Tag: Reviews
4
This band is way too talented to be this boring, yet here they are and here am I, barely able to make it through their 5-song debut. I think they probably want to sound something like Firewater with their "clever" folksy rock, world-music influences and "profound" lyrics, but they really need to stop taking themselves so seriously and stop trying so damn hard. The ability is there, it's just not clicking.
- Avi Roig
"Waving" by The Skull Defekts gets a Pitchfork track review: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11168-waving/
I just got a copy of the new 2LP "The temple" on Monday -- have only had a chance to listen once so far, but my first impression is positive.
6
Despite a few exceptional songs, Samtidigt Som's debut album falls flat. Too many tracks following the same formula, too many similar tempos, beats and melodies -- after a while even the standouts become interchangeable. The best Göteborg-style indierock is equal parts extreme euphoria and despair; Samtidigt Som does a fine job nailing the sound, but can't keep up the feeling and never quite reaches the outer limits. Mighty promising, yes, but not there yet.
- Avi Roig
Let's get postmodern: Swedish punx Förmögenhet review Stig "Slas" Claesson's book "Vem älskar Yngve Frej?" as a song: https://www.nittondestolen.se/2009/03/recensionslat-formogenhet-recenserar-om-vem-alskar-yngve-frej/
8
Passiv Dödshjälp, completely out of the blue, blew me away with their debut CDr last year which clearly demonstrated that these Swedes were indeed able to write some 'catchy' crust tunes. Although you could clearly point out their influences, their songwriting ability and the way they incorporated dismal metallic tunes into traditional d-beat structures was simply captivating. Fast forward a couple of months, I got their new split 7" with Bergen, Norway's Livstid and I can safely say that Gävle's finest has managed to outstrip the quality of their debut. The record, which contains three songs from Passiv Dödshjälp and four from Livstid, is barely under 15 minutes and its length is perfect for those who prefer their crust punk as short and direct as possible. I don't want to downplay the caliber of the Livstid side (which is very good on its own terms), but the three Passiv Dödshjälp songs on this record superlatively fuse the ferocity of Swedish kängpunk luminaries with their contemporary, melody-instilled protégés. One of the most striking aspects of these new songs is that the band has managed to shape this integration in an almost seamless way, which in the end greatly strengthens the overall quality of their sound. The other participant of the split, Livstid has a similar game with their Swedish counterparts in terms of performing a cross-genre variant of hardcore/punk. Yet, Livstid embraces a faster approach with regularly bursting blastbeats and a discernible black metal vibe underneath a thick layer of fast-paced picking, obviously as a reflection of their hometown's grim legacy. This split 7" is a must-have for fans of Scandinavian hardcore/punk and for those who still regard vinyl as the ultimate medium to experience extreme music.
- Burak Tansel
Dusted reviews the album "Hollywood" from prolific Finnish act Circle: https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4890
The Silent Ballet reviews prolific Swedish experimental artist Jasper TX and his album "Singing stones": https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2270/Default.aspx
Lots of Scandinavian reviews at NME this week:
Air France - No way down
WhoMadeWho - The plot
Fever Ray - s/t
AK-Momo - Return to NY
Peter Bjorn And John - Living thing
As was wisely suggested by a reader, does this mean we have to endure a new Swedish break-out period?
Pitchfork reviews Sissy Wish's latest album "Beauties never die" which is apparently getting a US release this spring: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12841-beauties-never-die/
Ddusted reviews The Whitest Boy Alive's new album "Rules": https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4894
Pitchfork reviews the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Living thing": https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12874-living-thing/
7
If A Camp's female vocalist sounds familiar, it's because you've almost certainly heard her before. Nina Persson is also lead singer of The Cardigans, one of Sweden's biggest musical exports, and A Camp is her side project. Their first album gained wide critical acclaim in 2001, but, due to the continued commercial success of The Cardigans, only now have they had time to follow it up.
Having read that A Camp showed a darker side to Nina, I expected something much more serious, and perhaps even boring, than I actually found on "Colonia". In fact, it has more hooks than some of The Cardigans' recent albums. If I had been told it was their new release, I wouldn't have guessed otherwise.
The highlight for me is certainly "Golden teeth and silver medals", a charming duet with Nicolai Dunger with wonderfully poetic lyrics. Rousing lead single "Stronger than Jesus" is another favourite, along with tribal romp "Here are many wild animals". Contemplative ballads sit side by side with quirky pop songs on this album, which has already earned Nina the front cover of British broadsheet The Independent's Sunday supplement.
It seems an unfortunate irony that this side-project, intended to be a break from the limelight for Nina, is pushing her right back into it. Yet for fans of her work with The Cardigans, it's a lovely treat to find that the wait for their new album was not such a long one after all.
- Jessica Popper
8
Co-presented with NYC showlist stalwart Oh My Rockness, the Øya Festival brought burgeoning Norwegian pop acts The New Wine and Casiokids to the city on their way down to Austin for SXSW. Casiokids had built up some hype in the fall after heralded CMJ performances; however this was the US debut by The New Wine, who played slick pop music with a danceable beat and easy comparisons to NYC's Tigercity. They got the crowd moving with their catchy songs and standout vocals and keyboards. Casiokids closed out the show with a set of dance-pop and delivered a very high energy set, both in terms of tempo and stage movements. I had also been unfamiliar with them prior to attending, and the only song I recognized was their encore cover of Familjen's mighty "Det snurrar i min skalle". Overall, this showcase did well to promote the music happening in Norway at the moment and give the audience an idea of the more localized acts playing at Øya in August.
- Matt Giordano
Svedberg & The Hillside Stranglers
Samtidigt Som
Passiv Dödshjälp/Livstid
A Camp
Øya Festival Showcase