The Silent Ballet reviews Keith Canisius
The Silent Ballet reviews the new solo album "Waves" from Keith Canisius: https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2900/Default.aspx
Tag: Reviews
Mangrove
Endless skies
Transubstans Records
It's hard to mention "Endless skies" without making reference to Mangrove's fellow countrymen The Quill, as some aspects of this album could sit very comfortably on any release by the aforementioned quartet. Just like the genre stalwarts, this Stockholm trio are to be commended for striving to keep their output a bit more inventive by showcasing a hard-rock sensibility while generally remaining within the confines of stoner conventions. It works well in that it offers a good deal more variety than a lot of the third-rate genre bands out there who opt for the mind-numbing two-riffs-and-one-beat in a six-minute song approach. With Mangrove we get melody, dischord, simplicity and intricacy, stoner, doom, hard-rock and metal in one neat package. It's not really too far away from a lighter version of Norwegian doomrockers Sahg. Frontman Jani Kataja is easily one of the best vocalists in the game and it's this quality that helps raise Mangrove's debut above the bar in a class that, despite brimming with top-notch bands, sports a style that never really varies that much. Steeped in a passion for '70s psychedelia, Mangrove don't seem like they're ready to enter the 21st Century anytime soon and, for fans of this type of stoner-based nostalgia, this can only be a good thing.
- John Norby
Oh No Ono track review at Pitchfork
Danish indie act Oh No Ono in the Pitchfork track reviews: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11646-internet-warrior/
Körsbärsfettera
Alla ska ha linne
self-released
I wish I could put the finger on why I like this album so much. Not being a big fan of oi! or this type of street punk normally, I'm quite baffled by how I, in the past four months, have been addicted to this self-released album of Swedish street punk sung in Swedish. Is it due to the catchy melodies? Is it because the lyrics about the working class life and getting drunk (+ other punk clichés)? It could also be all the oooh and aaah choirs. Either way, it's an excellent little album (it clocks in under thirty minutes!) with lots of attitude and charming melodies and lyrics. It might not be original, but it's utterly engrossing nevertheless, and one of my favourite albums of the year. I'd even go so far as to say it's one of the best Swedish punk albums in the past 10 years.
- Simon Tagestam
All About Jazz reviews Supersilent
All About Jazz covers the latest Supersilent record "9": https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=34688
Pitchfork reviews Annie
Predictably, Pitchfork seems to find Annie's new record quite pleasant: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13696-dont-stop-all-night-ep/
Mojo gets Lost in Music
Mojo reports on seeing a few promising Finnish acts at the Lost in Music Festival in Tampere: https://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2009/11/finns_aint_what_they_used_to_b.html
Some of the names mentioned that I've covered include Joensuu 1685, Murmansk, Regina, Downstairs and Cats on Fire.
Warvictims
Dogs of war 7" / Flyblown split
D-takt & Råpunk
Prolific like a weed and just as hard to exterminate, this is d-beat MOR. You've seen and heard it all before -- the black and white artwork, the songs of war and destruction -- and it's been done better, but that's kind of the point. These gents soldier forever onward to deliver, in their own words, "d-beat käng the way it was done around '95 here in Sweden and mix that with a touch of the American style which was tearing it up "overthere" around the same period of time in the '90s." A competent tribute, content to set the bar at decent and that's about it. It is what it is, nothing more.
- Avi Roig
Eardrums runs down "Oslo2"
Eardrums gives us the full rundown on Spoon Train Audio's new local music compilation "Oslo2": https://eardrumsmusic.com/2009/11/16/oslo-the-capital-of-pop/
The Silent Ballet reviews Aerosol
The Silent Ballet reviews the new album from Danish artist Aerosol, the new project of Rasmus Rasmussen (ex-Limp): https://www.thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2888/Default.aspx
Newkid
Newkid on the block
Baseline
With Afasi & Filthy, Lorentz & M. Sakarias, Alexis Weak and Mohammed Ali, the future of Swedish hiphop looks quite exciting. The latest promising pubescent is Newkid who recently signed to Lorentz and M. Sakarias's label Baseline, and also released the mixtape "Newkid on the block" last month. Newkid's only 18 years old which shows to some extent, especially in his lyrics (most of them are about buying sneakers, parents and other big teenage problems, all rapped/sung in Swedish), but the production is very slick and Newkid's got a very appealing flow. The lyrics might be puerile, but they are also very affable. Newkid should really become a massive star in Sweden, he's a bit like a rapping male Swedish version of Miley Curys, but ace (which I guess is almost the opposite of Miley Curys). It's not as strong as the Lorentz and M. Sakarias's "Summer in the city" or Alexis Weak's "Välkommen till Gullmarsplan" mixtapes (Lorentz and Weak feature on one song each here, two of the best songs on the tape), but it all bodes very well for the future.
Download here: https://www.megaupload.com/?d=ND4U62SB
- Simon Tagestam
Pitchfork reviews Little Dragon
Pitchfork reviews the new Little Dragon record "Machine dreams": https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13701-machine-dreams/
Switchblade
s/t
Trust No One Recordings
When it comes to a matter (or lack) of speed there aren't that many bands capable of touching Switchblade. The Stockholm trio have taken the rules of drone/doom to the extreme in order to spew forth a barrage of sickening dread upon anyone who dares listen. Think of an ambient, guttural drone coupled with a tortured, black metalesque vocal and you get the idea of what this band are all about. Given the ultraslow nature of Switchblade, mention must be made of how tight the musicianship is on here. With vast chasms between beats, it's inspiring to hear everyone come in on cue every time, and that's not easy when the bpm borders on the negative. That said, with little in the way of variety on display, it can be a difficult and, at times, tedious listen if you're not in the right frame of mind. Released on drummer Tim Bertilsson's own label Trust No One, this fifth full-length recording might be more of the same from Switchblade, but it's sure to leave die-hard fans of the genre in awe.
- John Norby
PopMatters praises Katatonia
PopMatters gives high marks to the new Katatonia record "Night is the new day": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/115841-katatonia-night-is-the-new-day/
The Silent Ballet reviews the new Supersilent
The Silent Ballet gives their opinion of the new Supersilent album "9": https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2885/Default.aspx