Tag: Reviews
7
Oslo's King Midas are seasoned pros in the music world, "Sorry" is their 14th release (including both singles as well as albums). The band has been through their up and downs, but have succeeded in holding it down, and that fact should not go unnoticed. "Sorry" has a mischievous air to it, not unlike a typical Robyn Hitchcock record, or a dark, sinful track from the Velvet Underground. Like the melancholy, angry, edgy themes we've heard from the aforementioned artists, King Midas proves it can still be done right, with of course, more synths. Standout tracks include "Honky tonk symphony", "Westend boys" and "Walk away, ringo". There's no reason why this record should not be in someone's top ten list for this year.
- Paul Bredenberg
6
Much more impressive than Moneybrother's latest album is Anders Wedin's constant output of new material (this is Moneybrother's fourth album since 2003). The quality of his songs might vary, but even at his lowest, Wedin's never really that bad, his worse is quite medium. This is why I'm not too bothered about "Mount Pleasure" not being as solid as Moneybrother's first two albums. It's a predictable collection of songs, and, except the first single ("Just another summer"), there aren't too many songs that I'd miss if this album was forever erased from the history of music (harsh, I know). As we'd come to except by now, it's a lot of songs sounding like Bruce Springsteen, Thin Lizzy and a few that could have been done by Monster (Wedin's band before Moneybrother). Let's hope that Moneybrother will release a new album not too far away from now, and that it'll be both fresh and absolutely amazing, "Mount Pleasure" is just about too "meh" for me and my dear ears.
- Simon Tagestam
Musique Machine reviews the recently reissued Circle album "Arkades": https://www.musiquemachine.com/reviews/reviews_template.php?id=1448
5
Datarock has been on the hype radar prior to releasing their rather mediocre full-length album last year. Here, they've returned with a five song EP that contains three tracks that are better than anything on the album, and two throwaways. "Not me", "Do it your way" and "Stay" are the best songs I've heard by this band, and it made me wonder why they just didn't put them out as a three-song EP, which would have been stellar, as all songs could be potential hit singles. However, the other two tracks just bring the consistency of the album down so that you might not even bother hearing "Stay" because the title track is that bland. The point of an EP is showcase some newer or non-album worthy material, but with a 60% success rate, I'd say they still have some work to do on their kinks.
- Matt Giordano
7
The Swedish "emo" rock band Plan Three, with origins from our grand capitol, couldn't have picked at better act to open up for than Takida. And the audience couldn't have picked a better-suited band than Plan Three to warm them up either. I had a discussion with at friend about what "emo" really stand for today. What does an "emo" band look like, what do they sound like? My friend said, "They wear makeup around their eyes, they use keyboards and they sound really mad and depressed." Well, I don't know about the "sounding really mad and depressed"-thing, but Plan Three do wear make up and make use of keyboards. Think Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy and Bullet for My Valentine and I think you have a more or less correct image of Plan Three. "Emo" or not, these guys knows how to put on a good show, the set is explosive and tight, for that they are treated like kings from the audience. As I said, a perfect warm-up.
- Christian Stenbacke
8
I know I might sound like an annoying old hag, but I just can't stand bands that don't look like they enjoy their time on stage. Going to a concert should be something special, I know most of you people sometimes have gone to concerts that were close to magical; truly a place where performer and audience meet and form another kind of reality together, a place where the laws of physics and metaphysics simply don't apply anymore. The guys in Takida knows what this is all about. Having built their fan base from scratch since the forming of the band in 1999, they now, nine years later, finally get all the attention they deserve. The new album, "Bury the lies", is filled with the same catchy sing-along-tunes as the previous records, and the sing-along is what makes this evening, you guessed it, magical. Takida puts on a good show, but the crowd alone makes it tenfold more impressing. I actually get goosebumps, more than once. Singer Robert Petterson merely smiles and shakes his head in astonishment. You can say what you want about the, in my ears, standardized, Americanized, radio rock of Takida, but seeing them live is definitely worth the while.
- Christian Stenbacke
8
Bedroom pop, known for its simple charm and... high school-ish spirit, is done quite a bit of justice by this Swedish mystery-tet (who's in this band???). While the similarities to other fixtures of indiepop stardom such as Pipas or The Clientèle may be nearly crippling at various moments, "A short melodrama" is diverse, beautiful, executed well, and most certainly re-playable. Also involved are production values to rival Daniel Johnston, case in point; "Sweet Catrin Dannenmaier". Not a bad thing in either case. The collection includes a cover of Lily Allen's "Smile". I'd like to say this is what that song should have sounded like in the first place. Forget the original. The twee pop community will greet After-School Sports with open arms.
- Paul Bredenberg
9
It's usually the first record you hear by a band that remains your favorite, but Club 8 have reached new heights with their sixth outing. At it's worst, it's as good as anything they've done before. At it's best, it's more complex, personal, and compelling. The band have extraordinary credentials in a certain genre of laid back Swedish indie. Their singer Karolina Komstedt was in the band Poprace, as was their songwriter/instrumentalist Johan Angergård, who is also busy in his other bands The Legends, The Acid House Kings, and behind the scenes at Labrador Records. Club 8 is distinguished by the contrasts among Komstedt's ethereal voice, which is astoundingly pretty without ever being cloying or affected, their melancholy lyrics, and a sound that is simultaneously gentle, dark and uplifting. On this record they all shine. While the lyrics grapple with relationships that don't work, fear of mortality, questioning God, inappropriate drug use and rural desolation, the music is relaxed and airy. Her singing has never been better and the production has never made the instruments sound this good. The total effect is akin to aloe vera for the soul; it soaks in, soothes, and somehow sets things right. It's chill without the snores, twee without the cute, and sweet without the toothache.
- Nancy Baym
King Midas
Moneybrother
Datarock
Plan Three
Takida
After-School Sports
Club 8