wine..." from "Happy" shows the care that Nielsen put into every song. The standard that this record holds itself to is exceptionally high and none of the songs miss this demanding mark. Many artists have claimed Johnny Cash as one of their influences, but few have ever come so close to continuing the legacy he blazed across America in the 1960s and burned into the consciousness of the world. CS Nielsen still retains much of his individuality as a songwriter and an artist even while treading these familiar paths, and this facet of the music only augments his undertakings and illuminates "Against the dying of the light" even further. Absolutely brilliant.]]> Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/64 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/64 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/64#comments If you still haven't filled out my reader survey, please do so! I'll only be running it until the end of the week. And remember, it's 100% anonymous and none of the questions are required so only answer the questions you want. Also, when you're done, don't forget to enter my contest to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Your participation is appreciated!]]> Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/93 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/93 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/93#comments Still haven't filled out my reader survey yet? What are you waiting for? And remember, it's 100% anonymous and none of the questions are required so only answer the questions you want. And then, when you're done, enter to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Your participation is appreciated!]]> Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/131 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/131 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/131#comments Still haven't filled out my reader survey yet? What are you waiting for? And remember, it's 100% anonymous and none of the questions are required so only answer the questions you want. And then, when you're done, enter to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Your participation is appreciated!]]> Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/148 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/148 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/148#comments As mentioned numerous times recently, September is the fifth anniversary of It's a Trap! and I am running my first-ever reader's poll on account of this grand occasion. Go fill it out! And remember, it's 100% anonymous and none of the questions are required so only answer the questions you want. And then, when you're done, enter to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Your participation is appreciated!]]> Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/170 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/170 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/170#comments As mentioned numerous times since Friday, September is the fifth anniversary of It's a Trap! and I am running my first-ever reader's poll on account of this grand occasion. Go fill it out! And remember, it's 100% anonymous and none of the questions are required. Only fill out the stuff you want and then, when you're done, enter to win a copy of the entire IAT discography.]]> Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/215 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/215 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/215#comments Happy birthday to me! September is the fifth anniversary of this here website, so on account of this grand occasion, I've decided to run my first-ever official reader's poll! Hopefully I can figure out, not only a little bit more about who my reader's are and what they're interested in, but also what areas need improvement. It's 100% anonymous, so please - be as harsh a critic as you would like. Oh, and only answer the questions you want - none of them are required. Lastly, I'm including a link at the end for a contest to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Don't worry - your survey responses are kept totally separate so I have no idea who said what, even if you do enter the contest. So what are you waiting for? Get to it!
For further discussion, go here: [click here]]]> Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/248 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/248 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/248#comments Happy birthday to me! September is the fifth anniversary of this here website, so on account of this grand occasion, I've decided to run my first-ever official reader's poll! Hopefully I can figure out, not only a little bit more about who my reader's are and what they're interested in, but also what areas need improvement. It's 100% anonymous, so please - be as harsh a critic as you would like. Oh, and only answer the questions you want - none of them are required. Lastly, I'm including a link at the end for a contest to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Don't worry - your survey responses are kept totally separate so I have no idea who said what, even if you do enter the contest. So what are you waiting for? Get to it!
For further discussion, go here: [click here]]]> Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/250 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/250 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/250#comments Another thing about September is that it marks the fifth anniversary of this here website. Five long years! That's positively ancient in Internet time. So on account of this grand occasion, I've decided to run my first-ever official reader's poll so I can hopefully figure out not only a little bit more about who my reader's are and what they're interested in, but also what areas need improvement. It's 100% anonymous, so please - be as harsh a critic as you would like. Oh, and only answer the questions you want - none of them are required. Lastly, I'm including a link at the end for a contest to win a copy of the entire IAT discography. Don't worry - your survey responses are still kept totally separate so I have no idea who said what, even if you do enter the contest. So what are you waiting for? Get to it!
For further discussion, go here: [click here]]]> Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25713-column-a-postcard-life-1 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25713-column-a-postcard-life-1 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25713-column-a-postcard-life-1#comments "The people in my films are exactly like myself - creatures of instinct, of rather poor intellectual capacity, who at best only think while they're talking. Mostly they're a body, with a little hollow for the soul," the recently deceased Ingmar Bergman once said. For whatever reason this particular fragment struck a chord in me, a few loose strands of the fraying tapestry of my mind were forced taut, and I realized the Swedish director's words succinctly explained my experience as a music junky; a detailed snapshot of that windswept section of our hearts that bleeds and sings and dances when a particular song floors and overwhelms us, adds meaning to a moment of our lives - a timestamp with a soul and a pulse that will forever remain entwined with one powerful memory, or a series of events, and will always be able to throw us back into our pasts even as its melodies encircle and color our present. With music, the only 'thinking' is done through the vocal delivery, the rest is pure emotion, 'instinct' if you'll allow me to thoroughly dissect the quotation. We don't always require the lyrics to be on par with Shakespeare's sonnets or to keep pace with Fitzgerald's poetic prose, they just have to ring true, to remind us of ourselves, of our own memories, hopes, dreams, and failures. The thematic exploration of an artist's music is very much composed of their own experiences, but it would not affect us as powerfully as these creations often do were we not able to see a dim reflection of ourselves looking up out of the compositions.

For the past half decade or so I've slowly found the ranks of my favorite musicians being peopled more and more frequently by Scandinavian artists. I understood the subtle phasing out of my youthful love of punk and hardcore music by other bands of the 70s and 80s, the bands they influenced, and even my attraction to the cinematic efforts of post-rock bands, but it's puzzled me how Scandinavian bands have been able to cut noticeably deeper in the years since my musical tastes have, for the most part, solidified. As I poured over the Washington Post the day after Bergman died, Adam Bernstein's piece, a summation of Bergman's illustrious career and a mournful farewell to the dynamic and brilliant director, seemed to clarify certain facets of Scandinavian music that hold this dark attraction for me (though all clarity is accomplished through a blurring of further details).

"Critics saw in Bergman's films a tendency for characters to use sex as a way of overcoming their sense of isolation and finding tenuous connections with one another. Yet fear of intimacy frequently caused the characters to cloak their true emotions. Bergman underscored this theme by focusing on people who were involved in theater and used disguises as role-playing," Bernstein wrote. While explorations of physical intimacy, ulterior and hidden agendas, alienation, and strained bonds are not exactly rare topics for music of any origin or genre, my life has led me down certain roads which make me more susceptible to Scandinavian analyses. While brash British deliveries will add a little swagger to my walk and my Polyvinyl Records collection will find me longing for a striped wool sweatshirt and a girl once loved, now lost, a quick examination of my favorite records and most played tracks on iTunes and last.fm quickly reveal a shadowy fascination with Scandinavian music, from playful pop melodies to the fading notes of a lost orchestral expedition. There is something distinct about the Scandinavian music scene as a whole (for if there was not, sites like It's A Trap! would not have sprung up nor command a loyal fanbase), and even more so when split into it compositional genres. This inarticulately labeled 'something' is a collage of places I've been and settings I've not yet experienced; a strange nowhere from which my past is cut more vibrantly into who I am, the present is constantly reinventing itself, and from where the future stretches on as a series of new dawns and novel chances to recapture all that is beautifully recorded in nostalgic compositions - an optimistic sight enhanced through a sense that we can survive all the obstacles that will invariably cause us to stumble, or that we will at least have good company (provided through records we own and ones not yet purchased or released) throughout these ordeals. This broken logic, possibly influenced by the changing landscapes seen out of bus windows and the realities of my rootless youth, set me along towards the 'tenuous connection' between Markus Krunegård and a girl half the world away in Laakso's wonderful "Aussie girl", from which I borrowed the title of this column.

As an introduction, this fractured installment works. Further additions will be more focused, threaded around an album, band, or genre, amongst other musical backdrops, and shall not sprawl quite so carelessly through elongated sentence structures, adjectives, and metaphor... well, one can always hope. It's difficult to sum up a love for music as a whole, and this effort proves even more complicated once lines are drawn in the sand. Without delving into Håkan Hellström's lyrical explorations on "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg" or the evolution of bands like Shout Out Louds or the Legends, I hope that I have at least shown a near rabid fascination with the craftsmanship of musicians from northern Europe, and have provided an appropriate prologue for 'A Postcard Life' and an introduction of myself as a columnist. Criticisms, no matter how brutally honest or savagely delivered, suggestions, comments, and general thoughts and ideas are always welcomed, be they added as a comment or emailed to me directly, and I hope none of you shy away from saying what you feel about the words put down here.

Until next time...
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson]]> Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 articles column http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25710-festival-report-way-out-west http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25710-festival-report-way-out-west http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25710-festival-report-way-out-west#comments Thursday

The day started off well enough. I woke early and had a good stroll around central Göteborg and managed to get myself fairly oriented to city. I also had a surprise run-in with Viktor Sjöberg in an empty parking lot and his dog Douglas suprised me right back, sending my cup of coffee flying through the air. Things were off to a good start! The majority of my afternoon was spent exploring the Konstmuseum (I think I'll be needing an Ivar Arosenius print at some point) and then it was time to meet more friends and start the Way Out West concert experience.

I missed openers Function, but Low exceeded expectations with their set at Trädgär'n. I'm only moderately familiar with their catalog, but what I saw was understated, elegant and quite powerful. Following them was another American act, Woven Hand. Naturally, I came to WoW primarily to see Swedish acts, but since Woven Hand tours Sweden far more often than the US, I made sure to make this show and they did not disappoint one bit. Frontman David Eugene Edwards has an incredibly intense stage presence, on par with Neurosis, easily one of the most emotionally demanding bands I've ever been fortunate enough to see.

Knowing fully well that there would be no way to top Woven Hand, I still set out to Pustervik to catch some more bands for my evening's entertainment. ...And You Will Know Us By Our Trail of Dead was packed solid and admitting no new patrons, so I went upstairs to check out Last Days of April. The wait was slightly longer than expected, but Håkan from Division of Laura Lee/Carcrash Records kept things interesting from his position behind the DJ booth. As for LDOA when they did finally take the stage, they were 100% solid despite a less-than-stellar placement in the lineup. I couldn't help but feel underwhelmed. Another time, another place perhaps.
(AR)

Friday

At last, the start of the 'real' festival and the Boredoms set things off right. I was bit hesitant, having been disappointed by a show sometime around the period of "Super Æ", but this was something else entirely. My impression is that today's music was based on (or at least similar to) the recent "77 drummers" performance. It featured a steady onslaught of three pounding drummers and the reappearance of Eye's percussive guitar tree. The meandering psychedelia of years ago was vanquished from my mind and I let myself get lost in the endless hypnotic beat. I still can't say that I'll always be into everything the Boredoms do, but it's undeniable that they are always interesting and this performance certainly lived up to the hype.

I tried my best to avoid Salem Al Fakir's weak Billy Joel impression at one of the many beer tents before securing myself a proper position up front for Hello Saferide. The show was everything I'd hoped for: charming and sweet; equally balancing the upbeat, poppy material with the darker, more soulful (and often far more satisfying) ballads. All of the proper album highlights were played as well as a brand new track and the recent "I was definitely made for these times" single. It wasn't quite the transcendent experience I had hoped for, but it was quite nice to finally hear the songs in-person from the band's own instruments.

After Hello Saferide, it was proper time again for more beer and meeting friends. Finally got a chance to meet up with contributor Simon Tagestam (his SMS: "Hey Avi! You at the festival? Watching rubbish Laleh...") as well as a multitude of other folks. The next band to catch my attention: The Hellacopters. An experience made all that much greater from standing next to Fredrik Holmgren of Startracks who would constantly interrupt himself to yell things like "Oh my god! This fucking song! Yes!". Yeah, they were pretty good. And then The Hives - jeez, now there's a band that know's how to work a crowd of 16,000. Performing a few tracks from the forthcoming "The black & white album" as well as a plethora of classics, Pelle and the boys put on a proper show. Even if said record ends up being a total disaster, they are still a band not to be missed on tour. That's been obvious ever since the first time I saw them blow The (International) Noise Conspiracy off the stage.

Having now hooked up with another IAT contributor, a certain Jonas Appelqvist along with photographer companion Sofia Qvarnström, we decided it was a good time to exit the main festival grounds, seek nourishment from something besides weak Swedish lager and headed up to Sticky Fingers for Juvelen and Laakso. Once we arrived, it became instantly obvious that we made the right decision because the venue filled up right after our arrival. The unmistakable Ebbot Lundberg kept the people entertained from behind the decks as we waited patiently for the show to get underway.

Juvelen proved himself to be a considerably bigger draw than I anticipated and the crowd gushed with adoration as he strutted back and forth across the stage. No backing band, just lights, smoke and a guitar. That's all he needed. The females in attendance didn't seem to mind that he kept shedding layers of clothing as well. Impressive, for sure!

Of course, the big draw of the evening, especially for me, was Laakso and they were absolutely everything I had hoped them to be. Anthemic and glorious, perhaps even a bit cathartic. They played the hits and then they played some more. Annika Norlin came out and joined them for a rousing version of "Italy vs Helsinki". The band performed with fiery vigor and not a single moment was wasted. Some say that Laakso is currently Sweden's best band. I'm inclined to agree.

I should've called it a night following Laakso, but instead I set out on a fool's errand for a proper after-after-party. A wasted effort and a long walk home, but a good way to clear my jetlagged-rattled head and wind down. Lesson learned!
(AR)

Due to a wedding on the Saturday I was only able to attend Way Out West on Friday and I also had to leave early (halfway through The Hives' decent set) which meant I missed all the club nights too. Instead of getting to see Moneybrother, Regina Spektor, Juvelen, Laakso, TTA, Säkert!, Kanye West, Franke etc I was treated to the dire 'talents' that are Salem Al Fakir, Laleh, Albert Hammond Jr and the now questionable lot of The Hellacopters. Salem Al Fakir and Laleh could have been the worse festival combo I've ever witnessed, I was in shock by their horrible performances. Thankfully, Hello Saferide turned out to be a hint of sunshine in the rain, her set was much better than I expected it to be (I'm half a fan). The weather was rubbish, it was humid and rained most of the time, but the festival itself was nice. I love festivals near city centres! I'm definitely coming back if there will be a WoW in 2008, as long as I can go to the day when all the good bands are playing (no weddings then, please).
(ST)

Anticipations for the forthcoming album by The Hives are sky-high worldwide. And by all means, they should be. We're talking about a band putting up with a lot of pressure from, like, everywhere; the media, the record label and, most of all, the fans. And they know it. 'Cause what we saw was a hungry band eager to show off some new tunes and live up to the live rumor they've earned. After being locked up in studios around the globe for a long, long time it was quite obvious that Howlin' Pelle, Chris Dangerous, Vigilante Carlstroem, Dr. Matt Destruction and Nicholaus Arson wanted to kick ass. And maybe that's what made it come off as overkill. Sure, the band is a really tight one; the entertainment is top notch (especially Howlin' Pelle's banters wherein he heckles the crowd while stating that what we're watching is the greatest band in the world) but there's a downside to the enthusiasm. The new songs suffer from the furious tempo on stage. And frankly, those songs were the ones I wanted to hear. The new single "Tick tick boom" is a good choice for the first one out from "The black and white album" with its hooks and easy sing-along, but as a whole, the other new ones tleft me a bit disappointed. The patented Hives-sound was all over and that's what I'm having problems with. Been there, done that. But hey, don't worry; the gig as a whole wasn't a disappointment. It's when these guys from Fagersta play the wonderful "AKA I.D.I.O.T" from my favorite album "Barely legal" the show starts for real! Elegant as always, they deliver punk rock for the masses with crowd pleasers such as "Walk idiot walk" and "A little more for little you" (dedicated to Nicke Andersson from The Hellacopters who was celebrating a birthday). Pelle had the crowd right where he wanted them, following his every move. And guess what?! His voice lasted the whole show. A seldom heard thing.

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of electronic dance music, or Prince for that matter. But I can tell when competent music is performed and this was one show that proved me wrong. Performing inside a club and not on a stage at an outdoor festival definitely improved Juvelen since his music is made for the dance floor. And the crowd danced! And that's what it's all about I guess. The live show is secondary in this case and it should be, as long as you have great music to back things up. The hit single "Hannah" is a perfect example of that. Sung in a high falsetto over samples and a hot-tempered distorted guitar, the tune almost gets me down on the dance floor myself. And that is perhaps the best review you can get from me, seeing that I very rarely do such a thing! I have problem with the fact that a lot of the songs get kind of monotonous, but this one man show was a small success. At least if you're dancing.

Entering the stage 1:30 am and what a show they put on! Laakso's "Mother, am i good looking?" is one of this year's best records this far and Avi, photographer Sofia and me weren't the only ones at the venue with that opinion. Right from the first chords of "Worst case scenario", the band kickstarts into a euphoric journey full of Markus Krunegård's lyrical anguish with the added glam touch and disharmonic guitar licks of Bear Quartet's Jari Haapalainen. You could definitely tell that the band really loved this gig as they repeatedly stated that the clock was too much. The wonderful storytelling on "Västerbron", the heavy metal shouts on "In my blood", the reckless drumming on "Hang me in the Christmas Tree" and, of course the duet with Annika Norlin on "Italy vs Helsinki"; all that made this gig a tremendous experience.
(JA)

Saturday

The euphoria of the previous evening must've still been with me because I rose early again, ready and raring to go despite very few hours of sleep. I had some doubts about passing on The Pogues the previous night, but those fears were allayed from friends who declared the performance to be a pathetic travesty of a freakshow. No thank you! So with that, it was off for another long day of performances, starting off with Florence Valentin who were a perfect, rousing way to start the afternoon. The band's ample membership filled the Linné stage and their considerable energy got the crowd moving. That's some classic Göteborg indiepop done right and I'm glad they're back.

From Florence Valentin, it was back to the beer tent for refreshment after a quick glimpse at Shout Out Louds who were just as exciting as expected (read: not very). Caught a few songs from Sparta somewhere in there, then back for more beers to allay the boredom of the mid-afternoon lull. It was quite telling that the random dude Devandra Banhart invited up to perform a song far outshined the man himself. Moneybrother, sadly, proved to be equally lackluster, especially when compared to the full band with strings show I saw at Umeå Open two years ago. Again: no thanks.

Peter Bjorn and John on the other hand, delivered a strong and confident set, no doubt a testament to their endless tour schedule. Seeing as how they are still a small-stage act in their native Sweden, the set was all top-shelf material of wall-to-wall hits. Once again, Annika Norlin came out for a duet, this time filling in for Victoria Bergsman on the ubiquitous "Young folks". Well done! Funny that I had to travel thousands of miles to finally see these guys in the flesh, but I know it won't be for the last time. A small taste here at Way Out West whetted my appetite for the band's forthcoming club tour in the US this fall.

A break now for dinner (including a decent Swedish microbrew! shocking!) and then back in time for Säkert!, yet another festival highlight. Obviously I'm a big fan of Hello Saferide, but seeing Annika with the good folks of Isolation Years (plus Henrik Oya of The Spacious Mind and Jakob Nyström's sister Lovisa on keys/backing vocals) was fantastic. No gueststars today as all duets were aptly handled in-band, not that it mattered. They wrapped up the Parksommar tour here in top-notch style. The driving stomp of set-closer "Allt som är dit" was perfection and the crowd responded in kind. After that, I wandered over to catch the tail-end of The Ark's set, but was driven to seek shelter by the pounding rain. Had I been up front with sympathetic souls, I'm sure I would've loved it, but I opted for the easier (and drier) choice of watching from the safety of the beer tent. Hearing Ola Salo deliver a verse from "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg" during one of their triumphant breakdowns was a nice touch.

Lily Allen replacement Teddybears STHLM proved to be far better than expected. Despite having a softspot for the band's obnoxious early years as a hardcore band, there's no denying the group's reinvention as the new century's biggest hitfactory. Each and every song, another solid gold single. It also must be said that the overwhelmingly surreal experience of thousands singing along to final track "Punkrocker" was a capper. "Cuz I'm a punkrocker, yes I am!" Oh, really?

The spectacle of Kanye West was alluring, even moreso with the promise of a PB&J cameo, but my friends and I opted instead for the elusive Franke. Bad move! Not that Kanye West would've been much better (reports have not been flattering), but Franke was absolutely dreadful. The sound was shit and so was the performance. By far the biggest disappointment of the entire festival. Wisely, we decided to cut our losses and headed back to the Norrländska Generalkonsulatet for late-night Randy and Bruce Springsteen singalongs plus plenty of Norrlands Guld. Now that is a proper way to end an evening and a perfect conclusion to the Way Out West experience.
(AR)

Anders Wendin has been a class act entertainer ever since the days he fronted the sadly missed Monster. Something that's oh so obvious at this gig as well. As with The Hives, Moneybrother also have a new record due to be released and the focus is concentrated on material from that one, "Mount pleasure". Apart from the first single "Just another summer" ,I have not yet heard the record, but what they presented live sounded great and familiar. And that is, as always, a problem. The songs sound a bit too alike live. But when putting on such a live show, you're excused. This, the only Moneybrother festival gig this year, was a pure discharge after just recently completing a summer tour. And with hits like "They're building walls around us", "The pressure" and the marvelous final number "Reconsider me", you just can't go wrong. Too bad the guys (presented by Anders as the most attractive band out there) had some difficulties with the sound at times, but that's a problem I can overlook. I can't wait to see this again in a more intimate club venue some time soon.

I'm sure everyone knows about Annika Norlin's Säkert! by now. But I could never imagine that she'd bring such an all-star team to Way Out West. The fellow musicians were, among others, Mats Hammarström and Jakob Nyström from Isolation Years, Henrik Oja from David Sandström Overdrive and Tonteknik and other studios way up north (he's like the Swedish equivalence to Steve Albini, lots of great records bear his mark)! Aware of this fact or not, the crowd was euphoric and sang along to every song. The feeling in that big tent was a warm and fuzzy one and just what this, in Annika's own words, more outspoken cousin to Hello Saferide deserves. As much as I adore HS, I must say that Säkert! gets to me in a more direct way. And that's not at all just about me understanding the words, the music is more exposed and in your face. This is exactly why this was a really nice experience. With only one record out, the band can only do so much, but what they did was more than enough. Hearing Jakob singing Martin Hanberg's part on "Sanningsdan" is something I will remember as one of the finest things from this festival. The only downside was that Juliette & the Licks drowned some of the more mellow songs with their mediocre rock n' roll. Definitely nothing that Annika can be held responsible for. All in all, one of the finest shows at the festival!
(JA)

What can I say? Way Out West was a smashing success. And I nearly missed it. Who could have thought that this rookie-festival would sell out as fast as it did? With such a strong line up, it was a matter of time really, but several weeks ahead? And with me being quite lazy, well, Friday came and I still had no ticket. I did try though, I even went to the black market, but no. The Hives, Hello Saferide, The Hellacopters, and I wasn't there. Saturday came and I was about to lose all hope when luck finally came about. 200 extra tickets where released on demand and I got one. Off to the festival then!

Even though I couldn't make it the day before, I wasn't all bummed out. Saturday actually held a couple of really good and exciting Scandinavian bands as well. I missed Shout Out Louds due to my ticket problem, but since I've already seen them on just about every festival this summer, I couldn't care less. A little part of me felt sad for not being able to see the Saturday opening act Florence Valentin though. Instead, I arrived right on time to catch the one and only Moneybrother. In 2003 I saw Anders Wendin perform on one of the smaller stages on Accelerator, The Big One. Some had heard of Monster, none had heard of Moneybrother. And the gig was great. The two following records, "Blood panic" and "To die alone" were also great. Moneybrother was here to stay. But things change - sometimes you can only push things to a limit and thereafter it becomes boring. Anders Wendin and his colleagues give their best, but the news songs simply won't stick to my mind. No, more of the old Anders and less of Bruce Springsteen/Ulf Lundell.

Peter Bjorn and John. I've given these guys a hard time in the past, I know. I still think "Writers' Block" is a mediocre record, but live these guys rock! The place is crowded and I even forgive those who wait for that one special song alone. There's no Victoria Bergman on guest vocals today, but Annika Norlin from Säkert!/Hello Saferide still manages to give a golden touch to the indie anthem "Young folks". The gossip of today is, or course, what will Peter Bjorn and John pull off when they are to play with Kanye West this evening? Speaking of Annika Norlin, I was quite sceptical of her new project Säkert! when I heard the first single "Vi kommer att dö samtidigt", but yet again, I'm overwhelmed by the outcome live. It just sounds great. A little bit more raw and intense, exactly how I like my music. Annika Norlin is truly something special.

I skipped Timo Räisänen to get something to get something to eat and a new set of dry clothes (the sky opened up during the Regina Spektor concert, of course). I wasn't that sad about it, you've heard one Timo song, you've heard them all. Come to think of it, having already released two records, with a third on the way, and still getting to play just about anywhere, the guy must be doing something right. But you can't argue with hunger and cold. The Ark played about every festival I've been to this summer as well, but I still haven't been to an entire concert up to now. Why you ask? Well, it tends to become quite static after a while. This time it's different. As Ola Salo points out, it's the almost the end of the summer and soon enough it's back to school or to the old job. And we don't want that. So they play and we sing along.

Lilly Allen had to cancel, say hello to Teddybears STHLM! I've never been too fond of this band either (I know, I sound like a grumpy old man), but you can't argue with the hits. Who can say no to "Cobra style", "Punkrocker" and "Hey boy"? But there's Way Out West for you, bands you didn't expect to do well, did awesome instead.

I really wanted to get in the day before as well, but the Saturday alone gave me the chills. Too bad I was trapped inside a manic crowd during Kanye West (and yeah, Peter Bjorn and John did play "Young folks" again. This time it sucked though), I really wanted to see a couple of songs with Franke. Next time perhaps.
(CS)

Who's who:

CS: Christian Stenbacke

ST: Simon Tagestam

AR: Avi Roig

JA: Jonas Appelqvist

Pics by Sofia Qvarnström]]> Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 articles fest http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25702-festival-report-accelerator http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25702-festival-report-accelerator http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25702-festival-report-accelerator#comments Håkan Hellström has done it. The Hives as well. Moneybrother was still unknown when he did it. Loney, Dear has done it twice, counting this occasion. Done what you say? Played on Accelerator – The Big One of course. Or the Accelerator Festival as they call it these days. But what's so special about that you might ask? Great bands plays gigs all the time, right? The thing with Accelerator is that you get to see the stars of tomorrow today. Håkan Hellstöm played in 2000, The Hives in 2001 and Moneybrother in 2002. None of those bands had the stardom they have today, they where all artists on the rise. That's what makes the Accelerator festival so exciting, they have the perfect mix of really hot and great bands, both native and foreign. This year's line up includes the return of José González, Jens Lekman and The Tough Alliance. Peter Bjorn and John will play their super hit "Young folks" and Victoria Bergsman will introduce you to her new project Taken By Trees, proving that there's a life after The Concretes. To name a few things. But don't worry, IAT has its tentacles everywhere, and provides a full report from all three days in both Göteborg and Stockholm. Enjoy!
- Christian Stenbacke

Göteborg

Text and photos by Christian Stenbacke.

[ingenting]
I was wrong. In the festival preview I listed [ingenting] as one of the must-sees. I also wrote that the band has its ups and its downs; the gig at Accelerator Göteborg was surely not one of the ups, in fact, it was even worse than just a regular down. There's one thing that I can't stand, and that's when a band or an artist takes the audience for granted. Replacing Kate Nash at the last minute, [ingenting] suddenly got the chance to play one of Sweden's most credible events, but what do they do? Nothing. Singer Christopher Sander looks bored out of his mind, the rest of the band does try; but the energy just isn't there. And quite frankly, bands might need to rehearse from time to time. There are far too many technical errors to my satisfaction tonight. But then again, they do have the most marvellous songs. In my head I can hear perfect versions of "Julia" and "Suzanne (vi kan inte gå hand i hand)", even though they're not, because I want to. I really like this band, a genuine pop band singing in Swedish, and doing it well, but there's a limit to everything. And no "Punkdrömmar". The one song that could have made things somewhat right again. Oh well. Next time perhaps.

José González
When the first notes of "Crosses" echoes through the room I get goose bumps. Every single hair on my body seems to be on the rise. The song may have a couple of years on its neck by now, but it longer belongs to José González. It belongs to us. To the world. To everyone. Those where the words of Michael Stipe of R.E.M. when he introduced "Losing my religion" last time I went to one of their concerts. I believe you can use that phrase for most José González songs, the man has his way of stripping the music bare of nothing else but raw emotion. Even though it has been more than four years since the release of "Veneer", the songs still sound vital and fresh. But there's a new element in the live show this time around, the usually solitaire man from Göteborg is no longer alone. After at couple of songs, José is joined by Yukimi Nagano (known from her collaboration with Koop) on backing vocals and Erik Bodin on the bongo drums. Everything very subtle and gentle. Still, it brings a somewhat new dimension to the music. And the new songs… Perhaps nothing in the same class as "Crosses" or "Heartbeats" (a song he did not play tonight, unfortunately), but I have no doubt that "In our nature" (release date September 26) will be something to look forward to. Until then, make sure to catch José live if you have the opportunity, it's worth every penny.

Stockholm

Text and photos by Martin Eriksson.

Loney, Dear
The greatness of Loney, Dear lies not just within the amazing songwriting of Emil Svanängen, but in the chemistry between Emil and background vocalist Malin Stålberg. Watching Emil and Malin together makes you remember why people start bands in the first place. In contrast to Interpol's Paul Banks and his crew (playing later the same day), there is warmth about the whole performance. Watching Malin smiling as she sings and the band mates constant glancing at each other, you understand that these people were born to do what they do. In the afternoon sun, Loney, Dear made a terrific show, including a finale with up-beat versions of several songs from the albums.

Taken By Trees
Victoria Bergsman totally lives up to all expectations. Her performance is fragile, yet with some kind of power that leaves the crowd stunned and completely silent during the eclectic show. Backed up with several solid names (Björn Yttling, Jens Lekman, Erland Oye), Victoria's performance gave us proof that her talent didn't go down the drain with the split-up of The Concretes. (And no, she's not dull.)

Peter Bjorn and John
Although major parts of the crowd sadly left after playing you-know-what-song, Peter Bjorn And John made a great performance. Showing the ones of us who stayed the whole concert that the people begind the blog-movement "Stop Peter Bjorn and John" really should be going after someone else. There's lot of crap out there. PB&J is not included.

José Gonzáles
Backed up by talented companions on percussion and background vocals, José did a stunning afternoon show. When playing his cover of Massive Attack's "Teardrop", a girl in front of me broke into tears. Seeking solace in her boyfriend, she buried her head into his lap. The boyfriend: "it's ok. I cried when I heard it the first time as well."

And finally, the no-no of the day: There is no way I can understand the hype of The Tough Alliance. The final concert of the festival was so crowded that I didn't even have a chance to shoot any pics. People gave up an amazing concert by Bright Eyes to stand in a 20-minute line to get a glance of two morons singing/miming to mediocre beats. No, I just don't get it.

]]> Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 articles fest http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27694-mp3-the-bear-quartet-birds-are-singing-deep-within-the-greenery http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27694-mp3-the-bear-quartet-birds-are-singing-deep-within-the-greenery http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27694-mp3-the-bear-quartet-birds-are-singing-deep-within-the-greenery#comments This is another one of those songs that makes me giggle like an idiot every time I hear it. Aside from the chorus refrain, there's very little about the lyrics that's distinguishable to my ears without the words laid out right there in front of me. Naturally, being The Bear Quartet and seeing as how the lyrics are from bassist Peter Nuottaniemi, there is poetry behind the gibber-gabber though I find the meaning to be inconsequential to the enjoyment of the song. And there's that ridiculous wanky-blues breakdown, too. Genius? Yes, absolutely. Unnecessary? Sure, but it throws you off just enough so that the final chorus can floor you. I was iffy on BQ's new, more electronic and obtuse direction with the unveiling of single "I have an itch" before the release of "Saturday night", but hearing this song sealed the deal. None can compare! All hail!
Extra-credit for the engineering geeks: check out the waveform for this track. It's ridiculous - nothing but boxes of sound, red-lining at 0db. When I was compiling all the tracks from "Reader's companion volume two" I was amazed at how unmusical it looked in comparison to everything else.]]> Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 mp3s bq http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27697-mp3-pistol-disco-radiation http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27697-mp3-pistol-disco-radiation http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27697-mp3-pistol-disco-radiation#comments Man, those Pistol Disco dudes are such sellouts - they've totally gone from no-wave noise to no-wave noise with a beat! A beat you could dance to! Obviously, I'm kidding about the whole sellout accusation, but the duo's new album "Radiation" is far more pop than I would expect. It's pop that could still melt your face and peel the paint off your walls, but yes, pop nonetheless. Behind the caustic wall of distortion lurks slow, deliberate melodies. The clashing sound waves create new, ever-shifting overtones as the chords change. There's a few quieter tracks on the record, but it's the all-out-assault of stuff like opener/title-track "Radiation" that are the best. Put this on at your next dance party and see what happens.]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25881-frost-love-revolution-frostworld http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25881-frost-love-revolution-frostworld http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25881-frost-love-revolution-frostworld#comments Frost's webpage, I get the impression that the duo think they are a much better band than they actually are. The purpose of their new album, "Love! Revolution!" is, supposedly, to "search for the lost pop of that golden era when joy and creativity had as big a place in pop music as pure commerciality and copyism has had in the last decades." Fine. I'll admit that they're a good step or so above Britney Spears. But, joyful? Creative? Don't make me laugh. Or hurl. Or both. I've heard this whole 'female vocals over minimalistic synth/electro - pop beats' before. Done exceptionally well by the likes of Ladytron, Frou Frou/Imogen Heap and even Circ, I might add. So I expect a new take on the genre, some quirkiness in the beats, some deftness in the lyrics to bring a smile to my lips. But there is none of that here. The lyrics aim to be poignant and touching, but wind up being cheesy and, at times, very, very painful to listen to. Even the cheap, 'lyrics be damned' side of me that will occasionally listen to the cheesiest techno on the airwaves couldn't be swayed by this mess; especially since there is only one catchy track on the whole album in "One hundred years". Ultimately, the only thing Frost have going for them is Aggie Peterson's frail, wistful vocal style, which will no doubt ensure that a good percentage of the tracks on "Love! Revolution!" will get the remix treatment and earn the duo some recognition on the club scene (and possibly some revenue). In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if that might have been their sole, sorry objective all along. "Joy and creativity", my ass. Frost are only kidding themselves.]]> Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25904-montt-mardie-clocks-pretender-hybris http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25904-montt-mardie-clocks-pretender-hybris http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25904-montt-mardie-clocks-pretender-hybris#comments Montt Mardié (and it's a double-disc nonetheless). With the two CDs clocking in at a hour combined, there is no filler attached, yet one can choose just thirty minutes of listening enjoyment at once should they desire. The first disc, "Clocks", is where David Pagmar's vision of everything swinging is pulled off properly, with the instrumentation and vocals working so well. Take note of the pitch-perfect harmonies on "Birthday Boy (drama)", the sad spoken word of "Set sail tomorrow (strings)", and the stellar minimal instrumentation of "Travellers". Disc two, conversely, is comprised of collaborations, and harkens more to the 80s in its sound. Montt Mardié not only delivers ballads ("Surprised" with Andreas Mattsson and "Pretenders" with Hello Saferide), dance numbers ("Metropolis" with Fredrik Hellström of Le Sport and "My girlfriend is in the Grand Prix finals" with Mr. Suitcase) and even one in his native Swedish with the always-stellar Vapnet ("När ni gett dom våld ska vi ge er kärlek"). "Clocks/Pretender" is the sound of a matured Montt Mardié, and this album floored me with how much every single thing has been improved. Lastly, I'd recommend picking up a physical copy of this, as the packaging amazing.]]> Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27729-mp3-mixtapes-cellmates-i-left http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27729-mp3-mixtapes-cellmates-i-left http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27729-mp3-mixtapes-cellmates-i-left#comments I've gotten a few amazing new releases in the mailorder these last few days (with more on the way), so I wanted to spend a couple days highlighting them. First we have the self-titled debut full-length from Mixtapes & Cellmates, one of Sweden's most promising new indiepop acts. No listless twee, no pathetic nostalgia; none of the issues that plague the scene are apparent. Like fellow Nomethod act (and recent One Little Indian signees) Aerial, the guitars are brilliantly interwoven and engaging. The music is nowhere near as aggressive, but the feeling I get is the same. The production is adventurous too - many of the tracks are backed by glitchy techno beats and little clicks + cuts. The smeary glissandos of digital distortion on today's track "I left" go so far as to replace any natural guitar sounds, a tact that works far better than I would imagine. Though the timbre of the sounds is unnatural, it's done in a way that still allows the emotional content of the music to resonate. Extremely well done.]]> Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27739-mp3-the-psyke-project-physical-romance http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27739-mp3-the-psyke-project-physical-romance http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27739-mp3-the-psyke-project-physical-romance#comments The Psyke Project's 2005 album "Daikini" was one of the year's best releases. At ~70 minutes of unrelenting brutality, the only real complaint one could level at it was that it was too long for one sitting. Their new record "Apnea" just came out recently and... it's disappointing. They still possess a potent mix of contemporary metalcore and crushing doom, but the formula has been needlessly tampered with. Instead of purely raw, glass-gargling vocals, there's now bits of clean singing and that horribly clichéd sing-speak thing that so many other metalcore bands seem fond of. Sorry dudes, but that sucks. One of the main reasons that "Daikini" was so awesome is that it had none of that bullshit. You used to be unique, now you're yet another metalcore band in the pack.
On the other hand, there are definitely some powerful bits spread throughout the record. They haven't compromised all of their greatness, they've just buried them a bit. The ending of "Physical romance" with the "I was so scared / I was so terrified" screaming is a fantastic climatic moment. The way that frontman Martin lets his voice break at the end is a perfect capper, too. "Apnea" may not totally floor me as a whole, but it's okay as long as they continue to deliver the punishment every so often.]]> Wed, 02 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2555 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2555 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2555#comments Swedish indie blues-rockers Deltahead will tour Italy in March:

03/09 - Vidia Club, Cesena (FC)
03/10 - Sky Lab, Terni
03/11 - Cantina Mediterrane, Frosinone
03/12 - Clandestino, Faenza (FC)
03/14 - Circolo Magnolia, Segrate (MI)
03/15 - C.R.C., Abano Terme (PD)
03/16 - Bachelor, Pesaro
03/17 - Interzona, Verona
03/18 - Mono, Pescara
03/19 - Garage Records, Avellino
03/20 - Bohemien, Bari
03/21 - B-Side, Cosenza
03/22 - La Chiave, Catania
03/23 - Dude, Carpi (MO)
03/24 - Spazio 211, Torino]]> Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2656 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2656 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/2656#comments Remember You Is Stupid? I do - I still even listen to their demo from time to time. Apparently the band has been signed to a US label is working on their debut album. Details? I know none. Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/youisstupid]]> Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/3161 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/3161 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/3161#comments New dates for Danish rockers On Trial:

01/17 - Demo Bar, Halden (NOR)
01/18 - Kaos, Tromsø (NOR)
01/19 - Garage, Oslo (NOR)
01/25 - Tommy Weisbecker Haus, Berlin (GER)
01/26 - Museums Keller, Erfurt (GER)
01/27 - Kanonenhaus, Altenburg (GER)
01/29 - Kulturforum, Mittelsinn (GER)
01/30 - tba
01/31 - Kult Kafe, München (GER)
02/01 – ISC, Bern (CH)
02/02 – Zero Music Club, Bergamo (ITA)
02/03 - Sonar Club, Siena (ITA)
02/04 - Bikini Test, La Chaux-de-Fonds, (CH)
02/05 – tba, Nürnberg (GER)
04/20 - Roadburn Festival
05/26 - Sense-O-Rama Festival, Berlin (GER)
05/27 - Swamproom Happening, Hannover (GER)]]> Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25654-top-10s-for-2006-staff-picks http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25654-top-10s-for-2006-staff-picks http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25654-top-10s-for-2006-staff-picks#comments Not everyone was able to get their lists in on time, but I think you'll find more than enough titles here well-worth investigating, whatever your tastes may be. Enjoy!

Jonas Appelqvist:

01. The Fine Arts Showcase – Radiola (Adrian Recordings)
When Christian released a kinda mediocre record, Gustav stepped up, delivered and restored the honour of the Kjellvander brothers.

02. C.Aarmé – Vita (Burning Heart)
Music for the gut, not the brain. Göteborg's finest punks just recently split up, it's a pity.

03. Hets – s/t (V2/Etikett: Hets)
I was a bit hesitative when I heard that members from Laakso, Fireside and Moneybrother formed a band. They proved me wrong.

04. Raised Fist – The sound of the republic (Burning Heart Records)
This long awaited full-length proved to be exactly what I hoped for. Uncompromising hardcore, this time with hooks!

05. Insurgent Kid – Paranoia (Wasted Sounds)
Just recently released and it went straight into this list. The punkrock on this disc is, in fact, all I ever need.

06. Khoma – The second wave (Roadrunner)
I always knew something good would come out of Plastic Pride.

07. Aerial – Black rain from the nombing (Nomethod)
Epic and almost instrumental post-rock from Sandviken that moved me big time.

08. Tar... Feathers – Make way for the ocean floor to fall to the surface (Release the Bats!)
Self-willed indiepop that sounds like Modest Mouse mixed with Xiu Xiu at times.

09. Darkthrone – The cult is alive (Peaceville)
Pioneers that released their most interesting record since "Total Death". Black-metal with one hell of a punkrockattitude!

10. Cult of Luna – Somewhere along the highway (Earache)
One of the records I've listened to the most in 2006 and it's still intriguing.

Top 3 non-scandinavian records of 2006:
Converge – No heroes (Epitaph)
Electric President – s/t (Morr Music)
Cursive – Happy hollow (Saddle Creek)

Nancy Baym:

01. Hell On Wheels - The odd church (Hybris/PlayRec)
It's catchy, it's quirky, it's consistently strong. And it's interesting too.

02. Skywriter - Where both worlds never meet (Iceberg Records)
The slow ones drag a bit, but the fast songs are a sublime mix of sexy, cool, driving and restrained.

03. Consequences - s/t (BOW/Groover Recordings)
Puts the "infection" in infectious pop. I can't stop listening to it and really don't want to either.

04. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's block (V2/Wichita)
Not as good as last year's "Falling out", but an okay Peter Bjorn and John record is still better than most.

05. Pelle Carlberg - Everything. Now! (Labrador)
He's thoughtful, he's sensitive, he's twee, but most of all he's the perfect mix of soothing and beautiful. Frazzled nerves be gone!

06. The Phonies - Gran tourettes (Money Laundry Records)
Inconsistent record from Finland's Phonies, but it's best songs are exhuberant enough to carry the rest.

07. Billie the Vision & the Dancers - The world according to Pablo (self-released)
While I'm From Barcelona gets all the buzz, I prefer this. It's kind of mellow, a little dark, sort of conceptual if you bother to figure it out, but most of all, it just sounds good.

08. David & the Citizens - Stop the tape! Stop the tape! (Bad Taste)
David Fridlund's a melodic genius and the music may be better than ever, but Fridlund's angst runs too close to whining too much of the time.

09. Starflower - Moment in the sun (Music Is My Girlfriend)
Tranquil and poppy, youthful and tuneful, it's a gentle little debut from a band I hope will diversify its sound in releases to come.

10. The Charade - Real Life Drama (Skipping Stones)
Half of this is too sweet for me, but the rest is charming as all get out, and "September" easily wins the award for catchiest sugar pop song of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Sivert Høyem and the Volunteers - Exiles (Hektor Grammofon)
It's not out yet and I've only heard 2 songs, but given his track record with Madrugada and his last solo record, it's guaranteed a spot in my top 10 when I do get to hear the rest.

Tiger Lou - The loyal (Startracks)
It came out in 2005 but now I've finally heard this record. It's got such a cool consistent vibe, such a unique sound, and I'm under it's spell completely.

Matt Giordano:

01. Peter Bjorn and John - Writers block (V2/Wichita)
After last years excellent "Falling out" I expected a great album, but this release just floored me.

02. Loney, Dear - Sologne (Dear John)
Yes, this is technically a re-release, and yes, it's that good.

03. The Fine Arts Showcase - Radiola (Adrian)
This is the new album I listened to most this year, and a it was quite a leap artistically for Mr. Kjellvander.

04. Hell On Wheels - The odd church (Hybris)
This one sat in my room for about a month until one day I brought it in the car with me, and to say the least, I was impressed.

05. Vapnet - Jag vet hur man väntar (Hybris)
"Thoméegränd" instantly hit me with pure pop genuis, and this album is so textured and deep, it has yet to be fully realised.

06. Firefox AK - Madame, madame! (Razzia)
It took me a while, but I have finally realised how genius this album is.

07. Nicolai Dunger - Sjunger Edith Södergran (EMI)
I believe this is Mr. Dunger's most cohesive album to date, and perhaps his most intimate.

08. Sibiria - Inom familjen (Hybris)
Martin A and Martin H put out two stellar albums in one year. Gorgeous.

09. The Knife - Silent shout (Rabid)
This album is both bleak and enchanting.

10. David & The Citizens - Stop the tape! Stop the tape! (Bad Taste)
This album is so solid, and it should silence all of the naysayers.

Other:

Best 2005 release of 2006:
El Perro Del Mar - El Perro Del Mar (Memphis Industries/The Control Group)
Gorgeous, that is the only way to describe the songwriting of Sarah Assbring, and it's good to see the rest of the world catching on.

Top three non-Scandinavian releases:

Tom Waits - Orphans (Anti)
This is absolutely essential.

Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory - Tree colored see (Mush)
Another post-Beachwood Sparks work of excellence, now I'm only wishing for Beachwood Sparks to reunite.

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos (RCA)
America's best current live band, and this is their document.

Top ten songs of 2006*
01. Montt Mardié - "My girlfriend is in the Grand Prix finals" from "Science" (Hybris)
02. Peter Bjorn and John - "Paris 2004" from "Writers block" (V2)
03. Kristofer Åström - "So much for staying alive" from "Black Valley" (Startracks)
04. Loney, Dear - "The city, the airport" from "Sologne" (Dear John)
05. Tom Waits - "Bottom of the world" from "Orphans" (Anti)
06. Vapnet - "Thoméegränd" from "Jag vet hur man väntar" (Hybris)
07. The Velvet Teen - "Gyzmkid" from "Cum laude" (Slowdance)
08. Nicolai Dunger - "Lyckokatt" from "Sjunger Edith Södergran" (Dolores)
09. Loose Fur - "The ruling class" from "Born again in the USA" (Drag City)
10. Islands - "Don't call me Whitney, Bobby" from "Return to the sea" (Equator)

*These songs, as well as 31 others appear on my "Best of 2006" mix, which I have made 20 copies of as a double-disc set to give away to the readers of It's A Trap! Here's the deal, the first twenty people to email me at matthew dot giordano at macys dot com with their name and postal address will receive a copy (as well as tracklisting) in the mail. Enjoy.

Kevin Renick, in alphabetical order:

01. Ampop - My delusions (Dennis Records)
Balancing the epic and the emotive is an increasingly dicey proposition as more and more groups on both sides of the Atlantic sacrifice one or the other in the process. Iceland's Ampop gets the blend just right with these 11 surgingly powerful, yet fragile tunes. .

02. El Perro Del Mar - s/t (Memphis Industries)
Possibly the most bubbly, infectious, melodically rich, beautifully sung sad album ever made.

03. Sofia Hardig - The need to destroy (Filthy Records)
An adventurous electronica foray in which Sofia makes an art out of distorted vocals that are nonetheless emotionally wrenching. Dark, machine-laden grooves that grip the soul.

04. The Knife - Silent shout (Brille Records)
By any standard, one of the year's boldest and most significant records, especially for a spooked, tech-savvy, mask-wearin', brother-sister dance-tronica act.

05. Lampshade - Let's away (Glitterhouse)
The sophomore release by this fabulous Swedish/Danish group is just as good as the debut; RebekkaMaria and company fuse primal rock and Scandi sensuality together in a thoroughly compelling manner.

06. Mew - And the glass-handed kites (Sony BMG Music)
A continuously flowing, continuously melodic and dazzling production that got many satisfying spins on my car stereo in 2006.

07. Monty's Loco - Man overboard (NONS)
Take a female vocalist who's like a tougher Emiliana Torrini, add equal parts acoustic/electronic instrumentation, throw in a few dollops of inspired weirdness and mix/produce well. Result: a grabber of an album that tickles the sonic taste buds..

08. Britta Persson - Top quality bones and a little terrorist (Amigo)
I like my Scandinavian music to be a little tart. Britta's debut CD is positively lemony from start to finish, a real standout in a year filled with great records by Scandi girls.

09. Patrik Skantze and the Free Souls Society - Fiction at first view (Mimo Sound)
A master class in inspired prog songcraft, superb guitar playing and the art of channeling diverse influences into your own lovingly prepared recipe.

10. Sonores - Elefanten (Structures Sonores)
As a long-time fan of both atmospheric ambient and mournful female vocals, this texturally absorbing disc had me at "eftermiddag".

Best EP: Detektivbyrån - Hemvägen (Danarkia)
Best CD to reevaluate your life to: Es - Sateenkkarisuudelma (K-RAA-K)
Best reasons to have faith that the spirit of weirdness lives on in Scandiland: The Bear Quartet, Sir Eric Beyond, and Tar...Feathers

Simon Tagestam:

01. Vapnet – Jag vet hur man väntar (album / Hybris)
Vapnet lived up to all my expectations and delivered a fantastic album

02. Moneybrother – De vet ingenting om oss (single / Hacka Skivindustri)
This song came totally unexpected and instantly floored me.

03. Lo-Fi-Fnk – Boylife (album / La Vida Loca)
Very exciting album from Sweden’s new dance kings, now TTA gone all new age.

04. Mattias Alkberg BD - Ditt hjärta är en stjärna (album / A West Side Fabrication)
Third and best album from this Bear Quartet member.

05. Taxi Taxi – Old big trees (song on myspace)
Killer song. Got high hopes for these young twins.

06. I'm From Barcelona - Let me introduce my friends (album / Dolores)
Hate them live, but still love their music.

07. Juni Järvi - Wherever thou art (album / Everlasting)
The surprise hit of the year, a collection of some magnificent songs.

08. [ingenting] - Mycket väsen för ingenting (album / Labrador)
An album that deserved much more attention and praise than it got.

09. Juvelen – Watch your step (song on myspace)
Sounds exactly like Prince when he was at his best. Pretty damn good that is!

10. Sir Eric Beyond and the Avant-Garde - s/t (album / Flora & Fauna)
Weirdest and most wonderful gig at Emmaboda this year where 'Sir Eric', even though he's Swedish, only talked in English in-between songs. He also released a fine record.

Three amazing songs from albums that I wasn't too keen on:
Fattaru – 100 spänn
Hello Saferide – The quiz
Peter Bjorn and John – Young folks


---------------------------

Jonas Appelqvist is in the works of completing the first fullengthrecord with Blinders On, indierock based in Malmö. The band is, as I write this, finished with the mixing and the mastering of the album entitled "Obsolete music", so we should expect a release in January. The 17th, to be precise. More on that after New Year's Eve.

Nancy Baym can be found happily blogging away at Online Fandom and digging music at Last.fm.

Matt Giordano wishes everyone safe, yet wine-filled holidays and New Year's celebrations, and hopes those who'll be getting his "Best of 2006 mix" enjoy them. He also hopes Arsenal can pick up the pace in the premier league and that Scandinavian bands continue to release the world's best music. Here are the new releases he's looking forward to in 2007: two Laakso records, Kristofer Åström, Shout Out Louds, Via Audio, Christian Kjellvander, Spoon, Tiger Lou (I can hope), My Morning Jacket (I can hope), Nick Cave (I think it's about time for another), Moonbabies, Nicolai Dunger, and all Hyrbis releases.

Kevin Renick is exhausted from trying to pare down the list of favorites from a really great year in music.

Simon Tagestam is a regular contributor to IAT and he doesn't really have any plans for 2007, except some vague ideas concerning a Nintendo Wii, his mother's 60th birthday, more tattoos, and badminton.

]]> Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0800 articles top10s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27864-mp3-consequences-come-on http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27864-mp3-consequences-come-on http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27864-mp3-consequences-come-on#comments The best song from the Consequences demo is still the best song on their debut full-length album, though it must be said that the new version is substantially beefed up. No more Peter Bjorn and John drum loop (from "I don't know what I want us to do" off their first album), instead we're treated to a lush full band arrangement with backing vocals provided by none other than Marit Bergman and Frida Hyvönen. The first single "Release me from love" is a good'un, but this here's a total barn-burner.
Buy Consequences' self-titled debut album: [click here]]]> Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26141-starflower-moment-in-the-sun-music-is-my-girlfriend http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26141-starflower-moment-in-the-sun-music-is-my-girlfriend http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26141-starflower-moment-in-the-sun-music-is-my-girlfriend#comments Starlet that foregrounds singer Antti's mediocre yet appropriately earnest vocal delivery and bright guitars. I'll hope for more variety on their next record, but this marks a bright debut from a young band with a lot of promise.]]> Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/4227#comments Swedish rockers The Sewergrooves on tour:

10/05 - Pet Sound Bar, Stockholm (SWE)
10/15 - tba (FRA)
10/16 - Le Mange Disque, Toulouse (FRA) w/Elektrocution
10/17 - La Boule Noir, Paris (FRA) w/The Datsuns
10/18 - Tap Tab, Schaffhausen (CH)
10/19 - ISC, Bern (CH)
10/20 - Soultrain, Trento (ITA)
10/21 - Sabotage bar,, Vicenza (ITA)
10/22 - Perche' no?, Verbania (ITA)
10/23 - Cookys, Frankfurt (GER)
10/24 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
10/25 - Sonic Ballroom, Koeln (GER)
10/26 - GoGo Club, Muenster (GER)
10/27 - Groovestation, Dresden (GER)
10/28 - Kanonenhaus, Altenburg (GER)
11/18 - Showdown, Göteborg (SWE)
11/25 - Club Sisters, Söderhamn (SWE)
12/16 - Kuudeslinja, Helsinki (FIN)]]> Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26181-existensminimum-last-night-my-head-tried-to-explode-and-i-wrote-everything-down-novoton http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26181-existensminimum-last-night-my-head-tried-to-explode-and-i-wrote-everything-down-novoton http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26181-existensminimum-last-night-my-head-tried-to-explode-and-i-wrote-everything-down-novoton#comments Existensminimum as the drummer of Moneybrother, and you, like myself, had probably heard the first version of "Running down everyone" over a year ago as a single. With that song, one could see parallels with the two group. Those parallels are have know been extinguished. What Existensminimum has now given us is a stellar experimental/noise/pop/psychadelica record that rips and tears and lilts and flies with each track. The segments of each song interweave with themselves, layering instruments and loads of texture. He suceeds greatly, as none of the tracks are cluttered, and each sound gives way to another. Tracks with vocals, the afformentioned "Running down everyone" (although substantially different now from the older version) and "Cina" hit the listener with hooks. "Sweden" is a true gem, a subtle, delicate number that explodes with vocals chaos towards the end. Existensminimum has created a top-notch debut, and I cannot wait to see what's next.]]> Sun, 18 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25578-profile-convoj http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25578-profile-convoj http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25578-profile-convoj#comments Name: Convoj

From: Göteborg, Sweden

Sounds like: Darkly-tinged indierock with driving post-punk beats, steamroller basslines and guitars like knives.

Listen: My timekeeping heart

Discography:
2005 - s/t EP (Chalksounds) [BUY IT]

Links:
www.convoj.se
www.myspace.com/convoj

2005 was a year of amazing debut EPs and Convoj's self-titled release was one of the best. With so many bands attempting to ape the oh-so-hot post-punk sound, Convoj stands head and shoulders above the rabble with their inventive duel guitar lines and pummeling bass sound. It's the sound of classic Swedish indie guitar-rock (Him Kerosene, Starmarket, Fireside, et al) made fresh.

Unfortunately the great promise of the band's debut has yet to be followed up. Their label Chalksounds was dissolved at the end of last year and they've yet to sign with someone new. The enlistment of manager Filip Wilén from Bud Fox (Shout Out Louds, El Perro Del Mar) is promising, so I'm sure it's only a matter of time until Convoj gets the attention they deserve.

Who are you and where are you from?
We are four boys and we live in Gothenburg.

What makes you special?
Don't know if there is anything that makes us special. We're something as nonexclusive as an indie-rock band from Sweden so... but we're pretty good, so that would separate us from quite a few similar acts.

If Convoj was an animal, what animal would you be?
Convoj share many similarities with a German Shepard. It isn't a wild animal but a disciplined breed with straight lines and a fetish for rules. It's the dog of choice for both police and aggressive alcoholics, in other words a little treat for everyone.

If you could instantly acquire one skill, what would you choose? How would you use it?
I think everyone in Convoj would like to become more skilled lovers. Except for the obvious, this skill would come in handy when exploring the Latin genre.

What fo you think is the most important or most prevalent emotional aspect of your music?
Well, the intention is to keep the music as emotionless as possible. But it's hard and emotions often leak through. I guess shame would be the prevalent one.

What's the most disappointing record you've ever heard?
As a Bruce fan, I got obsessed in the wait for "The Rising" due to the reuniting of The E-Street Band and all. Swedish crap-papers Aftonbladet and Expressen both gave it five out of five. Guess I should have known better, but I think I wanted to be seduced. When the record actually came I went into denial and it took about four months before I could admit to myself and anyone else that it really sucked.

What's the future of Convoj?
Well, we're almost done with writing songs for a full-length album. But since we're currently without a record-deal it's hard to say when anything will be released, except for that it will... maybe.

]]> Mon, 08 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 articles interviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26252-various-artists-javla-kritiker-nons http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26252-various-artists-javla-kritiker-nons http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26252-various-artists-javla-kritiker-nons#comments "Jävla kritiker!" only contains a couple of interesting songs. There are definitely none of those masterpieces that the reviews suggest that there is to be found here. It's kind of odd that they've managed to get some of Sweden's best critics and writers together for this project, but hardly any of Sweden's best bands (ok, Sophie Rimheden is perhaps the undisputed master of what she does and Nicolai Dunger seems to hit the right strings with certain folks). The best thing about this compilation is how some of the artists (like Nicolai Dunger) have either submitted a song chosen on random, or totally ignored the text they were meant to base their song on.]]> Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26261-david-the-citizens-s-t-friendly-fire http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26261-david-the-citizens-s-t-friendly-fire http://www.itsatrap.com/n/26261-david-the-citizens-s-t-friendly-fire#comments David & the Citizens have released two full length LPs and a handful of EPs on Sweden's Adrian Recordings. This EP, their first American release, pulls songs from these previous releases into a short and sweet collection. A few of their best numbers are here, "Now she sleeps in a box in the good soil of Denmark" is a curious sing-along song despite the dark lyrics, and "Big chill" (featuring Mattias Alkberg of Bear Quartet and Mattias Alkberg BD) is invigorating as all get out. "Lets not fall apart" showcases frontman David Fridlund's uncanny grasp of melody. Their songs are always an intriguing contrast between lyrics that border on suicidal despair and bouncy melodies brimming with joy. These aren't all the songs I would have picked to showcase their strengths - there are none of their slower beauties, and some of their most compelling numbers like "Song against life" (now there's a theme for a sing-along-song!) are missing, while a few of those included ("Grey coated morning," which was an early single but is hardly their best) might be better left off. All in all, though, it's a fine introduction to a wonderful band for those who don't want to spring for the full catalogue and build their own favorite song playlists.]]> Sat, 11 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800 reviews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/7053 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/7053 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/7053#comments "Nothing to prove / Just a hellish rock'n'roll freak / You call your metal black / It's just fucking lame and weak"

Darkthrone wastes no time in laying down the law and telling you exactly what they're about. As if you couldn't tell by their trademark buzzsaw guitars and plodding beats. In a scene where grimness and regression are sought-after virtues, none are more true than Darkthrone. Bands like Mayhem get chastised for attempting to update their sound, but Darkthrone steadfastly soldiers on. There are few things you can count on in this world, but you always know what you're getting with these guys. But sometimes they do try to put one over on us - C'mon guys, what's up with that Siouxsie and the Banshees cover? My automatic reaction is to deny their self-awareness, their sense of humor. They're too kvlt for that, right? But it's there and it's undeniable. Darkthrone is smiling.]]> Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800 news