I never wanted you...

Busy as hell these days...so while I'm working; please check out this beautiful and dreamy cover by Mint Julep of Headphones' I Never Wanted You...

Mint Julep - I Never Wanted You (Headphones Cover) by Anorak London

Cold embrace...

Just heard the new/recent single Tæt På En Kold Favn by Lise Westzynthius on the radio. Wow. Just wow! Sad, dreamy and beautiful. What an incredibly cool way to start the weekend!



TÆT PÅ EN KOLD FAVN by Lise Westzynthius

Sidney Poitier dancing at the Swimclub (sort of)...

New York duo Swimclub has borrowed a clip from To Sir, with Love and has created this fun and absolutely perfect video for their single What You Want. Can be found on the band's EP Funhouse For Friends and is a nice catchy 60's inspired pop tune!



Swimclub - What You Want by Swimclub

Richard Hawley...

Trying to get the Richard Hawley til Danmark ("to Denmark") Facebook group back up and running. Seems like every previous member have been kicked out, so I'm back starting from scratch...Mr. Hawley still tops my list of artists I hope to see live someday, and as naive as I may be, I still hope that this group in some way could convince Mr. Hawley to come to Denmark (otherwise I'll probably have to go to the UK instead?)...though we need a few more people to join the group, as I'm not quite sure if the three members we are right now will do the trick...do yourself the favor and check out the live recording below; that man's voice is truly spectacular!



Richard Hawley - Open Up Your Door by Mute UK

Unplugged Moss portrait...

Watch one of my favorite bands Northern Portrait perform an acoustic version of Stirling Moss somewhere "in the deep center of Rome"...great concept, though the sound suffered a bit from the guys standing with their backs to each other...



Stirling Moss by Northern Portrait

For the trees...

And watch the new video of Hannah Schneider performing a beautiful live version of For The Trees on national TV...the track can be found on her new album Me Vs. I, which I intend to check out sooner than later...



For the Trees by Hannah Schneider

Dancing in the snow...

Check out new video for this wonderful folk/pop track Dancing In The Snow by Danes Green Lives...

Holding onto hope...

Here's a quick one straight from the inbox. Holding Onto Hope (featuring vocals from Kimberly Anne), the new single by London trio Imaginaire, was made available yesterday via bandcamp as a free download. A highly enjoyable and quite catchy 80's inspired electro pop/synth dominated tune...note to self: need to check out the older tracks...
+ Holding Onto Hope

Various...

I’ve probably written this a billion times before (give and take a few), but nonetheless I still feel that it’s relevant to repeat it from time to time. To all you friendly people sending mails suggesting I should check out this, that or something else; I’m truly sorry if you never get any reply or even better see the stuff featured around here. But time is a limited resource and although I do my best actually giving what’s sent my way a listen, it’s still only a minor part of the whole thing. As it should be painfully obvious to anyone, who’s accidentally tried to read one of my posts, English is not my first language. Heck; I was pretty horrible at it in school and to me grammar was always a complete waste of time. So believe it or not; every fucking post I’ve ever written took pretty close to forever to write. It may not look as if they did, but trust me! They did! So every time I start feel like writing a post I immediately start thinking of the grammar and spell checks, googling for phrases, finding synonyms etc. Needless to say quite a few blog posts have ended up never seeing the light of day, because I really didn’t have energy for another English lesson. And though I often post songs or videos accompanied by only a few lines, there also happen to be days, where I think posts like that are too pathetic to post. I’m just rambling here and probably should get to the point...problem is: there is not point really. So I’ll just shut the fuck up for now and post some of the stuff that’s on my to-do-list to hopefully ease my conscience a little...

Extinctions, the new album by Burning Hearts, was released yesterday. It's an absolute beauty so please, please, please give it a listen!
+ Burn Burn Burn

What seems like ages ago, I labeled The Papertiger Sound as "one of the best unsigned bands in the world". As far as I can tell they remain unsigned, but luckily they are still around recording music and continue giving it away for free. New EP Call Home is free to download via bandcamp and older releases can be grabbed from the band's homepage.
+ Safe Inside

Embarassing has to be the word. Three weeks ago I mailed Datawaslost and requested a download copy of the North College Hill album by The Minor Leagues. They gladly (and quickly) mailed it and I showed my gratitude by...doing absolutely nothing! Stupid...for a number of resaons. If I want labels to mail me albums, it's probably a mighty fine idea writing a few words! But more importantly the album contains some pretty damn good pop songs and how will my two readers know that unless I tell them (they probably knew already)?
+ Please Don't Throw My Love Away

Danish band Forgotten Fields On Fire is now called Jetsi Kain. Not really sure why, but as long as they keep writing charming pop songs, I really couldn't care less. New track I'm In Control was produced by the same lads, who produced the track by The Electic Moniker I posted not so long ago and does have a little of the same Caribbean feel to it (more reggae than calypso though)...
+ I'm In Control

Steam railway...

Anyone remember DAMPFBAHN!? If you don’t I can hardly won’t blame you, as nearly 5 years have gone since they put out an EP containing 5 free to download tracks; which they later followed up by having the track All Is Swell remixed by 9 other artists. But despite all their efforts the splash they made was hardly noticeable and since those busy days in 2007 the duo has been completely quiet. Though lead singer Peter (at least I assume he’s the one singing) has been busy recording and releasing song under the alias One Weekly Gun, which you’ve probably heard of, if you happen to be a semi-regular visitor around here. Now the duo is finally back together writing and recording, and so far two new songs have been released. Same As Me sort of follows nicely in the footsteps of the older tracks and is a nice uptempo electro pop dance kind of thing. However their second output You’re The First (purchase) has completely knocked me off my feet. After a short electronic intro it evolves into a grand and catchy pop song, which perhaps makes them sound more mainstream than ever, but at the same time makes them sound perhaps better than ever! Hadn’t really missed them all – now I wonder why?

You're The First by DAMPFBAHN!

Same as Me by DAMPFBAHN!

And:
+ All Is Swell (EP version)
+ All Is Swell Lummertmix (remixed by Oliver North Boy Choir)

Blood brothers...

As a few of you may recall, I posted a snippet from the video a month ago. Now the video for the closing track Blood Brothers off Chorus Grant and the Villa Nova has finally been made available. As I suspected it's dark, sinister, emotional and with anything but a happy ending!

Misery...

VETO frontman Troels Abrahamsen shares this remix of the Spleen United track Misery. The original is included on the band's new album School of Euphoria and features Danish "heroin" Gitte Nielsen on guest vocals...still no fan of remixes (yeah, yeah - I know, I posted one yesterday as well), but actually found myself tapping my feet along to this one...

Misery (Troels Abrahamsen remix) by Spleen United

Pinterest...

Testing Pinterest today, so I'm not quite sure if there'll be time for any posts today (as if it would make any difference to anyone)...check my profile if you have nothing better to do and please don't hesitate to tell what I've forgotten to "pin"...

Pure as snow...

Dane Kasper Bjørke shares this remix of Bette Davis Eyes ... surprisingly true to the original...

Kim Carnes: Bette Davis Eyes (Kasper Bjørke´s New York Snow Re-Edit) by Kasper Bjørke

And while you're at it ... check out this cool cover of the same track recorded by Oliver North Boy Choir...

Bette Davis Eyes covered by Oliver North Boy Choir by Crunchy Tunes Music

A few empty waves...

Go to SoundCloud (or grab it below) and download a new track from the forthcoming Cats on Fire album All Black Shirts To Me. It's brilliant (the song)...of course it is!
+ A Few Empty Waves

20th Century...

Stream new song 20th Century by Swedish duo This Vision. Nice and catchy electro pop and...well that's pretty much it...

20th Century by Devotion Records

The undefeated...

Heads up to J.A. for this one. Seems like Caspar, who once used to be one half of Champagne Riot, has found himself a new alias and is now creating music as The Undefeated. Not much information available (yet?), but it seems like his working on creating his own songs, so ironically (that’s a quote) his first effort is a remix. However the remix in question is quite a feat, as he’s somehow managed to make the nearly perfect The Catcher In The Rye by Azure Blue sound even more fantastic.

The remix:
Azure Blue vs. The Undefeated - The Catcher In The Rye by foreverundefeated

The original:
+ The Cather In The Rye

Plus a Champagne Riot "oldie":
+ Moonstruck

Lightning...

Check this radio stream of new single Lightning by former A-ha frontman Morten Harket. As it was co-written with Joakim and Martin of Kent I sort of expected it to be fab...not really convinced that it is...

and the Villa Nova...

UPDATED: Earlier this week I was contacted by Kristian of Chorus Grant, who asked if I’d be interested in posting a track from the forthcoming debut album and the Villa Nova as a free download (as well as adding a word or two about the album soon being out). I replied that of course I’d be interested, plus at the same time being thrilled about getting the opportunity to get an advanced listen to a much anticipated album. So yesterday I dedicated some time to listening, but after a few spins I felt that writing a few words about this album would be an almost impossible task. Musically it seems to be heading in every possible direction, shamelessly flirting with a number of genres and yet at the end mysteriously feeling like one complete whole. So I decided to mail the man back asking him to describe the music and when I read his enthusiastic replies (he needed two) I felt a little less puzzled. As he sums it up: “I want to do it all and I’ve promised myself that I’ll be allowed to do that” and for this purpose he’s “invented” the term computer-grunge. Not referring to the Seattle grunge sound, but rather as a way to describe that he thinks of the music as “muddy” which (yes indeed) can find inspiration anywhere from anyone (from The Beatles to The Radio Dept.). But in the same breath he added that he basically feels like a singer-songwriter, who just enjoys creating pop music, which, as simple as it may sound, doesn’t make the whole thing less complex. Add to this that the album has been partly inspired by the above picture of an old (and since long defunct) Bornholmian dancehall and you’ll find plenty on this intriguing and overwhelming album to keep you spellbound for a long time...not sure if the giveaway track Her Face In The Sun represents the album best (being a country-folk singer-songwriter track that will make you start dreaming of tumbleweeds), but then again, I doubt if it is at all possible to pick just one track that will! But grab it while it’s there (will be up for just one week), stream the album teaser as well and hopefully your attention has been caught! Out on Danish iTunes (link will be updated, when the album is available) on Tuesday February 14 (“worldwide” in March) and for now will be a digital only release for now...check out first review of the album (by Gaffa)...

Chorus Grant - Her Face In The Sun
+ Her Face In The Sun (mp3)

Chorus Grant "and the Villa Nova" album teaser

One more album track has been uploaded for streaming:

A Letter From Karen by Chorus Grant

Feels like...

J.A. recommends this cover by Bauer of Fiction Factory’s (Feels Like) Heaven. A more than adequate rendition, though it never really reaches the heights of the original (which 29 years on still sounds fantastic), as I do think that the production is a little “too” polished.

(FEELS LIKE) HEAVEN 2012 by feelslikeheaven2012



And the original:

Summer breeze...

Check out new single Easter Island by hyped Danish act The Eclectic Moniker. Like a much welcomed summer breeze I promise that it will make you dream of sun, beaches, drinks and perhaps (some of us probably will) girls in bikinis...

Tonight...

I probably should know better, but I do expect the concert tonight to be nothing short of fantastic...

The match factory...

Check out this new track published by Clint of Play People under his real name…Peter Hall. Inspired by a match factory fire in Hartlepool back in 1954 (this piece being the only info I've been able to find about the fire) and not really sounding anything like previous Play People recordings (supposedly the reason for not using the Play People alias). The voice is unmistakably the same, but the new track is less pop, more singer-songwriter like and one that grows for every listen!

Peter Hall - The match factory by playpeople

Extinctions...

Business as usual, I guess? Everyone’s going on about how the new Burning Hearts’s album is finally here and ignorant me has little clue about what’s happening. So of course my first reaction is: WHAT! Is this something we’ve been waiting for? Then I check the archives, wind back the clock three years and suddenly remember that I actually enjoyed  the debut album Aboa Sleeping immensely. And now that I’ve listened to Extinctions a few times, I fully understand the micro-hype and am cursing myself (just a little bit) for not having giving myself the opportunity to experience the thrill it is to be looking forward to what will hopefully be a brilliant album! And furthermore experience how all my expectations are met, when it turns out that the album is in fact brilliant. So once again Burning Hearts have been importing songs "directly from the indie pop heaven" and trust me; whenever the third album comes out, I'll be ready...

Burn burn burn by Burning Hearts

+ Into The Wilderness
+ Night Animal (from Night Animal 7")
+ I Lost My Colour Vision (from Aboa Sleeping)
+ Sea Birds (from Aboa Sleeping)

Rule the world...

Socio Peruvian pop musician Francois Peglau has gone all political (surprise, surprise) and has published a brand new track called Goldman Sachs rules the world...he's gone a little electronic as well and has invented (?) the genre Electronic Peruvian Folk. Don't think I've listened to every track recorded by Mr. Peglau, but of the ones have, this has to be his best one yet; both musically and lyrically!
+ Goldman Sachs rules the world

Golden ratio...

Just a quick note telling that the debut EP Kids Got Lost In Formalities from The Golden Ratio is out and available through iTunes. If you have no clue who this band is (shame on you), I strongly recommend that you check out a few of my older posts...
+ The Golden Ratio

There is a reason...

I’ve been nagging Andreas of Danish band It’s A Synth a few times recently asking for new tracks, as I’ve “grown tired” of listening to the same pair of tracks that’s been available for some time now. So far the band has been somewhat reluctant to share any new recordings, holding the cards close to the chest. But the other day he recalled that a third track had actually been uploaded a few months ago to the sangskriver (songwriter) page at DR, where it had received some pretty decent feedback from Tim Christensen (yup – that TC). The song has now been uploaded to SoundCloud as well, thus increasing the number of songs available by a staggering 50%! As always I’ll let the music speak for itself, but there is a reason (pun intended) for the band name…not sure if more songs are in the making, but they are definitely busy making plans...

Pen to Paper by It's a Synth

 Steps by It's a Synth

 Endless Endeavour by It's a Synth

My love...

As decided by the listeners of Danish P3...Spleen United covers Justin Timberlake...to be honest I feared the worst, but they've turned it into a really cool (using their own words here) "slow-eighties-tribal-house" kind of thing...

My Love (Justin Timberlake) by Spleen United

Centrum...

Check the new video from Jonathan Johansson. Centrum is the third single from the truly fabulous Klagomuren album...

Azure Blue news...

Of course they decided to post the new Azure Blue video right after I left work yesterday...so a little more than 12 hours late; here's the video for Seasons. I've mentioned before that Seasons was one of the best, if not the best, pop songs to be released last year, so of course it needs a video and a single (?) release. Perhaps the timing of the video release is a bit odd though, as the track seems far more suited for long, warm summer nights than this ice cold winter that has suddenly hit us!



A decent stream for the stunning Azure Blue remix of Jonathan Johansson's Stockholm was posted yesterday afternoon as well.

Jonathan Johansson - Stockholm (Azure Blue remix) by Azure Blue

Sense...

Check out the new video by Swedish teen sensation Amanda Mair for the track Sense. Her debut album will be out on Labrador (of course) on February 15 and judging from the three tracks I’ve heard so far, it should be a real treat!


Amanda Mair "Sense" from Labrador Records on Vimeo.

+ Doubt
+ House

Do you not feel loved...

This is so brilliant (though it clearly belongs to a genre that I'd normally avoid at any cost) and brought to my attention because I Am Noxious left a positive comment yesterday at New Build's SoundCloud page...has turned a cold (though sunny) day into a party...

B02 Do You Not Feel Loved? (Original Album Version) by newbuild