A return to pop music...

Just thought I'd share the terrific news that yesterday Champagne Riot announced an "official return to pop music". Time will tell whether it will be as a one-man-project, as a duo or trio (for a short period of time I do believe they were a trio), because right now the return announcement is all the information there is. Needless to say, this is no less than fantastic news, as the band and their electro dance/disco pop anthems have been sorely missed! Promise to keep a watchful eye out for updates and will return immediately if/when news on line-up, releases, concerts and more or less anything else has been revealed!


+ Scandinavian Warfare

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

Shorties...

Boxstr continues being absolutely useless. Seems like it's (occasionally) possible to download songs previously uploaded, but for the past two/three weeks it hasn't been possible to upload anything. Happy I'm "only" paying for two accounts...

Has Champagne Riot called it quits? Looks like it I'm afraid. You'll be missed guys, though I'm pretty confident that we'll soon hear news from Caspar (at least)! Grab their latest (and last?) song Alcohol Kisses for a tweet.
 Alcohol Kisses (demo) by CHAMPAGNE RIOT

The Junica debut EP is out and now available through iTunes.
Living In My House by junica

According to the Matinée Recordings news page, Scottish duo Strawberry Whiplash plan to release their debut album later this summer...intriguingly the album will be called Hits In The Car...
Looking Out For Summer by Strawberry Whiplash

Delay Trees is expected to release a free-to-download EP called Before I Go Go some time during the summer. An unmastered version of the track All Black Left can be stream at SoundCloud (or below).
All Black Left by Delay Trees

Alcohol Kisses...

Champagne Riot has uploaded a brand new (demo) track. It's quite catchy and has that "typical" Champagne Riot sound (if such a thing exists?)!
 Alcohol Kisses (demo) by CHAMPAGNE RIOT

Fragile...

Fragile, a new track by The Blueflowers, can be streamed from the band’s Facebook page. Taken from their forthcoming album In Line With The Broken-Hearted. Still 5 days left to make up your mind, whether or not you want to help fund the album.

The William Blakes is this month’s guest contributor at mixtoverdener.dk, using samples from Danish composer Anders Brødsgaard to create their own version (or rather own unique work) called Music Wants To Be Free (Breathe). The track will be included on the band’s fourth album due sometime later this year (I suppose)…
+ Music Wants To Be Free (Breathe)

Physical copies of The Moonstruck EP by Champagne Riot have finally arrived at the Matinée Recordings HQ and are ready to be shipped (once you have placed your order of course!)…The entire EP can be streamed from the Champagne Riot website.
+ Moonstruck

xxx---xxx

Friday...

Lots of mails to read and plenty of music to listen to. Sadly there’s some real life work that needs to be taken care of as well, but I won’t let that stop me and plan to update this post from time to time during the day.

Right now I’m busy streaming the Psychic Powers Live Dublab “Sprout Session” (mp3). Still awaiting (some kind/any kind of) news on when the band’s debut album will be released. In February last year they announced that the album was done and in March they added that the album was going to be called Infinity. So what exactly are you guys waiting for? This is pure torture you know!

Need to check out the new single Get In Line (via Pitchfork) by I'm From Barcelona...any good? Summerlike and nice, so I guess it's pretty much as one would expect?

White Lies’ Is Love has been overhauled by Stereolab. Arguably the best remix I’ve heard so far of any track off Ritual, as you can actually recognize the song!

German blog Mittsommernachtsspitzen has been added to the blogroll. Cannot say I understand much of the content (never paid much attention in German class), but the blog does feature some fairly interesting artists!

What the world is waiting for? Not quite sure! But definitely good news that Jonathan Johansson will release a new single in February followed by an album in March!
Aldrig ensam by Jonathan Johansson/HYBRIS

The forthcoming Champagne Riot Moonstruck EP is now available for preordering from the Matinée Recordings site. It will be a four track affair and the fact that ace song Ingrid Bergman won’t be included made me post my dissatisfaction at the Matinée Facebook page. Matinée countered and replied “Don't worry - we have even grander plans for Ingrid!”, which made me fell all stupid, because Jimmy obviously knows a great song when he hears one and won’t waste this grand opportunity to release it. Sorry for questioning your plans, instincts, judgment etc.! I promise it won’t ever happen again!

Champagne news...

I know I’ve mentioned Champagne Riot quite a few times recently. But for a real good reason as things are happening. Good things!

First of all the duo will be supporting The Drums on their European Tour in December. They’ll be at a sold out Lille Vega on the 9th. Bring it to the masses boys!

The first or (as the band prefers to call it) debut EP as a duo will be out on Matinée Recordings sometime in January and will be named Confessions of a Poker Pro. To be a 5-track affair featuring the tracks Confessions of a Poker Pro, Heart Stab, A Friend of a Friend, The Champagne Anthem and Ingrid Bergman. Especially the decision to include the last (and my definite favorite) track made me all smiles!

On a side note. Paris and I, which was the actual debut EP of Champagne Riot, is still available from Shelflife Records.
+ Scandinavian Warfare

Finally the band offers new track Moonstruck as a free download. Plans are to include on some later release (most likely as a stand-alone single), but for now it’s a freebie.
+ Moonstruck

Back on the horse...

OK! No more whining about the computer at home not working. If I stop turning the blind eye to the truth, fact is that 95% of the blogging I do is done from work, so what’s the big deal really? Nothing I admit, but it just feels good whining every once in a while and as you’ve probably noticed I never waste an opportunity to do just that. But I give you my word that this will be it for now.

Yes I know it is December and yes I know I (sort of) promised to I would post my annual Christmas post, but I’m afraid it won’t happen today. But do check back tomorrow and maybe then...?

Horse Shoes remixes the Champagne Riot the A Friend Of A Friend. It’s surprisingly interesting (Knut says it’s amazing) despite being really, really different from the original. Stream both versions below!
A Friend Of A Friend (Horse Shoes Remix)

A Friend Of A Friend

Emerald Park frontman Tobias Borelius will release his debut solo album early next year (January 14 to be exact) on Smaragd Records, which I suspect must be his own label? The album will contain 9 tracks “with an acoustic/electronica touch” all sung in Swedish. Stream the track Hiro below and another 4 on Facebook.
Hiro

Various bits...

Champagne Riot writes that the track Moonstruck has been added to the P3 playlist. And indeed it’s true. In the same post they add that they (like the rest of us) have given up on Myspace!
Moonstruck

Anyone heard of (or perhaps remember) Kind of girl; a band I used to hype? If you haven’t, now is a good time to say hello as every track released by the band is free to download at last.fm. Come to think of it; the band has been awfully quiet for a long time.
+ Poetry Boy

More than once I’ve asked myself if The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is capable of doing anything wrong. Now that I’ve finally (as probably the last living soul on the planet) given new single Heart In Your Heartbreak a listen the question still rings true.
Heart In Your Heartbreak

The sophomore release (which conveniently will be titled just that) by Bubbegum Lemonade will be out on Matinée Recordings on Monday (November 29). Two intriguing promo tracks are available to sweeten the wait.
+ Caroline's Radio
+ You Only Leave Twice

If you scroll down you’ll see that I’ve (once again) added Google ads to the right column. I believe the deal is that I’m not allowed to encourage anyone to click the ads, so I won’t...

Check back for part II tomorrow.

Catching up - part III...

Didn't quite keep my promise from Wednesday, but there was no time for writing catching up posts yesterday. One day late, but here we go…

First of all thank you Chris for the heads up on Champagne Riot’s forthcoming release plans. So I did get the Matinée part right, but the EP won’t be called Moonstruck as I predicted (which really wasn't something I predicted, but rather something I assumed as the band itself called it just that). Instead it’ll be named Confessions of a Poker Pro and “will be a compilation of our best recordings from fall 2009 through to summer 2010”. Plans are that the EP will be released before Christmas and (my) hopes are that this one will be included (the tracklist has yet to be revealed).
+ Ingrid Bergman

Tempomatador (the sister band of The Boombox Hearts) has been rather busy lately recording songs and having their first official band photo taken. Pre-mix versions of two songs are free to download and Tidsfordriv (which means something like pastime in Danish) especially is really, really great! Assuming (here we go again) that all the hard work is supposed to lead to some kind of release…eventually?
+ Tidsfordriv

This is really how things should always work. I mentioned The Wonderland Washouts in a post 2 weeks ago and even though it was brief, it was enough to catch the interest of Peter. He decided to feature the band in his blog, which then made the band share links to both our blogs on their Facebook page!

Today Like Glass by the abovementioned The Wonderland Washouts is BandBase track of the day and on November 12 the band will play a concert at Hillerød Ny Teater, which I just realized is located in the same building where I worked from 1995 to 2001! Sometimes it really is a small world!
+ Like Glass

Sister Mary Says is the second single lifted from the OMD comeback album History of Modern. Sounding like vintage OMD and a fairly close relative to Enola Gay. The demo version of the track is still free to download from the official webpage.

Catching up - part II...

Anyone remember the three fine live recordings by The Boombox Hearts at The Copenhagen X Sessions I posted last month? If you do and enjoyed them, you'll probably be thrilled to learn that the recordings are now available as free downloads. Plenty of other stuff to download there as well including recording by Giana Factory, Kissaway Trail, Sleep Party People, just to mention a few.
+ The Boombox Hearts - Secret/Girls

The four tracks that will be included on the forthcoming Moonstruck EP by Champagne Riot can be streamed at Soundcloud. As always the songs are electronic, lovely and catchy! No official release info to be found anywhere online, but if the small flyer I found in a parcel recently received from Matinée Recordings is to be trusted, the EP will (at some point) be out on the world’s finest indie label. Awaiting verification…

Moonstruck by Champagne Riot

What was in that parcel you ask? The new Northern Portrait 7” single Life Returns To Normal. In a stunningly beautiful cover, pressed on clear vinyl and just one of a thousand copies made. Wish “life returns to normal” meant a return to the 80’s, where collecting limited edition singles like this was great fun. Not going to comment on the songs, as it must be rather tedious reading the exact same raving comments every time I’m mentioning the band.
+ Life Returns To Normal

Has yet to make up my mind whether or not to buy a ticket for the Warpaint concert at Loppen Tuesday evening. Would love to go and I know I’ll regret it if I don’t. But the concert will most likely start 11 p.m. or later meaning that I’ll be home and in bed at around 1.30 a.m. And the outlook of spending the following day regretting that I went (because it’s hardly rocket science to predict that I’ll be very, very tired) isn’t really that appealing.
+ Undertow

Planning to post “Catching up – part III” tomorrow.

Too tired to write anything today...

Instead I once again recommend that you download the great A Friend of a Friend by Champagne Riot before the download link is removed on Friday!
+ A Friend of a Friend (link removed)

A champagne murder mystery...

Danish duo Champagne Riot has just finished a new version of the track A Friend of a Friend and as always they boldly state that “it's really the best we've ever done”. Not really sure if I fully agree (still having a major crush on Ingrid Bergman), but in many ways the re-recording has done wonders, when comparing it to the first version, which actually was pretty good in its own rights (I doubt it is available for downloading or even streaming anywhere, so you’ll have to take my word for it). The new version is slower paced, the vocals are not nearly as a “strained” and in general has a more melancholic and beautiful feel to it. The band is planning to release it as a single some time this fall, but has kindly granted me permission to post it for a short period of time (two weeks). So I strongly suggest you grab it while it’s there!
+ A Friend of a Friend (link removed)
+ Ingrid Bergman

I’ve featured great NY quartet Murder Mystery a few times before around here and now the band is back sharing two new tracks. No way I can top the band’s own description of the tracks, so that's the one you get: “The first, I Am (If You Are) is the debut lead vocal performance of our drummer Laura. It sounds like a collaboration between Stereolab and Madonna -- pulsing synths, shimmering guitars, a disco beat and a charming vocal performance ….The second, Change My Mind is like a Cure or Belle & Sebastian pop jam arranged with the warm, bouncy synths of Aphex Twin’s Ambient Works”. Think I’ll just add that both tracks are exactly as good as the description promises!
+ I Am (If You Are)
+ Change My Mind

Shorties...

Hopefully I'm not over interpreting the update just posted at Loney Dear’s Facebook page, but it certainly looks as if the band’s sixth album is almost finished?
+ I Am John

mp3hugger calls Heart Stab by Champagne Riot “this year’s sleeper anthem” for the Ibizan dance floors. And don't forget to download the track. It's awesome!

Register and download (for free of course) two new tracks by lastbandalive.

Den Dag by new Danish band Chadore has been getting a couple of real fine reviews over at BandBase.dk. I know the lyrics are in Danish and thus making the song less appealing to most people, but man is it catchy!
+ Den Dag

Bits and pieces...

Super cool one-man project Under Electric Light tweeted yesterday that the band has finished the recordings of an album. As always the essential information on when and how the album will be released is missing, but I do suspect that there is going to be a steady flow of updates once the mixing and mastering is done.
+ Wintertime
+ This Moment

When updated the Champagne Riot blog is always a good and fun read. What are the odds of Lady Gaga reading this post and the additional odds of her actually accepting the offer? Though she really should, as every song ever written by Champagne Riot is light-years better than anything she has put her name on!
+ Ingrid Bergman
+ The Champagne Anthem

A babysitter has been found, so time to book those Ginger Ninja tickets!!

As mentioned as few times I decided not to attend this year’s Start! festival. Unfortunately it seems like I wasn’t the only one to make that decision, which has caused Mr. Ardahl to ask why the festival is in such poor health!

Next in line of “exchange your email for a download” offers is the new single Fever Rising by them:youth. I'm afraid it's somewhat disappointing compared to previous outputs by the band.

This and that...

Wanted to buy the new Cause & Effect EP Artificial Construct - Part One earlier today, but bandcamp wasn't exactly cooperative. Decided to post my frustrations about this at the band's Facebook page and a few hours later the band posted an update that the problem(s) had been fixed. So right away I headed over to bandcamp and bought the CD (including access to immediate download). What I didn't see before ordering was that the band had mailed and offered me a free download of the EP for my troubles! Not posting this to express any dissatisfaction about spending those $5.99 (as always I'm just glad to support independent music), but rather to state how incredibly cool I think the band is for actually getting back to me as well as showing their appreciation by offering a free download! Listening to the songs right now and only too happy to learn that they sound like vintage Cause & Effect!

The program for this summer's Start! Festival was published two weeks ago, but to be honest, I'm rather unimpressed. So I'm seriously considering not going this year...

Exactly a week ago Jonas posted a Geneva video, which made me start pondering what has happened to ex-Geneva frontman Andrew Montgomery's project st famous. Seems like it has now turned into a solo project, but new songs are in the making, which I believe is always a good sign? And not matter how you look at things and how things will develop; Mr. Montgomery still has one of the best voices in music.

Just found this new single by Trentemøller in the mailbox. Not sure what I expected (not a long to be truthful), but this is surprisingly enjoyable and pleasingly distant from the electronica universe I normally associate with Trentemøller.
+ Sycamore Feeling (Trentemøller Remix Edit)

chaotisch und charmant interviews Caspar of Champagne Riot and offers the track Ingrid Bergman as a free download. As previously mentioned it's Stefan of Northern Portrait, who does the singing and this is one track you simply "have" to download! UPDATE: Caspar just okayed that I post the track as well, so...
+ Ingrid Bergman

VolcanoFest...?

Who would have possibly thought that a volcano in Iceland could end up having an impact on Copenhagen Popfest? But the ash cloud created by the volcano eruption at Eyjafjallajökull has lead to a cancellation of all air traffic in and out of Denmark today (actually no one seems to have any idea, when the airspace over Denmark is going to re-open) and consequently forced a trio of bands to pull out of the event, because of those cancelled flights. Equally bad is the string of foreign visitors, who won’t be coming either for the exact same reason. Nature probably doesn’t care, but your timing really sucks!

But the Popfest will still take place, despite the pull-outs the line-up remains competent and there should be plenty of tickets available. So why not show up (if you happen to be in Copenhagen anyway)?

And now to something completely different....a few songs...

Labrador shares the brand new and really fine single The Night Before The Funeral by The Mary Onettes. The band sounds very much like itself on this one, which I guess is quite a quality stamp!
+ The Night Before The Funeral

Plus offers free download of yet another (the third) track from the very soon to be released Clinging to a Scheme album!
+ Never Follow Suit

New song Heart Stab by Champagne Riot is now streaming at Myspace. As well as a new version of The Champagne Anthem (old version posted below).
+ The Champagne Anthem (first version)

Champagne Riot - Ingrid Bergman...

A video for this magnificent pop tune has been released. If you think the content is rather pointless...well...you're absolutely right!

Sipping Champagne at the Radio Club...

Cannot recall ever being this tense and alert, as I spent the past weekend constantly monitoring the web for any (and I really mean any!) information regarding tickets for The Radio Dept. concert on May 15. Not that I was expecting to find any news, as tickets never go on sale during weekends, but nonetheless I was pathetically anxious. Predictably tickets became available this morning and now that tickets have been purchased, it’s high time to return to being my old self.

Despite another two months left until it's officially released, it does seem like Clinging To A Scheme has leaked? Whether or not it is in fact the album is obviously impossible to determine, but the songs (the two promo tracks aside) are all new to me, so it could very well be that this is indeed the album (if so - why not release it now?). Unless of course some prankster is pulling our legs! Leak or not! I’m definitely going to buy the album!

And those, I promise, will be the last words on The Radio Dept. for a good while.
+ David
+ Heaven's On Fire

Label mates Club 8 shares new single Western Hospitality. Sure it’s really nice, but each time I listen to it, I can’t help thinking of this one. Though I’m probably the only one who can hear any similarities!
+ Western Hospitality

New track Ingrid Bergman by Champagne Riot is now streaming at Myspace. As previously mentioned it is Stefan of Northern Portrait, who does the singing, and the result of this highly intriguing collaboration is an absolutely glorious pop tune. A video for the song is in the making, but when/if the track will be released remains unresolved for now (or at least has not been made public). Though Shelflife or Matinée seem like real good and fairly obvious bets (just trying to stir up some rumors)! Don't you think?

All I want for...

Finally it’s December; the month of Christmas. And finally the day has arrived where it’s completely ok to start posting Christmas songs and (more importantly) share my wishlist for Christmas. And kicking off with the later, I do think my wishes are once again very modest and reasonable, as the list has been trimmed down to include just one thing; Keira Knightley! Who, when I think of it, has been the only “thing” on my yearly wishlist for the past many years! But despite my humble wish, I have a nagging feeling than I’m in for yet another disappointment. Oh well, you can’t get everything you wish for, I suppose?

So let’s stick to the Christmas tunes instead, and regarding the posting of those, it will be business as usual. Meaning that this will be the one and only Christmas post, which I intend to update (and bump to the top of the page) whenever there are some great Christmas tunes (old or new) to share. This hopefully means that other blogposts published during December will be without any Christmas content whatsoever! I do like Christmas, but too much of anything is never a good thing!

+ Liam and Me - Winter Paradise (I Miss You This Christmas)
The main reason for why I’ve been impatiently waiting for December to begin. I love this song and it’s a huge guilty pleasure, which always makes me feel terribly stupid, when I’m listening to it during the summer. But now, for the next 24 days, I can listen to it as much as I like (and that’s exactly what I intend to do), without feeling the slightest bit of guilt!

+ One Weekly Gun – One Xmas Song
Sadly the “gun” has been rather quiet this year, but last year did end with a serious “bang”, when this glorious track oozing of Christmas was published.

+ Tiger Baby – This Christmas
This chilly electro pop tune is another seasonal favorite despite being a somewhat depressing reminder that Christmas isn’t necessarily such a wonderful time for everyone.

+ Remington Super 60 - Here Comes Christmas
If the previous track made you loose the Christmas spirit, this indie pop gem should immediately get you back on track!

+ Irene - Christmas on the Beach
As I wrote last year; "Just imagine celebrating Christmas on the beach. This is probably what it would sound like!"

+ TIAC - It's Christmas But Not For You
Another beauty and another one to remind us all that Christmas can be a rough time for lots of people.

+ Champagne Riot - Xmas Safari
According to the duo they have tried to add a twist of Bach as well as some easy-listening Burt Bacharach to the typical Champagne Riot sound on this year's Christmas single. Die they succeed? Surprised by the number of not so cheerful Christmas tunes included in this mix!

+ Champagne Riot - December Slopes
Last year's Christmas track by Champagne Riot, which was recorded back when the duo was a one-man project. Originally included on the Cloudberry Records release Last Train To Christmas.