Dusted reviews the new Box album on Rune Grammofon: https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4087
Tag: Reviews
Pascal
Galgberget
Novoton
Ever since the 2006 debut "Förbi fabriken", this three-piece combo has been associated with The Jesus and Mary Chain and sure, I see where that's coming from. However, I'm more inclined to name The Cramps as a major influence. The naïve and primitive musical approach that is the trademark of said band is also a large part of Pascal and of "Galgberget" in particular. Each song featured is an attack that when combined, forms an unstoppable force of distortion, reverb and repeating lyrics. The lyrics are, in their simplicity, superb and maybe it's just because they are that simple, it makes them so good. For example, take the first tune "Stort och vackert" wherein they sing (translated) "I'm gonna build something big and beautiful/that I can crush you with." That right there are the only words to that song. The "less is more" device is integral to the whole record and I can cope with that. Especially when it's done this well! Dealing with love, suicide, Elvis ("Min enda vän"), the lyrics accompany the dark and sometimes gloomy music perfectly. And the cover of Judas Priest's "Painkiller" ("Smärtstillande") is awesome! If you're only gonna buy one Swedish punk rock album this year, be sure to buy this one. A good time is guaranteed.
- Jonas Appelqvist
TLS
A song left for you
Imperial Recordings
While intensely lush and dreamlike, there's a significant flaw in "A song left for you": it meanders beautifully, and it even feels right, but the compositions just don't go anywhere. The listener's patience is rarely rewarded; unlike a Mono track or a slow Radio Dept. song, there's no conclusion to the convoluted instrumentation and emotions with TLS - just moment after moment of stagnant thought, beautiful as it may be. Even on "Future rush", with its crackling electronic elements, there is no progression, just an in medias res entrance into a moment and a fade out before the scene feels completed or accomplished. Dreamy, shoegaze inspired pop still needs to take a page from post-rock bands' notebooks - take all the time you need, just make the journey worthwhile.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Dusted reviews the new Valgeir Sigurðsson album "Ekvílibríum": https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4063
Barra Head
Go get beat up
PlayRec
Much like fellow labelmates Lack, this is driven, ambitious and conscious indie rock. The first obvious difference between the two is that Barra Head has a softer approach. The press release describes the band in an apt choice of words; "half a disciplined dance, half a raging battle between instruments." I hear traces of diverse acts such as The Afghan Whigs and Dismemberment Plan which, according to me, are influences to die for. And Barra Head are well on their way to stardom with a record that is kind of complex in its simplicity. Apart from a few songs, these are not tunes designed for the radio or hitlists; they are the kinds of songs that catch hold of you if you let them. The major part of "Go get beat up" is executed with a distinct and introverted feel to it, while some songs are more direct, aiming for the gut. I wish that they had more of the latter, especially since the band does it so well! Producer Tim O'Heir (!) has connected the dots on this one, seeing that their previous releases were a bit incoherent. This is the best this band has ever done.
- Jonas Appelqvist
Aversionline weighs in on the new EP from Norwegian thrashers Audiopain: https://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2008/02/05/audiopain-the-switch-to-turn-off-mankind-cd/
Bröderna Lindgren
Vuxen barnmusik!
Bonnier Amigo
"Vuxen barnmusik!" is an all-star collaboration album of sorts, featuring a slew of Sweden's most popular singers contributing at least one song, many with two. Sonically, the album is mostly a mixture of the textures of mid-70s classic rock and mid-90s alt-country, and, for the most part, it matches that vocally as well. To my ears, Caroline Wennergren contributes the strongest melodies of the album on her tracks "Eld i baken" and "Flyg iväg". In the second tier, one finds the familiarly loved Asha Ali, Mattias Alkberg and Kristofer Åström all taking what could be a slow record and pushing it up quite enjoyably. However, the strongest song on the album is its closer, the gorgeous "Finns det någon där" with Nina Ramsby and Martin Hederos performing a soft piano ballad with a light electric guitar playing in the background. The rest of the tracks though, did not do much for me, especially the faux-reggae "Välkommen til djungeln" which I've found to be completely unbearable. In the end, "Vuxen barnmusik!" is a decent album with a light-hearted feel, but can occasionally stray to the boring.
- Matt Giordano
Pitchfork reviews the new Opeth live album "The Roundhouse tapes": https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/48181-the-roundhouse-tapes
Petter
God damn it
Universal
There aren't that many Swedish rappers who have managed to achieve commercial success. Petter is an exception, he released his debut album in 1998 and even though his last two albums didn't sell as much as the previous ones (due to not being as good, I'd say), he's still the biggest hip-hop star in Sweden. Nowadays Petter lives in a Swedish ski resort and writes a popular blog (mainly about his kids). On his sixth album he tries very hard to come across as just a normal person who is like everyone else, though it feels a bit tired, like something a politician would do. His rhyming skills just aren't that great and the whole production is very unoriginal. However, his blog is actually a pretty good read, and much more interesting than his current musical output.
Even though Petter is very honest and open in his lyrics, he no longer has that drive that gave him such an appeal in the beginning of his career when he released tracks such as "Mikrofonkåt". The title track is ok, but the whole album is too much of a half-hearted effort, and sampling Säkert! on "Logiskt" feels shoddy and cheap.
- Simon Tagestam
Mikkel Metal
Brone and wait
Echocord/Kompakt
Dane Mikkel Metal released his first album on Kompakt, the German electronic label. The collection of songs feature beats so crisp you can bite into them and notes that live up to his metallic industrial name. Math-rock type of electronica makes it sound like it would be at home as the soundtrack for a David Lynch film. But even if he has achieved a great quality of sound, the songs don't have enough development to be enjoyed easily. This problem can be viewed in three different ways: innovative, experimental or just slow. If you like Aphex Twin or 65 days of static, try Mikkel Metal.
- Jennifer Ma
Elias & the Wizzkids
A little mess
Hybris
Part alt-country, part Buddy Holly and part indiepop is the make-up of Elias & The Wizzkids on their debut full-length "A little mess" and it's a solid effort from start to finish. Split into two halves, the beginning of the record is like a sunny afternoon, bright and fast, whilst the ending is more subdued and akin to a fireside dusk, mellow and full of purpose. Tempos found on "I wish", "Acknowledge me" and the stellar "The dance" get the heads bopping in the first half. "Fourth of July" and "Friday night" offer a dwelling for the listener with their warmth and personal feel. However, in track six we find "The mermaid", perhaps the album's best song, with its reminiscent romanticism through fairytale characters making complete sense. All in all, "A little mess" maybe so emotionally, but organized and logical, just as we all are.
- Matt Giordano
Little Dragon
s/t
Peacefrog
For some reason, José González hyping his girlfriend's band (eg here) made me think that this was going to be better than it was. Odd that, since I'm not really a fan González himself. Not sure what the right definition of this music is - nu-soul? Electro-soul? Anyway, it sounds a bit like Erykah Badu, but more electronic and trip-hoppier. I really like Yukimi Nagano's voice and the album's diverse and quite original, but I'll give credit to anyone who can manage to listen to it in its entirety without yawning. "Recommendation" is my favourite track on here, it sounds a bit like a mix of Jenny Wilson and Robyn, and it's got a nice vibe that the rest of the album generally is devoid of.
- Simon Tagestam
The Silent Ballet reviews Erik Enocksson's "Farväl Falkenberg": https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/1135/Default.aspx
Various Artists
Stora rock'n'roll boxen - Svensk rock'n'roll 1954-1963
Premium Publishing
If you are seriously interested in the history of Swedish music, by all means, ignore the number rating printed above and get this. "Stora rock'n'roll" is a beautifully packaged 4-disc book + CD set filled with extensive liner notes (på Svenska) and wonderful pictures. Beyond the usual background and lineup info, this collection also includes the cover art (or center label) for almost every track which is a true bounty for all vinyl-lovers. As for the music itself, well, that's where assessment starts to get a bit more difficult.
On one hand, the historical importance of these songs are unassailable, but on the other side of things, how many versions of "Rockin' robin" do you really need? Sometimes I feel like even the Bobby Day original is one too many. Also, consider that while there are many fine musicians on display here, a great majority of them aren't doing much more than aping their American counterparts, often without offering any improvement over the originals. It's pleasant enough, but far too few tracks rise above mediocrity and as such, it sometimes struggles to hold my attention. Ultimately, that's the reason for my less-than-stellar rating. While "Stora rock'n'roll" definitely holds an important place in my own personal collection, understand that its appeal is limited. If the context doesn't significantly interest you, the music won't either.
- Avi Roig