The Janitors aspired to Silverbullit-level greatness on their debut album and failed, but with their new release, "The sick state EP", they've come mighty close. We're still neck-deep in derivative works territory (see "Epileptic city" vs "Magnetic city") and the band's name is still forgettable at best, but there's a lot they're getting right: the steady motorik pulse, the layers of noise, the ominous vibe. Even if they don't have much personality of their own manufacture, I'll accept 'em as a solid Silverbullit tribute and will remain optimistic they'll push the envelope a bit further as time goes on.
Listen to "The sick state EP"here and keep an eye out for another three EPs to be released over the course of 2011 with an eventual LP compilation of the tracks coming at the close.
Three Seasons is the new band of ex-Siena Root vocalist Sartez Faraj and much like his work with that previous act, they totally rule. I know that Graveyard continues to be the poster-boys of the Swedish hardrock scene right now and they're pretty good, don't get me wrong, but in the same way that Siena Root's 2008 release "Far from the sun" was overshadowed by Graveyard's self-titled debut, let us not make the same mistake again. There's room at the top for more than one set of heavy rock jammers and, anyhow, Three Seasons is definitely the superior band. Besides, if you can't get down with those organ solos, you don't deserve to be listening to this stuff anyway.
Thrash funk not dead! Seriously, of all the sub-sub-genres to come back around, I figured we'd get a fourth wave of ska or something long before I'd be hearing slap bass again. Normally I'd immediately hit delete on any promo that comes my way with the descriptor "funky" (or any derivative thereof), but I guess I was feeling charitable or something because I decided to check out Riff Knives and was actually kind of impressed. I still wouldn't exactly say this is "good", but I'm glad it exists and I have to say, I really do have a soft spot for this stuff I suppose. After all, my teenage years in the SF Bay Area were ruled by the likes of Primus, Mr. Bungle, Fungo Mungo, Psychefunkapus and tons more 2nd and 3rd rate acts in this mode, not to mention my own (unwise) musical endeavors of the time (recordings exist, but I don't have them). So yeah, I can't talk shit and no matter how contemptible you may feel about the style, these dudes nail it. Look for the band's new EP "Ape flip" to be released on March 9.
mRa called it. Both that First Love, Last Rites made a killer, time-out-of-place indie record and also that opening cut "Always too late" is a stellar example of such. Like he says, great refrain, great emotional content. I concur completely. Love the false ending too. And yes, the kids are most definitely blowing it. Was just having a conversation with folks a few days ago about Swedish indiepop and they seemed shocked when I asserted that the scene is tiny despite the presence of many world-class bands. Are teenagers still forming bands 'round this stuff or are they just plugging away at their laptops, vying for a space on Altered Zones? If they are, I'm not hearing it. Prove me wrong, I welcome it.
It's no secret that September is my favorite mainstream pop act and one of the few I follow, which is not to say I'm fully stoked on everything she's done post-"In orbit" (a modern pop classic IMO), but there's no denying that her cover of Petter's "Mikrofonkåt" is fantastic. The numbers support it, the track is huge! Well, now there's than English version of said single and while I'm not as crazy about it as the original på svenska, it's still a quality pop tune and I really do hope she'll be able to continue her success abroad.
Kinda odd to hear Swedish death metal with straight-up melodic vocals (courtesy of Janne "J.B." Christofferson from Grand Magus), but hey -- when you're scene royalty like Fred Estby, you get to do whatever you want on your solo album. Doesn't hurt that both Roberts from Dundertåget/Thunder Express (that would be Pehrsson and Dahlqvist) contribute leads either. As one would expect, Necronaut's self-titled debut is a mixed bag based on the various gueststar's talents, but the overall result is pretty darn good as far as vanity projects go. It's a fun and enjoyable listen and that's enough. The small surprises like "Soulside serpents" elevate it above Death Breath-level mediocrity.
They've got a bummer name and a bit too much of a try-hard corny look for my tastes, but unlike contributor John Norby, I actually really like it when Barbe-Q-Barbies channel AC/DC. In fact, I'd say they're at their best when they lean closer to classic 70s rock/powerpop (think Cheap Trick) than 80s glam/hair metal. Give them a heavier sound and they'd probably end up generic also-rans, but give me big hooks and raw power and I'm sold.
Nothing makes me feel old and out of touch like this sort of modern emo/pop-punk/hardcore. The whole visual/fashion aspect of it is one thing, but like I've said before (more or less), getting angry about it is like screaming at a cloud. As for the music, it's not too hard to trace it back to something that was once kind of good and honestly, this song really isn't that bad as far as vapid mallpunk goes. It's got a hook at least, though that doesn't excuse the terrible name or the drama-club murder-revenge fantasy. Then again, it could be so much worse. There's so many things in that 2nd clip that make my mind reel. Anyhow, I think the thing that really bugs me about this stuff is that it seems so completely divorced from the DIY punk/hardcore scene I know. Like, do these kinds of acts exist outside of battle-of-the-band competitions and Warped Tour? If they do, I am blissfully ignorant because I never see flyers for this sort of stuff anywhere. That's not to say there aren't plenty of terrible bands playing basements, rental halls and other underground venues, but you gotta wonder if these youngins kids are even aware of Black Flag, let alone "Get in the van". Then there's also stuff like this -- $3k for a 7"? Seriously? I don't fucking get it.
Can't say that I know much about Tremoro Tarantura, but that's fine -- I almost prefer my psych/drone artists to be mysterious recluses. Keep it all in yr head where it belongs. What I do know is that I'm way into this. Looping, open-chord guitar figures build and mutate as the voice of Zweizz mutters distorted curses under the surface, all while the drums keep pounding away until it eventually arrives at peak white noise/black metal dissolution. Much like The Goner, another favorite mining similar turf, Tremoro Tarantura shows that modern drone minimalism does not need to be ambient. My advice: listen loud.
Just in case the one thing missing in your life was a modern hardcore-style cover of Masshysteri's "Dom kan inte höra musiken", one of 2010's best tracks. Download the rest of the band's latest EP "De få & de stolta" for free via myspace: http://www.myspace.com/halldetakta
Musical discovery often happens when you least expect it. I was at the P3 Guld afterparty making smalltalk with Säkert!'s violinist Frida Johansson and she mentioned that she mostly works in folk music. I have no idea what kind of reaction she expected from me, but of course I was very interested and happy to receive a copy of her other group Kraja's latest CD "Brusand Hav". Can't say that I know much about Scandinavian a cappella folk tradition outside of my limited experience with the excellent Trio Mediaeval, but I do know that I like Kraja a lot and was even more impressed to learn that almost every track on their new record is an original composition, quite an audacious tact! As for the wide-ranging lyrical sources they explore, I can't comment in detail because I am lacking proper liner notes, but if my Googling is correct, this particular tune is based on a poem by Verner von Heidenstam -- not that I follow the words too much, I'm far more enamored with their superb four-part harmonies. Definitely not the sort of new music I expected to stumble across on my most recent trip to Sweden, but definitely a discovery that is more than welcome. Tack Frida!
How is it that I've never known about Katharina Nuttall until a week ago? With two previously released albums and numerous production credits under her belt (including Ane Brun), I feel like I've been seriously blowing it, especially since her flavor of dark, melancholy rock is exactly what I'm into. "Turn me on" is the lead single and title track from her upcoming album, due out March 23 via , and it sounds like a caustic hybrid of PJ Harvey and the barebone rawness of early Madrugada. Of course I'm way into it, how could I not? On the other hand, I must admit to being a slight more partial to her melodramatic wrist-slitting balladeering side, as evidenced by the older video posted above. But fear not should you be of similar mind! There's bits of that on the new album as well. Definitely a spring release to look forward to.
Okkultokrati play Stockholm this weekend at DeadFest and if it's anything like when they played Göteborg a few weeks back, I imagine my RSS reader will be full of statements such as "holy shit!" and "screw it, I quit!" the very next day. Or maybe not, seeing as how Stockholm's denizens tend to be unimpressed, jaded elitists. Anyhow, whether or not dozens of mediocre bands will spontaneously dissolve after being devastated by Scandinavia's current genre leaders, it's an event not to be missed. I obviously can't make it as I'm back home, halfway 'round the world, but at least I can still jam the band's superb new EP "Ingen veit alt". Five new tracks, including a Reagan Youth cover ("No class"), a tune with the very timely title of "Witch house" and then one that ups the nomenclature ante even further: "Triumph of meth". If the tag of "apocalyptic metal/punk sludge" sounds appealing, you can't do better than this.
Mandorla is currently being promoted as "the Swedish equivalent to The Beach Boys" according to some unnamed journalist and it's not too hard to see why once you hear the lush vocal harmonies on "Heartbeats away from my love", the band's new single off the forthcoming album "Based on an idea by...". They're obviously not doing too much to break new ground here, but there is certainly something to be said for the craftsmanship that goes into absolutely nailing it, and nail it they certainly do. No idea exactly when the record will be out, but they are saying sometime in March.
Not that O-Zone has a monopoly on the whole "Mai ai hee" chant, but it is funny to hear it compared against Torpedo's new single "Waiting for the fall" since the two songs are world's apart. Or are they?