Taking a break...

No, no. Not from blogging, but from posting anything even remotely related to Christmas. There are still another 3 weeks left until we reach those glory days of stomachaches and credit card debts, so let’s focus on something completely different instead.

But since we have now reached December, bloggers, magazines etc. are beginning to post their year-end lists. Still ridiculously early if you ask me, and like previous years I’m going to spend December on catching up on the many releases I’ve missed/ignored. As an example; had I compiled my list two days ago, the debut album Tu hoguera está ardiendo by Spanish band Klaus & Kinski would not have been on my list. But yesterday I finally started listening to the album, and now it will definitely end up in my Top 10 (and probably even higher). An amazing album on which the band blends pop, electronica and shoegaze in the most charming and contagious way, and my year-end list would have been ever so incomplete without it.
+ Nunca estás a la altura

One album I’m impatiently waiting for is the third release from fabulous Detroit band Ether Aura. Scheduled for a release in February next year and pre-ordering (to help the band out with production costs) should be possible anytime soon. If the band’s blog is to be trusted the band is working on a transformation from shoegaze towards a more gothic-americana-folk sound. Two new tracks are streamable at Myspace and they do somewhat verify that such a transformation is in progress. The two first albums were nothing but fantastic, and despite the aforementioned changes in the musical direction, I expect the third one to be equally great, thus foolishly ignoring the obvious risk of a major disappointment.
+ Twist (standout track of Before We Could Sing)

From the top of my head...

In an article in the recent edition of Soundvenue, Djuna Barnes states that MP3 blogs are dying (out of boredom). At least to her they are. Does this mean that my blog is so last year before it even became a wee bit hip? Blast!!

I don’t own an iPod and I still by CD’s. Perhaps the right Latin term for prehistoric monsters like me, who failed to understand that we entered a new millennium years ago, is CDsaurus Rex?

I’ve often wondered what my CD collection would look like, if I said yes to all the CD’s people offer to send me. The reasons why I refrain from accepting most of those generous offers are:
1. I have no time to listen to them anyway.
2. 90% of it will be a waste of time (a polite way of saying that the music will be pure garbage).
3. Storage.
4. The dying market for 2nd hand CD’s. 10 years ago I probably would have thought of the CD’s as some sort of pension fund, but those days are long gone.

Spent 3 hours yesterday afternoon at some sports arena, watching my daughter (and several other youngsters) taking part in the annual gymnastics show. Highlight (my daughter’s performance aside) was this oldie being used during one of the shows. The quality is next to useless, but there is always a good chance that the song/video will bring back a few ancient memories to some of you?



Swedish synth pop duo Ostrich had a new song up last night for about 10 minutes (plus/minus?), but then decided to remove the track, because of poor sound quality. Luckily I found it in time to grab myself a copy, and I actually thought that it sounded pretty good. But I will respect the band’s disapproval of it and refrain from posting the track.

I swear that I found this recently uploaded track by Klaus & Kinski before Ivan posted the news in his blog. Oh well – great music will always find its way to the masses.
+ En la cama

Even more shorties...

Check out my recent Støj På Frekvensen post.

A digital copy of Downhill, the DAYS debut EP, somehow fell into my lap the other day. As expected it contains 7 wonderful indie pop tunes, but also leaves me wondering what Shelflife are up to. According to their webpage the EP has been "coming soon" for several months. Peter has more info and one of the tracks.

In a cyclone of stones has turned into a very reliable source and for the second time this week I am passing on one of the recommendations found there. This time it's the damn fine new demo Nunca estás a la altura by Spanish indie-pop band Klaus&Kinski.
+ Nunca estás a la altura

Since I posted it, Kunsten At Slippe Taget by ENTAKT has been downloaded/streamed 878 times. Four digits are within reach, so please give it a listen!
+ Kunsten At Slippe Taget

Just in case you have foolishly ignored my previous pleas. Remember Us With Millions at Lades tomorrow!
+ Shepherds Hour

J.A. suggest that we all should listen to a few tracks from the forthcoming debut album The Fashionistas by Swedish electro-/synth-pop band Violet Elegy. Catchy stuff indeed!
+ The Fashionistas
+ Cold Hands

Oliver with a Tiger...

If you happen to be in Copenhagen tonight, drop by Nørrehus Bodega at 9 o'clock, where Oliver North Boy Choir will be celebrating the release of their second single Shell For The Mourning. They will be serving free sangria and you're more than welcome to bring your own CD's if you feel like DJ'ing. The single will be released on Sunday (but no one parties on Sundays - do they?) and as the previous one it will only be available as a download. So obviously I cannot post the track (as the basic idea is that we should all buy it), but instead I've been given permission to post this cover (or is it a remix?) of the track done by none other than Klaus & Kinski. This version is actually quite different from the original, but still highly entertaining and rather catchy.
+ Shell For The Mourning

From a bulletin posted by Tiger Baby:
"The Swedish fashion company H&M have decided that 'Sweetheart' is the perfect song to accompany the presentation of the company's summer trends alongside illustrations by the very talented fashion illustrator Liselotte Watkins. To have a look, go to http://www.hm.com and pick INSPIRATION, SummerTrends and then SYDNEY." Hopefully this will help the band get the attention it deserves! Oh - and doesn't Kylie look fantastic/sweet/stunning/gorgeous/etc. in those pictures?
+ Sweetheart

Another OMD Cover...

Some of you might recall that I posted Klaus & Kinski's cover of the OMD track Souvenir 3 weeks ago and today I came across another OMD cover. This time it's If You Leave covered by (now dissolved) Swedish (not US) indie pop band Free Loan Investments and once again I'm really not sure what to think. OMD used to be one of my favorite bands, so I've probably listened to this track a thousand times and never before thought of it as a twee pop song!
+ If You Leave

And below a few other OMD covers previously posted in the blog (please feel free to drop me a line if you know of any other OMD covers)
+ Klaus & Kinski - Souvenir
+ Foretaste - Secret
+ More Than Milk has a cover of Enola Gay by The Faint.
+ Ladies and Gentleman... has Nada Surf's cover of If You Leave (thanx Chris!).

Be persistent and it will pay off. Just found this superb cover of Souvenir by US indie pop quartet Brittle Stars. Actually the band's own stuff is pretty good as well and you can find several tracks for free here.
+ Souvenir

And that cover is taken from the 2001 album; Pretending To See The Future: A Tribute To OMD, which included a total of 18 artists covering OMD songs.
+ Mahogany - Bunker Soldiers
+ Acid House Kings - Almost

And continuous searching can do wonders. E L E C T R O N I C A L L Y Y O U R S offers a few very interesting remixes of songs by artists like OMD, Depeche Mode etc.

Souvenir cover...

Spanish quartet Klaus&Kinski covers Souvenir by OMD. This happens to be one of my all time favorite songs, so I'm not really sure what to think...
+ Souvenir (OMD Cover)

And here's the video for the original version by OMD. All these years later (26 to be exact), I'm still having difficulties believing that it was actually Paul Humphreys singing this one (does sound like a woman - doesn't it?)!