Tag: Mp3s
Another day, another duet. Swedish troubadour Lesli doesn't stray from the typical AAA party line; it's all very nice and pleasant and easygoing and easy on the ears. I hear bits of Jeff Buckley in his voice, maybe some Thomas Dybdahl too, though not so smokey. Heavier on the former by far. So yeah, not subversive in the least and nothing you haven't heard before. Which is not to say it's bad; he actually pulls it off quite well, wisely keeping the arrangements sparse and open. The muted horns on single "Half a wing" give it a distinct, warm 70s flavor, too. As for duet partner Frida Öhrn's (Oh Laura) contributions, she does a fine job of supporting the main act without eclipsing him. They elevate the material by subtly wrapping their voices together. It's actually that combined lowkey approach that wins it -- the casual atmosphere is endlessly charming. Without it, all allure would be lost. Perhaps not quite the sort of song that instantly captivates, but definitely one worth noting.
Lesli - Half a wing (ft. Frida Öhrn)
I can hang with some Nisse Hellberg and other revivalists such as The Blasters/Dave Alvin, but more modern rockabilly falls short as pointless nostalgia. However, when bands like Fatboy go for the old-fashioned torch song ballad, I can dig it. Obviously, that's the basis of Weeping Willows' entire career and I fully back them, so why should these guys be any different? And I always appreciate anyone who's willing to send me the LP version, especially when they've got cover art like this. Add an ex-member of Whale? Sure, why not? As for the song itself, Fatboy and Sarah Dawn Finer attempt to spice up the old formula with an extra bite, but really, the mild expletives are unnecessary and unfitting. They only serve to distract. So yeah, it won't ever compete with any classic Tammy Wynette weepers ("Don't wanna play house" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", to name two), but it's okay. In fact, that pretty much sums up my thoughts on Fatboy in general: just okay.
Fatboy - The way we were (ft. Sarah Dawn Finer)
Champagne Riot's "Scandinavian warfare" is so gloriously melodramatic, so beautifully despondent. Even without following the lyrics, it's communicated in the melody of the vocal line and the half-resigned way it's sung. Like Sambassadeur's brilliant "Subtle changes", it also has a soaring quality that makes it oh so satisfying and yes, even a little bit epic. The only thing missing: a wordless refrain to go with the strings. Still, one of the best songs of 2008 and totally irresistible.
Champagne Riot - Scandinavian warfare
This song is proof positive that great music transcends language barriers and really, that's one of the main reasons I started this damn site. Hanna Hirsch, the self-described "awkward Buzzcocks", understand that strong melodies win out about all, whether you understand what they're saying or not. For the record, Google Translate tells me it's "No one will miss us", but like I said, you don't need to know. Especially since it's not true. I file it right next to Ebba Grön, Håkan Hellström; two other artists I love to sing along with in a pathetic, phoenetic fashion.
Hopefully people won't ignore this like they did with Diskret Förlag's previous release "Har du hört den förut? 29 Svenska artister tolkar Förmögenhet". That's another great album that should appeal to most everyone, whether you know Swedish or not.
Hanna Hirsch - Ingen kommer sakna oss
Silver's new album "Wolf chasing wolf" sounds like they broke into Satyricon's studio, locked the doors behind them and got all doped up. It's so harsh and negative, violent and paranoid; yet the huge trashrock hooks remain fully intact. The vital punkrock urgency, too. I just never thought I'd be so into a rock'n'roll record that sounded so unnatural. "Drenched in comfort" isn't as much of a pop song as the rest of their material, but I love the ominous chanting and drumline beats. And those leads! It's so great to hear a band pull together all sorts of disparate influences together and forge their own path.
Silver - Drenched in comfort
Had Convoj's new album "Exceptionnel" been released even a month earlier, there's a good chance it would have ended up on my year-end best-of list. That's the way it goes though -- there's way too much mediocre music out there for me to wade through and often the best stuff gets forced to wayside. Don't make the same mistake and let them pass you by! "Knives and riptides" is everything the best guitar-based indierock should be: driving and insistent, with melody and power. There's not as much cowbell abuse as "Songs that maybe won't be forgotten", but it's still plenty enough to qualify as awesome. And really, that's what matters.
Convoj - Knives and riptides
Really, this time I mean it! I've been working hard on this website update for something like two months now and of course I had to push extra hard over the weekend to get things up today, but I'm okay with that. Even if I wasn't able to get every little thing ready in time. As for Marit Bergman, this might just be her year too. After running her song subscription service throughout 2008, she's put together a full-length album called "The tear collector" for release on March 25 and this might just be her chance to break through in the US. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. At the very least, I'd like to see her leave her second home in NYC to play a show on the west coast.
Marit Bergman - This is the year
It's a Trap! will be taking a short, much-needed break after today to recharge the batteries and put the finishing touches on a new site revamp. See you in 2009?
King Diamond - No presents for Christmas
Download this track and load it into your mp3 player. Put it on and take a walk downtown. Watch as the color drains from the scenery, as the faces around you dissolve into emptiness. Watch as every movement, even the most benign, takes on new, sinister connotations. Eventually, the paranoia will give way and then you will be left with nothingness. A blank slate; a total loss.
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Lost & losing
Robert Svensson's first solo single was "1987", a track which featured guest vocals from Adam Olenius of Shout Out Louds. That was supposed to be a big selling point I guess, yet it ended up being one of the weakest tracks on his album. Nine months later, here we are with his latest single "1991" which actually happens to be my favorite track on the album. 4 years made the difference? Anyhow, the template for the sound isn't that different - we still get the same indierock with skittering beats and clever percussion, soft synths and a big, big chorus. "1991" also eschews more typical "rock" instrumentation, relying (almost?) solely on electronics. That helps separate the piece from Robert's work with his band Mixtapes & Cellmates and it also provides a wider palette for him to dip his proverbial paint brush. Yes, it's a bit colder, but that too is fitting for the season as far as I'm concerned. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a fresh blanket of snow outside to go play in.
Robert Svensson - 1991
This song has been the bane of my existence for nearly as long as I can remember, but I most distinctly remember my middle school teacher music teacher Kirk Wetterholm (who looked/looks? quite a bit like Gov. Blagojevich, come to think of it) singing it to me on the regular. He made puns on many kids' names, but I got the aria. Thanks a lot!
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.
Moto Boy - Ave Maria
2008 has been an ugly year in many, many ways. Bush is still president, the economy is a mess, new scandals seem to pop up every day. It's only fitting that some of the year's best music reflects it and no band does that better than Norway's Haust. Every song on their debut album "Ride the relapse" is unrelentingly harsh with the cold edge of black-metal, but also imbued the passion of hardcore punk. All you need to know about "Ugly fucking Oslo" is right there in the title -- the brutality of the song is obvious before it even starts.
Besides the track I've posted today, also be sure to check out the new podcast mix I've added to the articles section. Like I said, Haust is simply one of many bands out there reflecting the zeitgeist. Perfect tunes for bad times.
Haust - Ugly fucking Oslo
How did I sleep on this? Love Is All is a perfect continuation of classic Swedish postpunk, keeping it vital and alive. Less the darkness of, say, Cut City or other artists taking the darker path, but more the frenetic pop of Kitchen & the Plastic Spoons or other more new-wavey acts who toe the line without straying into new romance. More punk than post-, y'know? And here I was thinking they were yet another boring indie act. I should really pay better attention.
Love Is All - New beginnings
So much free music out there, yet so little is worth hearing. As with yesterday's post on the High Hats, I'm here to help you cut through the muck as best I can. I suspect a lot of people overlooked my notice that Swedish hip-hop artist Fronda was offering up a full album for download and that's a shame because it's one of those rare exceptions where the music is actually worth hearing. Fuck all those endless Christmas singles/EPs/whatever; I'm sick of that shit before we even get to December. This is far more interesting, especially since it's been somewhat of a weak year for Swedish hip-hop. Obviously I'm not up on every release, but if Adam Tensta and Lazee are the best of the best, that's sad. Besides, the best Swedish hip-hop is almost always på Svenska. Now I can't say that this particular track ("Andas") breaks new ground or will blow minds, but it's 100% solid and that's all that matters. Hopefully it's enough to convince you to download the rest at the very least, or even make a donation. Good music deserves to be heard.
Fronda - Andas