Do you like The Clash, The Mekons or Nick Cave then you owe yourself a listen to the Pello Revolvers (or on My Space). Pello Revolver is one of the few bands Swedish I’ve heard using a folk tradition as the basis of their modern music.
With instruments like violin, mandolin, acoustic guitar, accordian and the occasional tin can Pello Revolver creates a sound that along with their vocals is quite unique.
Here’s two songs from their new ep No Spare Tyres.
Hey here’s my first top 40 type post. It’s music from the band (woman?) Katie Goes To Tokyo. This is super extra polished stuff…from the head shots, to the music to the website all very fluff, light and airy. From what I can gather the songs in heavy roatation on P3,4, and 5 and perhaps has broken into the Swedish pop radio charts.
But hey she put this song up on her site and it certainly is a pleasant listen for a Sunday morning.
My Enemy’s been busy. They just released and ep on Yellow Mica Recordings and they are about to release a single on Vapen and Goodis. The single is the song “Kreis”, an electro pop creation featuring female vocals and synth driven beats.
The Legends and Acid House Kings are both side projects, did you know that? I didn’t. Apparently they are both spinoffs of Club-8, which Johan Angergard considors his main project. While we wait for something new from Club-8 here are two songs from their website that remind me of Portishead and Air and deep chill mixtapes.
Try not to nod off.
Erik Devahl’s got a new record coming out on Service sometime at the end of Novemeber. This is one of the few artists that can successfully combine droning noise with melodious pop (he throws in politically charged lyrics as well). I like his mixture of noise and pop.
Unreleased songs
Where I’m Going To **Standout Track**
We’re Still Not Postmodern Enough For Slavery
Elsia Pt 2 (from a 3 inch cd on Kning)
Alright so I should have written about Andreas Tilliander months ago. He is one of the most predominant Swedes in the electronic music world creating/leading the “clicks and cuts” movement. It hasn’t been for lack of tring on my behalf, it’s just been difficult finding a free mp3 to link too. Thankfully last night I pored over the Ideal website and found this dub track by Tilliander off his 2004 ep release Dutty & Digital.
Ironically the dub track in question is called “She Don’t Dub”, it’ll be a workout for your woofers at the very least but if you’re into this sound then you’ll be in heaven. Buy it here.
I know you’re all sick of Swedish twee. But I’m not, so here’s some more this time from one-man-band Hormones In Abundance (thanks to Thee Power of Twee for the suggestion). Patrik Lindgren is the man behind this poppy confection. All his songs are fast and short. He only plays live for 20 minutes so don’t be late to the club.
You can buy one of his releases through Heavenly Pop Hits here. Or visit his discography page for more info.
Lina’s 20th Birthday
Typical stucture and average sound
Rubinoos T-shirt
I love Pelle Carlberg. He writes the most beautiful songs about the most serious subject matter. Like The Beautiful South singing sweetly about murder and child abuse, Pelle’s songs are full of anger and often critique modern society. But you wouldn’t know it from the music or the irresistable chorus of “Riverbank” (DU-DU-DU). I wrote about him here first (the links should still work).
His new EP Riverbank came out on Oct 19 in advance of his debut Labrador cd Everything. Now! Click here to buy Riverbank from the Labrador store. Here’s the title track on mp3 and a cool little video as well.
I’d like to call this anything else but disco but I think that wouldn’t be honest. Is this house, dance or just plain old 70′s disco? The Light Bulb Project is mostly, if not all female, so you definately get a major, stereotypical chick sound.
But hey from the photo above (taken at this years Emmabodafestivalen) it looks like a lot of fun. The band has something new coming out any day but only edited samples up on their site at the moment. These songs are from earlier in the summer. Check out their discography here.
I’ve written about the Empty Bottle before. They have The Hoyle Brothers every Sunday Night (wrote about `em here), they also have Jazz Improv on Wednsday and now they’ve gone all Swedish on us. Tonight they have Jens Lekman performing.
So if you live within striking distance I’d reccomend you make it out to tonight’s show (Thursday, 1035 N. Western Chicago)
I’m Looking For A Girl (from his Dept of Forgotten Songs)
I hope I never run out of sweet pop or twee music from Sweden. Bands like Eisenhower can cheer up even the most cynical grouch. But since this is one of the primary Swedish genres I think we’re safe for the foreseeable future. The band (I suspect one or two people) reside in the quiet little town of Halmstad on the west coast of Sweden. Their music resembles their town in that it’s quiet, quaint and not at all overbuilt.
You can buy their eps through the Delicious Goldfish Records. Here’s their newest song plus two from their last demo cdr.
Juni Jarvi has just released his debut cdr called Meanwhile. It’s available as a special- order through Hello Surprise. Juni’s music has been circulating among the various Swedish mps blogs (here and here) listed on the right. But like artists like Jens Lekman and David Fridlund this music deserves to be heard and hopefully to break out of our little Swedish ghetto here on the web.
The Higher Elevations are led by singer/songwriter Niklas Gustafsson (who also produced the upcoming Sorayas album). The Higher Elevations is one of the few Swedish bands that got picked up for release on an german label (Italien too with their Best Kept Secret tape release). The label is the small but cool Little Teddy. I’m not sure what the limitations/concerns are when signing a Swedeish band but If I owned a label I’d try to scoop some of the bands on Swedesplease up.
The band reminds me a little of The Stranglers or Chameleons Uk; you may have your own impression but I wonder if you agree that their sound is best characterized by their epic 80′s counterparts (like The Clash, New Model Army, etc).
Here’s 3 songs from their release that came out on Oct 4 on Little Teddy in the US.
A West Side Frabrication is turning up the heat with a slew of intersting fall releases. None more compelling than their swedish language singer-songwriter pop of Patrik Berglund and his new record Orangea Rummet.
If you’d like to read what seem like intelligent reviews written in Swedish try here and here. Otherwise just check out this song from his new record.
Alright this is one of those caveat type posts. I don’t like C.Aarme. Their brand of punk rock, heavy on the Stooges and Black Flag, has never been my cup of tea. But their new song comes out of the gate pretty hard with lyrics like “fuck you, shut the fuck up, fuck you, fuck up and fuck you too” and is pretty hard to ignore, if not love.
C.Aarme had at least one record out in 2004 on Epitaph. Their website consists of the link to this one new song “We Are The World”, which vascillates between punk energy and socially responsible lyrics a la Gang Of Four.
Bonus song from 2004′s self titled debut on Epitaph
PS Micke has added another couple songs from that Jose Gonzalez concert to his site Micke Orgel Goes Live Om Svensk Musik
I’ve written about Jose Gonzalez on and off and on for Songs:Illinois and Swedesplease for several months now. His upcoming shows in NYC spawned another post this past week. That post was seen by Martin in Sweden who then sent me links to a live performance Jose did for Swedish radio. Thanks to him for these amazing live renditions of Jose’s songs and his cover version of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”.
Stay In The Shade (Live in Stockholm)
Broken Arrows (Live In Stockholm)
Love Will Tear Us Apart (Live In Stockholm)
The Big Picture has no information up on their site so for once I’m at a loss for words. somehow I came across them on the web and confirmed they were Swedish but that’s it. I like the cocky lyrics (“it must be hard being better than everyone else”) and the slight, dreary nature of the song “You’ll Turn Back”. Also like the sing-speak intro to “The Stupidest Thing I’ve Heard”.
You’ll Turn Back
The Stupidest Thing I’ve Heard
My Hope’s As Good As Dead
Contact the band at kontakt@bigpicture.tk for more info.
I know, I know, not another blogger espousing the benefits of a musical diet rich in Jose Gonzalez. But unless you are one of the lucky ones who has bought his new record, chances are you have only heard one or two songs from Veneer. The ubiquitous (but excellent) “Stay In The Shade” is one of the most blogged about songs of the year so if it’s not in your iTunes library by now you’ve been doing something wrong (try here).
Anyway there is a method to my madness in suddenly writing about Jose today. For those in the NYC area you have multiple chances to see Jose live this coming weekend. On Oct 16 he’ll play an instore at Sound Fix Records and then on Oct 18th he’ll play live for the first time in NYC at the Living Room as part of a CMJ Presents series. I imagine you’ll be able to hear just what is on the record since Veneer is an unadorned masterpiece of acoustic guitar and voice that could easily be replicated live (unlike the sounds of Jose’s wall of sound rock band Juniper). Check out the gentle sounds of the song “Slow Moves” below.
Buy Veneer here for only $10 through Parasol.
