Tag: Mp3s
Have I never posted anything from Notre Dame before? I feel like the answer is no and that's a damn shame because they're an excellent act and seriously underappreciated. Band leader Snowy Shaw spent some time playing drums for King Diamond and Mercyful Fate some years back before getting frustrated that he wasn't able to contribute his own musical ideas to those projects, so he started Notre Dame, among many other sideprojects such as Memento Mori, Illwill and more recently, Dream Evil. I spent a good chunk of time yesterday listening to some of my old 'Fate records, so I thought why not post a cover tune by an ex-member? Or something like that. I guess I could've posted an actual Fate original since they are actually Danish, but King Diamond has lived in Texas so long it just doesn't seem right. It's almost like considering Metallica to be a Danish act since Lars was born there and we all know that just isn't right. So anyhow, there was a time in the late 90s when everyone seemed to be gung-ho about doing metal tribute albums. The Listenable Records tribute to Mercyful Fate is definitely not the best of the bunch (that title belongs to the first "Slaytanic slaughter" tribute to Slayer), but it's not bad. Pretty much every contribution is played straight-ahead except, that is, for Notre Dame. Snowy Shaw is actually all over this damn comp - he does vocals for Luciferion and also contributes a cover of "Evil" under his own name - but it's the final track "Into the coven" that stands out most. It takes the original song into a whole new dimension of grandeur and theatrics. What's also great about Snowy is that he doesn't take his work too seriously. His comic book-meets-metal vision is often light-hearted and fun, but it's definitely not the same as ironic detachment. This is not like whats-his-name from Pinback playing with Goblin Cock. There is no question that this is true metal. No sly winks or expensive "vintage" t-shirts. Be forewarned however, this is an epic track so that means an equally epic 16mb download. Enjoy!
Notre Dame - Into the coven
This is a week chock full of exclusives! Besides giving you the very first taste of the new The End Will Be Kicks album and offering it up for sale on mp3 waaaaay before it's available anywhere else, I've got yet another treat for you today! When I first heard that Björn Yttling had a jazz album in the works, I was naturally quite curious. Many people now recognize him as a member of the excellent Peter Bjorn and John, but I first became aquainted with his music through his extensive work as a producer. Many fine records in my collection are adorned with his name on the credits. So not only do I have a brand new track from his upcoming album today, but I was also afforded the opportunity to ask Björn a few questions about his work.
AR: Why a jazz album? What was the inspiration for the project?
BY: I've always listened to jazz (stuff like Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Ellington and of course Coltrane and Charlie Parker) and ten years ago I also played it. But the jazz scene can be very very boring with people just playing standards in predictable ways, so I kind of slipped away from it. I was still writing jazz songs though, and spurred by saxophone player Jonas Kullhammar I started thinking of making a jazz record.
AR: Is there a lot of difference in the way you work when you are composing jazz charts as opposed to when you are doing arrangements for pop music?
BY: No not really. The biggest different is that (my) jazz music is instrumental and pop music often isn't. Of course with jazz tunes you can leave the forms more open for improvising. I recorded this record in a day, and pop albums always take at least two.
AR: What other current producers do you admire right now?
BY:I really don't keep track on foreign producers that much, but there are many Swedes that I really like. Björn Olsson, Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Jari Haapalainen of course, but don't forget Jocke Åhlund from Caesars and Calle Olsson from Bear Quartet.
AR: So what's next for you then?
BY: I'm doing/planning a few records right now. Montys Loco, Elias & The Wizzkids, The Charm, Pueblo and we're almost done with the new Peter Bjorn And John album. What I really looking forward to do now is a record with Joakim Åhlund, and we're gonna start next week.
Björn's new jazz album with Yttling Jazz is called "Oh Lord, why can't I keep my big mouth shut". It comes out November 21 via Headspin Recordings.
Yttling Jazz - Tokyo Hyatt
After what seemed like an eternity of starts and stops, it's finally here. The deubt self-titled album from The End Will Be Kicks is finished and it's a monster. This has been my most anticipated release for a loooong time and I'm happy to report that it doesn't disappoint in the slightest. As mentioned before numerous times, TEWBK is the new project of ex Him Kerosene frontman Niklas Quintana and drummer Tomas Turunen. The sound is still steeped in the trademarks of Norrland heavy indie rock - noisy guitars and thick, dissonant melodies - but twisted in a way that is unique and new. Just listen to the guitar bzzzz and hum on the opening - that's hardly a riff, that's a swarm of locusts ready to attack. And then the chorus hits and the whole thing opens up like a flower to reveal something even more beautiful. As great as this record is, it's also bittersweet because it's the end of the line for Chalksounds Records. It's wonderful to wrap things up on such a high note, but the current record biz climate is just too much for most indies to take. It's one thing to put out a few records as a hobby, but if you need to rely on that income, chances are it ain't gonna be easy. But let's not get off track here! Listen to the song!
The End Will Be Kicks - Always looking out
The one artist who taught me that I should take mainstream Swedish pop seriously was Håkan Hellström. I was perusing files on Napster and just starting to get obsessive with my Scandinavian music obsession when I came across some HH tracks. All I knew was that it was Swedish, so I figured what the heck? Why not? That's the beauty of p2p after all. Well, those songs turned out to be Håkan's amazing debut album "Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg" and I was blown away. This album proves that you don't need to understand a single word of Swedish to appreciate great pop music. It wasn't long before I had a copy of the real CD in my hand and was busy hunting down bootlegs and b-sides. So here's one of those rare finds for you now - the demo version of the title track, labelled as "Ge mig arsenik". I'm not sure if this is the actual demo that got Håkan signed, but it certainly could be. I don't think that Håkan will ever again touch the brilliance of his first record, but it was such a monumental piece of work that I don't think anyone minds. It was the perfect album at the perfect time, a certified classic.
Håkan Hellström - Ge mig arsenik (demo)
The first truly great release of this fall season is Tiger Lou's "The loyal". The record is a bit darker in tone than his previous records, but as always, he just keeps getting better and better with each new release. The songwriting, the playing... everything is stepped up a notch. The only word I can think of to aptly describe it is "sublime". It doesn't hurt that Tiger Lou mainman Rasmus Kellerman is simply an excellent human being as well. Same goes for the rest of his bandmates (who are also in the band Torpedo). I love all you guys. Anytime any of you find yourself in the Pacific Northwest, give me a call okay?
Tiger Lou - The loyal (single edit)
Quoteth IAT contributor Jason Christie:
Either way it is immaterial when we put "Mopeds + Review" in the same bracket - you see, you'll know The Mopeds are no upstarts. It can be said they’re a well respected non-Stockholm band. They feature majestic trombonist and everyone's favourite producer/horn player Jens Lindgård (Bob Hund, The Cardigans, Eggstone, Tom Jones, Roxette, Ulf Lundell, St. Etienne, and many more. More recently you have heard them play with the band David & the Citizens and Damn!). Just Google "Jens Lindgård" for a long list of credits. The new disc, what's the deal?
No bloody idea. Have not listened!
Let's guess. The lazy taglines have them alongside fellow Pågs Brainpool and Eggstone, but we know The Mopeds will have gone all McFly on us instead! Mopeds parked up outside the US embassy of radio pop, MTV indie but then with attention to detail "Fortissimo" won't be knocked. They occupy peer status – check that list up above again."Fortissimo" will be fast, it'll be furious, it'll mess with your days and fill your nights. That's if you are done with first and second albums "The hills are alive with the sound of mopeds" or "The land of the three" - because without listening, rest assured the review will read positive. There are some things you can rely on.
Couldn't have said it much better myself, and I've actually heard the damn thing. Download a choice track from "Fortissimo" over on the right.
The Mopeds - Refused demo land
This week's Friday pick comes from Swedish artrockers Svenson. I don't know what's up with the band these days, but the album "See you in earth" is something special. Drummer Anders Gustafsson (also in Silverbullit) provides a steady foundation while the rest of the guys do their best to mess things up in all the best possible ways. It's noisy and chaotic, but always fun. Unlike many similar-sounding acts, Svenson never succumbs to darkness or tries to act grim. Never underestimate the importance of a healthy sense of humor! Take pleasure in sonic destruction! Buy it here.
Svenson - Don't get lost
New mp3 today from Tape from their third album "Rideau", out next week on Häpna. As Jens Lekman says in his recent interview with PopMatters, "the most exciting stuff is happening on the Häpna label" and I'm inclined to agree. Surely you've heard some of the hype on now-departed organ/drum duo Sagor & Swing, but there's much more to be discovered. I find myself listening to a lot of droning ambient music these days now that I'm working from home and can listen to my choice of music without fear of annoying coworkers. However, I still have to worry about annoying my wife, so compromises must be made! This is the stuff that we can wholeheartedly agree on: it's inobstrusive enough that you can work without distractions, but not so much so that you can't enjoy it. And we all know that noise/drone is the new black, right? Get with it! I especially love this track for the buzz of the shakers - it reminds me of cicadas and summertime.
Tape - Exuma
I don't think I've properly expressed just how amazing the new Bear Quartet album is. I posted the first single "I have an itch" a little over a month ago, but I hadn't heard the full album yet. Now that I've time to fully digest and process "Saturday night", I can sincerely attest to what an amazing piece of music it is. The band promised us a mindblowing experience and they delivered. I think a lot of twee indierockers will be scared off by how noisy, sinister and straight-up fucked this album is, but I'm here to assure you - it's worth the challenge. The most intellectually satisfying works of art usually are. So here's another song to pique your interest. Listen to those dense chords shift and build. The chittering vocals. The foreboding wash of reverb and flanger over the breaks. It shouldn't work, but somehow it does.
The Bear Quartet - Birds are singing deep within the greenery
This week's Friday pick comes from Beyond Dawn, one of my long-time absolute favorite Norwegian artists. I've posted tracks from them in the past, but I figure it's time to revisit them especially in light of the recent remaster/reissue of the very excellent "In reverie" EP, the release from which today's track originates. Besides, if I didn't post this today, I'm sure Dark Dose would get around to it soon enough. Beyond Dawn started out as a dirgeful black-metal/doom act, but there was always something different about them. Early on they distinguished themselves with the addition of a trombone player, but it was with this EP that they truly stepped up with the incorporation of electronics and more diverse, acoustic instrumentation. There's definitely echoes of neo-folk era Swans here, but I find that BD is in a league of their own. Their influences may be obvious, but there's no one that sounds quite the same. I do believe that Duplicate Records is offering a special deal to people who order now, so get on it.
Beyond Dawn - Chameleon
Today's mp3 comes from Mew, the latest act hyped for international success out of Denmark. Simon Thibaudeau found the helium-infused vocals to be too much of a Flaming Lips rip in his review, but I prefer to liken the band to other intelligent rock acts such as mid-period Radiohead or maybe heavier acts such as Tool and Dredg. I'm not saying they all sound alike, but rather that they share many similar characteristics such as uneven time signatures and polyrhythms and the tendency towards cinematic soundscapes. Mew doesn't get all that heavy outside of the bombastic intro track on the new album "And the glass handed kites" and because of that, I think they could appeal to listeners on both sides of the fence. It's as epic as any power-metal, but with more of a feminine touch. I'm not really a fan of Dinosaur Jr. (indierock heresy, yes I know), but the guest vocals on this track from J. Mascis are superb in context. His gravelly delivery is a perfect counterpoint to Jonas Bjerre's light and airy voice.
Mew - Why are you looking grave?
Once again I'm posting a track from Hyacinth House. I was mightily impressed by the three-song sampler the band sent me awhile back, but now I've got the full album and can confirm that it's a stunner. I had it solid repeat for a week after I got it before I realized I needed to lay off before I got burnt out. The music is classic Americana with a touch of darkness ala 16 Horsepower/Will Oldham and I think I also hear a touch of 70s rock in the mix. There's a number of parts that remind of (gasp!) Led Zeppelin, but not the heavy-rock parts - no no no, I'm talking about the acoustic/bluesy stuff. But there's another reason why I'm posting about Hyacinth House again today. It seems I got sent two copies of the new CD, so I've got one to give away. You want it? Email contest at itsatrap dot com with the subject line "Hyacinth House". Enter now because I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow morning (that's Tuesday AM Pacific Time, in case you were wondering).
Hyacinth House - New day arising
It's a small, small world that we live in. About a week ago my wife went to a meeting of the local weavers guild where a woman was talking about her upcoming trip to the Swedish speaking region of Finland so of course my wife mentioned something about this site and my interest in such things and so forth. So then this other lady relates a tale from one of her ealier trips to Sweden years ago where she stayed with some friends who had a surly punk-rocker daughter who later became a pop star. And who would that daughter be? Why, Marit Bergman of course. I can only imagine that this must've been during the Candysuck days, but I don't know for sure as it's all second-hand. As for my own Marit Bergman story: we met very briefly at SXSW in Austin when I was on tour with KVLR. I was totally out of my head from driving all night and probably made no sense, but whatever - it was years ago. I'm over it. So Marit, should you ever read this, I hope you're enjoying your stay in NYC. Hopefully we'll get some new music from you in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, here's a live track from Popstad 2003.
Marit Bergman - I take my wings off you (live)
The best thing about the new Laakso single? Obviously it's the high-pitched over-the-top backing vocals. Despite vocalist Markus Krunegård's best efforts to caterwaul through the entire album, this is the song that sticks out the most. And don't forget the "solo" - or whatever you want to call it. It sounds more like they're dismantling their guitars. Oh, and when the Jerry Lee Lewis rock'n'roll piano kicks in! Golden! It's a mess, but it's beautiful.
Laakso - In my blood
The hype around Hello Saferide really surprises me. Truth be told, I really shouldn't be all that surprised: cute girl, good voice, clever songs - what's not to like? That's a fairly standard formula for success right there. Actually, what gets me about Hello Saferide is something that Simon touches upon in his review. Compared to the world of interesting female singer/songwriters out there, Annika Norlin is just a plain ol' folkie. Simon seems to find that disappointing, but I'm totally okay with it. To be perfectly frank, I think a lot of those so-called more "challenging" artists just aren't very good (I won't name names today, sorry). But why are the indie kids so excited? I don't get it. Next thing you know, everyone's gonna be moving beyond dabbling in semi-hip stuff like Suzanne Vega to digging through Christine Lavin's discography. Who knows?
Hello Saferide - Nothing like you (when you're gone)