Tag: Mp3s
If you've been paying attention, you'll note that I've added all of the various CDs from the MNW "Klassiker" reissue series to the webstore recently so naturally I've been spending a bit of time getting acquainted with them. Besides the "Svensk postpunk" comp, I've been pleasantly surprised by the Dag Vag collection. I was expecting something a bit more punky, but they're actually more of a pop band with reggae influences. Or 'Transkontinental Rockreggae', as they put it. Not only that, but they're still around! I had no idea. Considering the strong reggae influence and the time period, you could definitely compare Dag Vag to the Clash albeit without the politics. I suppose it's possible that Dag Vag could be radicals (I wouldn't know, my Swedish still sucks), but they sound more like a party band to me and that's okay. Listen to today's mp3 and you'll immediately know what I'm talking about. Popitop? Is that even a real word? Does it matter? Oh, and crowd noise/gang singalongs always equals party jams. Enjoy!
Dag Vag - Popitop
I've been going through a bit of a punk rock renaissance as of late, getting back in touch with my roots and figuring out how it relates to my life here and now. I know it can be argued that punk is meaningless now (and has been for quite some time), but nothing else quite affects me in the same way. It's not just the music - punk had always been about more than that - it's also the values and the spirit of community it represents. As for the "indie" scene? Give me a break, that's not a scene at all. So while I could easily get up on my soapbox and pontificate on the subject all day, it must be pointed out that it really does come down to the music in the end. Lots of mediocre bands coast on being good dudes who "support the scene" or whatever, but they never stand the test of time. Good bands, even if they aren't doing anything particularly groundbreaking, are timeless. That's kind of how I'd describe the new split from Enemy Alliance and The Indecision Alarm. It sounds so incredibly familiar, yet fresh and alive. You can hear it in the sincerely of both band's performance. There's a certain wistfulness that calls to mind Midwestern acts of yore, but for Enemy Alliance, the sound is far more Southern California. Fast skate-rock beats and huge harmonized choruses. Nothing original there, but the delivery is so good I could care less. It makes me feel like a kid again.
Enemy Alliance - Government subsidized ghetto
The new Timo Räisänen album "Love will turn you around" surprised me. I've always been iffy on his earlier records so the huge opening riffs of "My valentine" came as a huge surprise. Timo doing bombastic pop? Really? I thought that "Sweet Marie" was as a promising lead single, but in no way did it prepare me for this. Naturally, I'm much more into loud guitars so it doesn't take much to figure out which one I like better. The track "Michael" is actually a bit better at combining the two approaches into an epic, but the one I've posted today works better to show off Timo's newly expanded range. It's just so gigantic! I never knew he had it in him.
Timo Räisänen - My valentine
The Skull Defekts continue to be ridiculously prolific, but they are not ones to ever repeat themselves. 2007 already saw the release of "Skkull", an all-electronic featuring the core three members and now we have "Blood spirits & drums are singing", an album composed of heavy, rhythmic works using a more typical rock-band instrumentation. Of course, this still being Skull Defekts, there is still plenty of squawling noise which will greet you at the onset of today's mp3. However, once that fades away and the vocals come in, you'll probably be surprised by how keenly melodic it is. The riff endlessly cycles and pummels, building a simmering level of tension. Repeat. Build. Hypnotize. This is much more in line with Swans or Lungfish than the Skull Defekts of past and I love it. So, the only question then is where to next?
The Skull Defekts - The secret
It's hard to be critical of Those Dancing Days without coming off like an asshole. They sound pretty much like you'd expect a band of teen girls playing indiepop would. There's really no need to go deeper because I think that's all most people will need to know. So if that's the kind of thing that appeals to you, read no further - download the song and enjoy. Otherwise, let me be an asshole. "Hittan" is about a full minute longer than it needs to be. The performance, especially the vocals, lacks spunk. Not that I expected Huggy Bear or anything, but I think they could let loose more and show off some of that youthful energy. Beyond that, it's fine. TDD are competent, but not yet confident.
Those Dancing Days - Hitten
In the beginning - 1992 or thereabouts - The Bear Quartet wasn't much more than a run-of-the-mill indie act. They were good, but they wore their influences on their sleeve and were barely distinguishable from the rabble. The one thing they did have going for them was location. Aside from the whole big fish/small pond thing, they also had that certain something that I only hear from bands out of Norrland. A certain discordance in the melody, that unmistakable northern darkness in the lyrics. "You hate the sound of sobbing meat / it's in your eyes whenever we meet" is not the sort of couplet you'd hear from Superchunk, but there you go. On the other hand, I think a lot of people around my age probably have a certain nostalgia for this particular sound so I understand why BQ's first album "Penny century" is held in such high esteem. Ah, the glory days of 'college rock', back when being indie actually meant something! Or did it ever? I was too busy trying to be punk.
The Bear Quartet - Headacher
We're on the cusp of September going into a three-day weekend (Monday is Labor Day in the US), so I'm gonna go ahead and declare that next month's Record Club selection is Laakso's "Mother, am I good looking?". No big surprise there, especially since I've been raving about them quite a bit recently. I had actually considered making it my pick in previous months, but there was always some other record that took precedence. Do I regret it? Nope, not at all - I stand by all my selections. Already have the record? Maybe you want to pick "My gods" as replacement? Or maybe one of the many other new releases I've recently added to webstore? No worries, I'm always happy to work something out. As for today's mp3, well, let's consider the year's best single "Italy vs Helsinki". Is it not a completely over-the-top gay anthem? So how could you make it even more of one? By doing a house remix, naturally. I still prefer the original, but I know that if SoundFactory didn't give it this treatment, someone else sure would. It makes perfect sense and works far better than you could possibly imagine. Enjoy!
Laakso - Italy vs Helsinki (SoundFactory radio edit)
Darkthrone has a new EP called "NWOBHM", as in "New wave of black heavy metal". Of course, being Darkthrone, there's not really anything 'new' about it. The band prides themselves on embodying all that is kvlt, grim and true in Norwegian black-metal, or as Fenriz says himself, "How much primitive can you can?" (fast-forward to 1:20 before the end) So yeah, think Venom, not fellow Nordsmen Emperor. Also consider, again - this being Darkthrone, that there's gonna be some wackiness. If the tounge-in-cheek EP title wasn't enough, consider "Canadian metal". Um, really? When I think Canadian metal, I think of Voivod and Gorguts, two bands that sound nothing like Darkthrone. Actually, it starts to make a bit more sense when you google the lyrics and find threads like this featuring much more learned metal historians. In a way, Darkthrone seems to be reverting to an almost-Manowar level of singlemindedness. Not that that's a bad thing - someone's got to carry the torch. Besides, Manowar's over-obessive singlemindedness is one of the reasons they're so great. I'd say the same is true for Darkthrone. Stay true!
Darkthrone - Canadian metal
Mechanical Bird are another BSBTA-affiliated band like the Dear Elaines, 'cept that these guys fare much better with the lofi/DIY sound. Intentions are a big factor, as this sounds much more like a product of circumstance than an aesthetic choice. In other words, they did the best they could with the equipment they have as opposed to deliberately trying to obfuscate the sound. It also helps that it's a heckuva lot easier to capture a lone singer/songwriter on tape than a full band so they've got that advantage as well. It's also worth noting that the packaging on this disc is superb. The drawings, printing and even the choice of paper stock are a perfect match to the music. As for the music itself? Paul Bredenberg's review describes it well. The vocals + acoustic guitar base place it in country/folk territory, but there's far more ambiance than one would usually expect. The opening bird sounds, the creaking and other background noises - it's all very evocative and helps to elevate the material above its peers. Not to mention the incredible display of restraint and, as Paul pointed out, precision. Well done.
Mechanical Bird - A secret reply
Tuesdays are new release days here in the US, so it's quite appropriate that I just added a vast quantity of new items to the webstore. Yep, new fall releases are on the way in, but not only that - I've also picked up a whole load of reissue/remasters such as the Ebba Grön discography and the rest of the MNW "Klassiker" series. "Svensk postpunk" has been restocked as well and its price reduced. I also am finally getting restocks of Hello Saferide's excellent "Would you let me..." EP (about time!). Oh, and I also got copies of Laakso's superb 2005 album "My gods" for a good price. However, the one new addition that I know a lot of people have been waiting for is the release of Closer's new EP "The 39". Maybe you remember when I posted about it in early June, but if not, I've reposted opening track "Sensing the wake" again for your listening pleasure. Simply put, this is some of the best heavy rock music you'll hear this year. Hard to believe, but this new EP is even darker and more epic than the debut "Tokpela". The only question is where do they go from here? What path do you take when you're already at the summit?
Closer - Sensing the wake
I didn't budget my time very well on my trip to Göteborg, so I barely had any time to go record shopping, but I did pick up a few things, the best of them being the P2 Ström "Ny musik för landssorg" compilation. The concept is fairly simple, as exemplified by the title: "New music for national grief" - what music do you play in the event of great tragedy? This collection of Swedish electronic artists are attempting to create a new soundtrack for such a occasion and I am amazed at how successful the outcome is. As one would surmise, the music is dark, calm, introspective and, for the most part, wordless. It's also incredibly cohesive as a whole and I had a really hard time deciding on what track to feature today. Opener "In case of sorrow" from Akamu works well I think as it firmly establishes a mood. As the artist himself describes it: "A Jan Johansson-tranquility" with a light air of celebration in the swinging background rhythms. "A balance of respect and funeral feast" he says, though I think something might be lost in translation there. The way I see it: It's dark, but it's not a funeral dirge. There's an all-important soothing quality to the work and that's of vital importance considering the guiding concept. Hence, it is effective and appropriate, not just a lovely piece of music. There's many other tracks on here just as exceptional, I only wish I had the time to talk about each of them. Very recommended.
Akamu - In case of sorrow
"Born with teeth and a thorn in everybody's side" The desire to be a jerk for the sake of being a jerk. C'mon and fess up, you know you've done it. Face it, some people deserve to be antagonized. In a way, The Bear Quartet has made a career of it. Not just defying expectations, but seeing how far they can go to alienate everyone around them. And that's exactly what this song is about. "No one's gonna run me out but everybody ran me out" Mattias says. If you say "play by my rules or not at all," sometimes that means you won't play and BQ knows it. An acceptable risk? Perhaps if you measure success based on integrity, "but I'm sad to say: your ways will never make your records sell." Many now-heralded bands never survived long enough to garner the respect (and success) they deserve during their lifetime. Maybe BQ will defy convention in this regard too, but I kinda doubt it. They will continue to defy and antagonize. I don't think they can help it - it's who they are and you either love them for it or you don't.
The Bear Quartet - Born with teeth
I've been accumulating so much amazing early 80s Swedish postpunk these past few months, I could probably spend every Friday talking about it for the rest of the year. In fact, I'm quite tempted to do just that. Today's band: Cortex, the band that Freddie Wadling fronted after Liket Lever and Straitjackets. His other band The Leather Nun acheived far more widespread success (mostly after he left the group), but I find Cortex to be a far better band. On the other hand, today's song "Arkham" is definitely not their best material, but who can resist musical references to HP Lovecraft? In film, that's a whole different story - for the love of god, don't ever see "Cthulhu" should someone be dumb enough to finance a proper release, even on DVD. This fact alone is probably telling: Tori Spelling is the best thing about the movie. I saw the premiere and people practically ran from the theater to avoid the Q&A with the writer and director. Anyhow, back to Cortex... Unsurprisingly, the band's later material such as 1986's "You can't kill the boogeyman" (from which this song comes) tends to be overproduced and drenched in 80s excess, but I think their talent still shines through in this extended dirge. "A dream for some / A nightmare to others / Like a dream within a dream" Awesome.
Cortex - Arkham
Modern recording technology is so cheap and easy nowadays that there's absolutely no reason to adopt a lofi sound unless it is an intentional aesthetic choice. Which makes it so much more frustrating because I can tell that The Dear Elaines are fine musicians, but they obscure it behind layer of fuzz. I admire and respect everyone at BSBTA and their affiliates for staying true to their well-intentioned DIY values, but c'mon - this could be so much better. They profess an admiration for Guided By Voices, but understand that GbV's early dirty sound was the best they could do at the time. Get a couple SM57s and a copy of GarageBand and you're already miles ahead. "No use for words" is a great powerpop ballad and I think that The Dear Elaines' talent shines through the muck, but it will never get much play in my house because, simply put, it sounds like crap. Sorry guys.
The Dear Elaines - No use for words
NEI is an all-star band of sorts and their mission is spelled out for you right in their myspace headline. Yes, they are indeed "redefining the old mans rock" and that suits me just fine. These despairing times call for harsh negative music and that's what they deliver, just like they were doing 10-15 years ago. NEI features members from two of my all-time favorite bands, Breach and Brick, though they sound much more like the latter than the former, no doubt due to Patrik Instedt's unmistakable vocals. Brick, for those who have missed my posts about them in the past or are otherwise unaware, were Norrland's answer to The Jesus Lizard. They never tried to match guitarist Duane Dennison's virtuosic chops, but more than made up for it with increased heaviness and a healthy touch of northern darkness. As for Breach, well let me just say that their final album "Kollapse" is easily one of the finest albums to ever come out of Sweden. They are the touchstone for all other bands that arrived in their wake to be forever compared to. Being a bit older now, NEI is leaner and more calculating, more focused. They never become self-indulgent and not a single note is wasted. Now the stupefying part: how can a band this good, with such an insane pedigree, remain unsigned? It makes no sense. I'd be honored to put it out myself, but I'm still paying off debts for my previous releases. Ridiculous!
NEI - City of gold