UK webzine Leicester Bangs reviews Tobias Hellkvist, one of my favorite up-and-coming artists: https://www.leicesterbangs.co.uk/reviews.html

Jens Lekman in Seattle last night: I went to the show with the expectation, nay - the hope, that Jens would win me over with his charm. I wanted to enjoy myself, I wanted to be converted. Even the ghastly Throw Me The Statue wasn't going to ruin my night. So, while Jens was indeed quite charming, the show fell a bit short for me. Part of it was the pacing- the mid-portion of the set was bogged down by slow, maudlin numbers. Good songs, yes, but more fitting for a seated audience as opposed to a packed club. On the other hand, seeing Jens live did impress me in a number of ways. His backing band was excellent and they really accentuated Jens' gift for arrangements. Jens is also consistently improving as a musician himself and when he stretches himself on stage, it's great. I wasn't wowed, but I enjoyed myself.

Viktor Sjöberg closed the night as promised and it was great to see him again. Apparently he was having a bit of technical issues, so I bailed for the long drive home once he segued his set from his own material into a DJ set, but the bit I did hear was quite good. Viktor's a tremendous artist, all the better because I never know quite what to expect from him. Oh, and seeing him bust out his disco dance moves during Jens' set made the night. That alone was worth the price of admission.

Seabear
The ghost that carried us away
Morr Music

I've begun to lose all faith in people who proclaim that there's nothing happening musically these days. So far this year, I've completely fallen in love with CS Nielsen, Aerial, Immanu El, the new Shout Out Louds, amongst numerous other releases - and this is limiting myself to Scandinavian bands. Seabear are now firmly in the running for the best effort of 2007 with their wonderful "The ghost that carried us away". Just as many were wondering if Sigur Rós would be the defining watermark of Icelandic music for the foreseeable future, especially given the lukewarm reception to Benni Hemm Hemm's most recent work, Seabear powerfully demonstrate that there is life outside of Sigur Rós and Björk, and that Icelanders have just as much control over warm, acoustic numbers just as powerfully as arctic, sweeping efforts. "I sing I swim" is by far the best number on the record, and amongst the best songs I've heard this year. "Lost watch" displays that Seabear's talents aren't merely limited to the warm and present, but also to detached and ambling explorations. Overall, "The ghost that carried us away" is more than ample evidence that the contemporary music scene is far from stagnant or inadequate, and that Icelanders don't need to play electric guitars with bows or have a voice as powerful as an avalanche to create exceptional pieces of music. It's an exceptional album, and worth parting yourself from a few dollars to own.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Dusted on the new Sigur Rós album "Hvarf / Heim": https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/3944

Graveyard
s/t
Transubstans Records/TeePee Records

Hey, this is a shocker! To be honest, we are not that spoiled with great sounding bands from Sweden devoted to this kind of rock n' roll. The kind that flirts with, and administrates, the rawk history of the 70's and early 80's. It's been done so many times before, Spiritual Beggars and Unida got away with it for example, but for the most part, it's been carbon copies getting the press. Here, however, is a band that deserves the press. The obvious influences of Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Blue Cheer are present all along these nine tracks, but the main influence here must be the works of Glenn Danzig. Not so much Misfits though but more his solo albums and, for sure, Samhain. The craftsmanship of producer Don Alsterberg is flawless in letting the not-so-much distorted guitars lead the way through the all-analog recordings. And that is one reason to why this record should appeal to more people outside the hard rock/metal core. The warm and fuzzy feel doesn't take the edge off Graveyard's rock either, that's for sure. The other reason is the great vocals. It's liberating to hear, because if there's one genre where good vocals are required, it's this one! The Danzig progressions are there and I'm floored. The chorus in "Thin line" together with an insane groove takes the song through the roof and I'm screaming for more. Still think of Göteborg as a city of pop sensations or death metal pioneers? Broaden your horizons, here's Graveyard bringing back the rock to you.
- Jonas Appelqvist

Tony Clifton
s/t
Bricktop Recordings

Tony Clifton – previously known as Andy Kaufman's very funny alter ego, but now (apparently) also a not so very funny rock band from the south of Sweden. On this self titled EP, Tony Clifton sound both like Radiohead and Turbonegro, but failing to achieve what either of those acts do quite well. The lyrics are banal and clichéd (the song titles must be some of the must unimaginative ever – "No venom", "There's no need to try", "Kill your darling" etc.), and the music at its best sound like something that could be the soundtrack for a tea commercial. Hopefully in a few years, no one will associate the name Tony Clifton with Swedish music, but only with American comedy genius.
- Simon Tagestam

Torpedo
Live @ Valhall, Skövde, 10/20/07

It's always hard to play in front of a crowd that's not really your crowd, just ask the guys in Torpedo. As an opening act for the veterans in the reunited, or unpaused, folk punk band Dia Psalma, Torpedo could certainly have wished for better conditions tonight, but hey, it's a challenge, right? There's always someone out there ought to become a fan and hopefully buy the record. Speaking of the record, the debut album, "In the assembly line" will finally be released early in November, a record I've really been looking forward to. "Epic Indie Kraut", with "like-wind-sweeping-through-your-hair-guitars", where less is more does not exist; there you'll find Torpedo, according to themselves. I like the term "Epic Indie Kraut", and I like Torpedo. They truly give it all, their energy and presence is contagious, and the rhythm section is impressive. Especially in my all-time favourite "Hang me high" – it's a beast. Placed in the right environment, think; crowded, hot as hell and booze, Torpedo will definitely blow your mind. Placed in the wrong environment, think; small town, not so crowded and lots of booze, Torpedo puts on a good show, but I know things can get better. Next time I expect a full fledged knock out.
- Christian Stenbacke

Paper Thin Walls on a track from the new Kim Hiorthøy album "My last day": https://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=1119

Immanu El
They'll come, they come
And the Sound

Having dedicated a decent amount of the past five years of my life to the music scene (in various functions and positions, most ending in savage failure), I've developed a rather refined musical palate. I nod and smile and say things like, "Yeah, this band's not too bad" when a friend plays me a song or a group they've recently fallen in love with, but rarely do I find these sessions truly rewarding. My ears have been damaged too long and too often by music for me to continuously fall over myself for new bands like I used to (but I desperately search for that wide eyed, naïve boy in the landscapes painted in new records), not unless they're really bringing something to the table. And Immanu El's "They'll come, they come" is unquestionably a forceful and substantial album; an effort that probes sections of our musical consciousness that have fallen into shadow and been ignored too long.

Sweden has Aerial and Once We Were, both bands supporting a very high standard for the cinematic explorations of other Scandinavian groups, and Immanu El pass this rigorous assessment with flair and elegance. As is often the case with exceptional records, the closer is brilliant. "...in valleys" is a sweeping, graceful composition, and a fitting conclusion to an album that effortlessly traverses terrain we typically associate with bands like Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, and Logh. It's difficult to truly do anything novel and unique in the genre of post-rock, but Immanu El come damned close, at the very least combining all the beauty that the aforementioned groups investigate in a subtle, distinctive manner. "Panda" demonstrates how essential Claes Nilsson Strängberg's voice is to the overall sound and achievement of Immanu El. Vocals are often absent from these types of explorations, and attempting to place a voice into the strata of other instrumentation is a complicated and precarious procedure. Immanu El excel in this respect, and in a myriad other respects throughout. Absolutely brilliant.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Foxy Digitalis lauds the new Eric Malmberg album "Verklighet & beat": https://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=2895

Torpedo
In the assembly line
Knievel Records

The debut record by Sweden's Torpedo has already generated considerable buzz and not without reason. Half of the band are also found in Tiger Lou, and they share that band's dark hypnotic sound. In place of Rasmus Kellerman's low-key approach, however, these guys focus on quirky post-punk artiness. Often it works well, with odd angles complementing seductive grooves in ways both interesting and memorable. When they're good, they're extremely good. But at other times they seem to be trying way too hard for an angular cool and then it just gets annoying. It flows well, but repeated listenings make it more tiresome than revelatory.
- Nancy Baym

PopMatters reviews The Tough Alliance: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/49729/the-tough-alliance-a-new-chance/

Laakso
Västerbron & vampires
V2

After two releasing stellar albums in the same year, it's not that much of a surprise that a band's follow-up EP would be a bit of a hangover. Beefing up the "Västerbron" single with three new tracks (that feel more like demos), Laakso has gotten a bit more dark to kick into their fall tour. Other than the single, "England" would have to be the best track on the album, and, clocking in at over seven minutes, is quite epic for Laakso. The lyrics and melody are in top self-depricating fashion and it's the most complete of the three b-sides. The middle two, "Lack of blood" and "Great times underground", come across more as rough ideas and, when it comes down to it, lack those great hooks we all have come to love Laakso for. However, the potential is still there for the next Laakso album being great.
(As a comparison, the feel of this is very similar to the "Aussie girl" EP).
- Matt Giordano

Stylus reviews Soilwork's latest record "Sworn to a great divide": https://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/soilwork/sworn-to-a-great-divide.htm

Scandinavian artists reviewed at PopMatters today include The Perishers and Sally Shapiro.