Emptying the mailbox (again)...

I really, really think that I've been good at cleaning the mailbox recently. In fact I think it would be fair to say that I've been damn efficient and today the number of mails in the inbox is only one third of what it used to be not too many nights ago. But one can never rest on the laurels, and the daily number of promo mails found in my mailbox equals the number of snotty noses every single child gets each winter. So never a quiet moment, and right now I'm once again busy downloading and listening. Check back later tonight, as something interesting might pop up..?

+ Björn Kleinhenz - At Night We Die
Always a pleasure hearing new stuff from popsmith Mr. Kleinhenz.

+ Fredrik - Black Fur
Lovely folk rock inspired tune by odd named Swedish six-piece.

+ Future Clouds and Radar - The Epcot View
"the eclectic art-pop ensemble"...hmmm...I seriously hate those descriptions. Especially since I cannot figure anyone out myself! But I really like the track, so I guess that will have to do?

+ Juliette Commagere - Overcome
So grandiose that it almost becomes conceited in a Meat Loaf kind of way. Still I'm spellbound.

+ The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Everything With You
Noise-pop and jangling guitars. And all in the same song...superb!

+ Modern Skirts - Soft Pedals
At first it sounded like another jangling indie pop tune and then it really did not.

+ Paper House - Empty House
Uptempo guitar pop tune of the infectious kind by this Nashville quartet (there's a slight twist of country inspiration).

Tonight has been surprisingly rewarding, as I’ve been listening to far more good than bad stuff. I cannot complaint, though this of course has prevented me from being my usual whining self.

Anamia...

Am giving my old favorite demo band Anamia a good listen today. Sadly the band is no more, but several of the old songs are still out there. Free to grab and enjoy!
+ The Silence And The Thoughts
+ I'm Your Matador
+ So Close Now
+ Hard To Realize
+ Talk is cheap
+ Death of the chain-smoking man
+ As I walk into the fight
+ Waiting for moonlight
+ The Step
+ Temptation Puzzle
+ Towards The Wind
+ Butterfly In Paris
+ Butterfly In Paris (Remix)

Photons - This must be love...

San Francisco 8-piece Photons have just released their self-titled debut EP and what a stunning debut it is. 6 tracks running less than 18 minutes are all we get, but every second is well spent in company with the band and their amazing songs. Especially the opening track This Must Be Love is so catchy and utterly charming that it has to be among the loveliest tracks you’ll hear all year. Reviewers seem to be having a difficult time labeling the music and to me that is no different, as the band seems to be getting inspiration from just about every indie band from The Magic Numbers to The Strokes. The terms “eclectic” and “jangling guitar pop” have been used and I think I’ll stick to those as well.
+ This Must Be Love
+ Animals

Shorties...

One Weekly Gun has launched a new webpage.

MP3 Hugger who’s behind Indiecater has begun searching for artists, who wants to be on a Christmas compilation. Found in a Myspace bulletin, so no link I’m afraid. This is definitely something to be looking forward to.

Lots of MP3 bloggers are currently having a real rough time with blogger, who has been taking down posts without warning. So far none of my posts have been removed, but it probably has something to do with me being a sissy and too afraid to post anything without permission?

LaundroMatinee has been added to the blogroll. A new site launched by the folks behind My Old Kentucky Blog.

Volume XII: There'll Be Diamonds by Super XX Man was very close to being another album added to the growing pile of “promo albums I never got around to listen to”. For some unknown reason, I grabbed the album before leaving for work this morning, and during the first three listens the album has been doing nothing but impress me. In case you’re wondering we’re somewhere in the lo-fi, singer-songwriter, acoustic, indie rock genre.
+ Little Leaf
+ Medication

Another album getting a few listens today is the debut album The Worries by Danish post-rockers Mimas. Already out in the UK (getting some really fine press) and to be released in Denmark some time in November. Will (hopefully) get back with more thoughts at some later point.
+ Cats on Fire

Champagne at Emerald Park...

Two very interesting new releases by two Scandinavian artists have been spinning merrily in the office today. Sophomore album For Tomorrow by Sweden’s Emerald Park has been on the radar for quite some time now, and it will finally be released November 14 by small German web label afmusic. Ever since I featured the band for the first time back in September last year, a constant stream of fine new demo recordings and mixes of older tracks have been floating our way, which for my part helped to increase the expectations. Expectations are always difficult to deal with, but For Tomorrow just doesn’t leave any room for disappointments, as the album’s 12 catchy and well-produced (by Ola of Moonbabies) pop songs gives us far more than we could realistically hope for.
+ Pasadena
+ Lights of Sunday

The Shelflife webpage has been given a much-needed face-lift and the US label celebrates this by releasing the eagerly awaited Paris and I EP by Danish one-man project Champagne Riot. And this little gem containing 6 irresistible pop songs once again proves that Shelflife only signs the very best.
+ Scandinavian Warfare

Weekend...

It’s weekend and I’m so much looking forward to one of those rare ones with no drinking and no hangovers to survive. What I’m not looking forward to at all, is that the wife and the commander in chief (my oldest daughter in case you were wondering) most likely will insist on watching the finals of the awful TV-show Talent 2008. So I might just end up drinking after all…you just never know!

Judging from the two promo tracks available, the sophomore album Holiday by Alaska In Winter will be quite a different story compared to the debut. Berlin is an uptempo electronic piece, which I’ve grown more and more into liking, and Knorrepromenade (what a title, though a google search reveals that it could be the name of a Berlin street/road?) is quite electronic as well, though it does indicate that all Balkan influences haven’t been abandoned completely.
+ Berlin
+ Knorrepromenade

Danish singer-/songwriter Jacob Faurholt has finished recording his new album Are You In The Mood For Love? which is set to be released sometime early next year. It will include 10 tracks that are described as 9 dark ballads plus a rancid one with a hint of country. Cannot say that I’m familiar at all with the previous work of Mr. Faurholt, but this definitely calls for further scrutiny.
+ Our old neighbourhood

Tanks and bombs...

US electronic pop act The Antique Toys has recorded an interesting and quite different cover version of Zombie (by The Cranberries) as a small "Halloween treat". It’s currently streaming at Myspace. UPDATE: The song is now downloadable from the band's webpage along with several other tracks.
+ Zombie 13

A Classic Education has just finished recording a new track and a quite wonderful one it is. Not as grand as the songs off the debut EP (First), but instead it's a shorter and “lighter” pop tune.
+ We Can Always Run To Hawaii

Black/White from the new EP Beauty Dies by The Raveonettes is not bad at all. Actually it's pretty good, but it just doesn’t add anything new and somehow it's difficult to shake off that “I’ve heard it all before” feeling. Will be interesting to hear the duo's final EP of the year, which is said to contain versions of a few Christmas favorites.
+ Black/White

Indiecater Volume 3 is out now and features some absolutely wonderful artists!
+ Celestial - Fragile Heart

Really should mention that this episode of Waking The Dead is on Danish DR2 tonight. TV doesn't get much better than this!

Press delete...

Spent some time this morning deleting more than 1,200 mails from my inbox. Still another 600 left, and I need to get much better at doing this regularly. I know I am going on and on about this, but sometimes it’s almost unreal how many emails I receive promoting absolutely unlistenable stuff. Where does the money paying for this really come from?

Probably should start deleting some Myspace friends as well. Got far too many and far too few are of any interest (posting far too many not very interesting bulletins).

Buffet Libre is working on the second part of the cover project Rewind. The first one was dedicated entirely to the 80’s, but in the next edition the 70’s and 80’s will be included. First appetizer is this cover of a dance floor classic.
+ Deltawave – Lost In Music

One Weekly Gun has for once taken his eyes off the American election campaign, and has instead switched his focus to Leonard Cohen. Or more accurate the song is inspired by an incident that occurred at the Leonard Cohen this Friday.
+ As Times Go By

Swedish electropop duo Pallers has just been signed by Labrador and the label is giving away the excellent title track of the EP Humdrum, which will be released December 3.
+ Humdrum

How I started smoking...

Watch the low budget video for the next Entakt single; Hvordan Jeg Begyndte At Ryge ("How I started smoking").

We are popular...

Didn’t go to that concert Friday evening after all, as we ended up in some posh winebar instead and got stuck. Saturday morning I mournfully regretted that I did go, but that had more to do with the hangovers than actually missing the concert. But before surrendering myself to the virtues of the wine, I visited the TP music store right next to Rundetårn, where The Holiday Show was playing a short in store concert. The band's label had already mailed me a promo copy of the debut album We Are Popular, so picking up a copy wasn’t necessary. Instead I had a 10 minutes chat afterwards with Mads (the drummer) about the band’s future plans, ambitions etc.
The album is officially released today, and it will be interesting to follow the overall reception. The band has been media darlings for some time winning “MyMusic-legatet” in 2006 as well as getting a nice demo review (5 out of 6 stars) in Gaffa last year. But those happy and noncommittal days as a demo band are over, and the first review of the album was less than enthusiastic. However another review has surfaced, which takes a far more positive look at the album.
From a personal point of view I’m happy to finally see the album released (after all it’s been more than 2½ years since my first post on the band), as I’m eagerly awaiting new recordings from the band. May sound absurd as the debut has just been released, but as I’ve been following the band this closely, I was already quite familiar with most of the album tracks, as they’ve been floating around in cyberspace in various versions for a long, long time.
Should you however be a complete stranger to The Holiday Show and have a soft spot for irresistible electro-pop tunes, I can only recommend that you give these four lads a really thorough listen.
I have no tracks available for free download, but five album tracks can be streamed at Myspace. (buy)

Shorties...

The jury is still out on the concert tonight. I’m meeting a friend in Copenhagen for beer(s) and shawarma, and the mission tonight will be selling him the idea of going. But he has fairly decent taste in music, so shouldn’t be that hard…I hope!
+ Cleo Malone – The Way Down
+ The Imaginary Orchestra of Mr. Kite – The Mapmakers Dream

We Had Faces Then enters the Danish album chart at no. 29 this week. You probably only have to sell a few hundred copies these days to achieve that?

Guitarist and shoegaze enthusiast Andy Durutti has established his own label named Self Storage Recordings. The first release is a 16 tracks compilation featuring artists like Elika, Ulrich Schnauss, Soundpool, Panda Riot etc. and will be available November 3rd.
+ Elika – Nowhere

Remember that the debut album by The Holiday Show is released on Monday!

Danish music blogs earcandy and Organgrinder have been added to the blogroll.

Tomorrow night...

Since I’ll be in Copenhagen anyways, I’m seriously considering a visit to Lades tomorrow night to see/hear/watch/experience/whatever Cleo Malone and The Imaginary Orchestra of Mr. Kite. Young kids with lots of potential!
+ Cleo Malone - Hurricane (more songs)
+ TIOMK - Time Is Just Seconds Away (more songs)

Undefined bakers at dawn...

Marcus (a.k.a. bakers at dawn) has been so kind to mail me an mp3 of the recently recorded track Undefined. Been a while (too long some might say) since the last time I really listened to bakers at dawn, so I was somewhat surprised to hear an indie-folk/americana inspired tune, rather than one of those typical but infectious Swedish indie-pop songs (perhaps my memory is playing tricks with me?). Consequently I cannot help suggesting that it might be a good idea adding Iron & Wine to the influences, as Undefined sounds like something Mr. Beam would have been more than proud of recording! So all my confusions aside the new one is absolutely marvelous…
+ Undefined

On the radio this morning...

Epic! Says it all...



Every morning when eating breakfast the radio is on, and from time to time it does happen that some really fine stuff is aired, thus helping to make the start of the day a good one. The “On the radio this morning” posts are an attempt to make your start a good one as well!

On the road again...

Am going to Jutland tomorrow morning in a work related matter and the fact that I will have to spend 6 hours alone in the car (3 hours back and forth) isn't exactly the most encouraging thing I can think of. At least I should have plenty of time to listen to some of the CD's I've bought recently and if the weather is fine the view from the bridge is always fantastic.

Is it possible to eat the words you've written? My judgment of the new moi Caprice album was premature to say the least. The album still lacks those catchy tunes of its predecessors, but according to an interview with the band found in the recent edition of Soundvenue all the catchy tunes were deliberately left off the album. Instead the band focused on producing a more "complete" album and now that I've spent substantial time listening to We Had Faces Then, I think they've accomplished just that.

The first review of the debut album by The Holiday Show has surfaced. The album certainly isn't the most groundbreaking you'll ever lay ears on, but the rating (two out of six) is downright ridiculous.

An English and a German version of BandBase has now been launched.

New track by One Weekly Gun.
+ That One

From the mailbox...

Once again I'm working/listening my way through a number of promo mails. Too tired to write any comments, so tonight the music will have to speak for itself...but lots of stuff is still ending up in the recycle bin!

+ Proud Simon - Tar Washed Ashore
+ Mercury Rev - Senses On Fire (Fujiya & Miyagi Remix)
+ The Notwist - Boneless
+ Kyle Andrews - Sushi
+ Marc Farre - Harry... (removed by request)

Gaffa...

The new Gaffa webpage has been launched. Is it worse, better or? I probably need a little time getting used to it.

On the radio this morning...

I never was and never will be a fan of this song, but the video is simply wonderful. Be sure to watch it till the very end!



Every morning when eating breakfast the radio is on, and from time to time it does happen that some really fine stuff is aired, thus helping to make the start of the day a good one. The “On the radio this morning” posts are an attempt to make your start a good one as well!

Shorties...

Entakt has announced tour dates in support of the new album. I plan to turn up at Forbrændingen November 7. See you there? Supporting act will be Wolf Lies Down (never heard of them).

The fine Zen Sucker album by Danes Larsen & Furious Jane was released in the US two days ago (October 7). Read my thoughts on the album.
+ A Deathbed Conversation

One Weekly Gun continues to publish new songs (30 new babies so far this year). The most recent one deals with the state of the American economy.
+ Take Me To The Meeting On Time

It's taken at least 5 listens for me to realize that there are in fact a few really fine tracks on the new moi Caprice album. Hopefully this means that the album is a grower.

Scanned through a few promo mails earlier today and noticed the use of the word “infectious” in one of them. And since it’s one of my favorite words, I thought why not give the song a listen. Same Damn Song is by LA duo More Amor and it's, if not infectious then at least, a pretty catchy electronic pop thing.
+ Same Damn Song

Drowning...

The fact that I prefer the physical CD’s to digital downloads has been discussed multiple times before in this blog, so no point in bring that one back to life. But I’ve got to admit that the digital downloads have at least these two advantages. Storing all you CD’s can be quite a challenge and to me it represents an ever-growing problem. Furthermore the digital downloads don’t pile up on your desk reminding you about all the music you really ought to listen to. What’s stored on your computer is somehow easier to ignore. So what's brewing?

Yesterday I wanted to buy the new moi Caprice CD We Had Faces Then, but it hadn’t arrived at the CD store, so I went home empty handed (completely untrue – I just bought a couple of other CD’s instead). Instead a digital version of the album, somehow fell into my lap today, so I did get a chance to listen to it today after all. But I am going to buy the physical thing anyway, even though it will only add to the aforementioned problems/challenges – junkies are addicted you know! And despite that I think the album is a disappointment. At least through the first 3 listens it is. This is unmistakably moi Caprice with the lovely vocals and the dreamy sound, but the songwriting is simply not of the same quality as on previous albums. Stream 9 out of 11 tracks at Myspace and tell me I’m wrong?

The sophomore album Crystal Heights by Celestial is probably the next album I’ll give a thorough listen. One listen is simply not enough to make a proper judgment, though the first impression was pretty good.
+ Crystal Heights

The Celestial album was mailed to me by frontman Andreas, and he included the 3” single by My Lily of the Valley released on Cloudberry Records. Much appreciated, but at the same time it helped the pile of CD’s grow just a tiny bit higher.
+ Precious Moments

I picked up the Grateful album by Carpark North yesterday, though I’m not quite sure why I did that exactly, as I’m caring less and less about the band for every release. I’m probably stuck with some kind of nostalgic/ancient memory of the Carstereo demo (released in 2000), which I still believe is the best selling demo ever in Denmark.

I also bought two demo CD’s by “local hero” The Village Idiot. Both demos were picked as Gaffa’s “demo of the month” (getting 6 out of 6 stars) and I’m convinced they are absolutely fantastic. Just need to listen to them first. On a side note I found it highly encouraging that it was possible to buy those demos at a “real” CD store.

My biggest and darkest guilty conscience these days is the missing write-up on the debut album by Choir of Young Believers. It’s bloody, fantastic, marvelous and please, please buy a copy. Not sure if I’ll be forgiven or get any relief that way, but it’s sure worth the gamble!
+ Next Summer

Shorties...

Fucking yeah! The number of daily visitors has finally started to grow and the average of October so far is 426 compared to 409 in September. But the glorious days of November last year (591/day) don’t seem likely to return any time soon.

Not always easy being a small band I guess. As much as I’m trying to hype Entakt, the band isn’t exactly getting much support from the media. None of the mainstream newspapers have (so far) bothered reviewing the new album, and Gaffa is the only music site to post a review.

New demo track Untouchable by Ruined by Martin can now be streamed at Myspace. The band has been awfully quiet for a long time, so any sign of life is welcome.

Seems like Tap Tap is halfway through the recordings of a follow-up to the excellent Lanzafame.
+ 10,000 Thoughts

New album At Home With The Foo Fighters by The Foster Kids is out on Letterbox Records today.
+ Before You Change My Mind

Entakt - På Bagsiden Af Europa

Only 21 months have passed since Entakt released their debut album Træerne Vokser Ind I Himlen, so I was a bit surprised when I learned that the band was aiming for a sophomore release this October. Now October is here and so is the band’s new album På Bagsiden Af Europa (released today). So time to answer some of those questions, I’ve been asking myself, ever since I learned about the new release. Would it be possible for the band to match the debut, which I ranked as the second best release of 2007? Or would the band fail to resist the temptation to re-record a few tracks from the fine demo albums published in 2003 and 2005? Yes and no. The new album easily hold its own against the debut and consists of entirely new or previously unreleased material.
Musically the band has taken a few steps back in time as they sound a lot more like the genuine 2005 edition of themselves than they did on the somewhat Kent/Muse inspired debut.
I was a bit surprised how the debut turned out to be an instantly likeable affair, whereas På Bagsiden Af Europa seems to be a lot tighter and just like the early demos requires harder work getting into. But to me this often means that an album will have much better chance standing the test of time and will become more and more interesting the more I listen. And now that I’ve passed the first 20 listens that theory is more valid than ever as the album continues to unfold itself with its lovely tunes, fine production and unmatched lyrical universe. Just to rule out any misunderstandings, I still think highly of the debut, but in the rear view mirror its strength (to me) was those 4 standout tracks that I kept getting back to.
Not that the new release has any shortage of excellent songs. As a whole I actually believe PBAE outnumbers TVIIH, but the Kashmir inspired Mandagens Vægt and the pulsing Europa aside, there aren’t really any obvious “hit singles”, which could help selling the album and thus pave the way for a commercial success. Especially the album’s finer moments like Japansk Løn and the overwhelming album closer 3 Alen Fra Skafottet are far to challenging and complicated to appeal to the average radio listener.
So you might say that I’m wearing those pessimistic spectacles and projecting that the album will do very little to change the way Entakt is embraced by the general audience. And you’re probably right. If superb singles like Fyrværkeri and Kunsten At Slippe Taget couldn’t promote the debut or get any serious airplay, I’m afraid I have to hold on to that pessimistic attitude.
But that doesn’t change that right now I’m enjoying every single moment I’m spending with the album and that honorable but worn-out “album of the year” label has already begun gluing itself to this excellent sophomore effort.
+ Europa

Download Europa by Entakt for free...

For a limited period of time the first single Europa of the forthcoming Entakt album På Bagsiden Af Europa will be available as a free download. You can "buy" it for DKK 0.00 at box.dk!
UPDATE: Apparently this offer only works for Danish residents.
SECOND UPDATE: I’ve decided to share the track as long as that free to download offer is still running. From whatever point of view I can think of, it seems pointless that it’s only valid for people in Denmark, as worst case scenario must be that this will attract a couple of new listeners from abroad!
+ Europa

New track by Play People...

Last night UK Playmobil quartet Play People posted this Myspace bulletin “we want to give more than we take. we want to love. it's what you need.....but the download feature doesn't work so we can't. we'll make it up to you :)”. Guess I’m not the only one who’s frustrated with the lack of service provided by Myspace these days?
So eager as I was to get my hands on the new song, I cunningly wrote the band and offered to upload and post the track in the blog. Happily the band accepted and soon an MP3 of the track was found in my mailbox. So here it is that brand new effort by Play People and what a track it is! Though I probably shouldn’t be all that surprised, as every single song so far by this anonymous bunch has been truly marvelous. New track What Are You Going To Do? is catchy, lovely, dreamy, beautiful, infectious or why don’t you just listen to it yourself and add whatever adjectives your find appropriate! I'm just beginning to wonder more and more who’s hiding behind this alias!
+ What Are You Going To Do?

A...

...Friday-evening-emptying-the-mail-box-kind-of-post...The mails keep piling up and I need to something about it.

+ Apollo Sunshine - Singing To The Earth (To Thank Her For You)
Cheesy titled, but utterly beautiful acoustic driven song.

+ Beta Satan - Pray The Gay Game
Not exactly my cup of tea, but I'm (almost) always prepared to help promoting Danish bands!

+ Kinetic Stereokids - Have A Nice Day
Beck meets Elliott Smith to play alt-country would probably be an OK description?

+ Dead Confederate - The Rat
6 years ago I always used to listen to stuff exactly like this. Good or bad?

+ Goodtimes Goodtimes - For All My Kingdom
Cheerful song that immediately made me think of Elvis Costello.

+ The Pale Corners - Steve Buscemi
Lovely debut track by brand new Swedish indie pop quartet. Everyone knows Steve Buscemi - don't they?

+ Norma - Waste
Novoton is giving away an MP3 of the dark, haunting and absolutely brilliant new single Waste by Swedish trio Norma.

Remain amazed how much bad stuff that's released and even more amazed how much time and effort people put into promoting it! Where does all the money come from?

Shorties...

According to an article today (it’s in Danish, but read it here if you like) several nightclubs have successfully kept troublemakers away by not playing hip-hop and rap. Now you draw your own conclusions, but shitty music attracts...

In his blog yesterday the infamous Myspace founder Tom claimed that the download links for free tracks are back again. However I have yet to find one downloadable track, but am seriously looking forward to whenever things are back working properly again.

Biker Boy doesn't seem to be able to make the download function work, so he has posted download links for October Song as well as the remix of the track done by House of Primates. The firewall at work doesn't like the links, but I hope they are working!?
+ October Song
+ October Song (Remix)

Great service! Slow Shark Records has mailed me a copy of the debut album We Are Popular by The Holiday Show…nearly 3 weeks before it’s released!

Hits In The Car favorite Pete White has added two newly recorded tracks to his Myspace player as well as a lovely new version of Hand Signals.

October 10 at 10am a new and vastly improved version (so we're told) of Gaffa.dk will be launched.

Here’s the brand new video for the beautiful Värnhem by Emerald Park.

Entakt...

Last night I went to the release party for the new Entakt album På Bagsiden Af Europa. Was there for exactly 45 minutes, where I listened to the final 25 minutes of the band's performance, had a beer, bought the album and had a brief chat with Jonas. The album is officially released on Monday.

Here's the new video for the first single of the album. Rather spooky me thinks!

BandBase...

As mentioned yesterday you no longer have to be a registered user at BandBase (formerly known as MyMusic.dk) to be able to download any songs, so I thought I should do my utmost to continue promoting this fine new initiative. Especially since Myspace sucks so bad these days and has (permanently?) closed the source to lots of free downloads. So if you're interested in Danish music or great music in general, BandBase works as a brilliant alternative. I know it's in Danish, but nonetheless it's fairly simple navigating your way through the site. Only complaint is that the tagging of the songs are pretty bad, so you might have to do a little work yourself following each download. Here's "mixtape" featuring just a few of the many, many great songs you can find there (left click to download or use the YourFileHost links).
+ Ehlers/Thejsen - Art of Loneliness (YourFileHost)
+ Entakt - Kunsten At Slippe Taget (YourFileHost)
+ Leisure Alaska - Present Yet Unseen (YourFileHost)
+ Skywriter - Craving Utopia (YourFileHost)
+ VETO - You Are A Knife (YourFileHost)
+ Windermere - Trailer Park (YourFileHost)