It's that time of year again...

So for the next two weeks I’ll be nowhere near a computer. This means no blog updates, no emails read or written, no concert tickets purchased and no new music discovered. So this will be the last batch of news, music etc. for a while.

Castello, better known as the frontman of The Holiday Show, is currently working on his solo project and demos of 4 tracks are currently streaming at Myspace. This is a little too close to “dansk pop” for my taste, but nonetheless I’ll pay close attention to how this develops.

Danish trio Spion impressed me quite a lot two years ago with their fine EP Tynd Is. Especially the title track was an amazing piece, and arguably featured some of the finest drumming this side of Mew. The band has recorded 4 new tracks, which are currently streaming at Myspace, but unfortunately they don’t quite reach the glorious heights of previous recordings.
+ Tynd Is

In a comment posted yesterday Danielle recommends Compute (a project masterminded by Ulrika Mild, but the live version features Liechtenstein lead singer Renée) and compares it to Kraftwerk and The Knife (but judge that yourself). But I do find the songs quite appealing despite being absolutely no fan of The Knife.
+ All Walk By

Italians My Awesome Mixtape are offering their new (and bloody fine) EP Other Houses as a free download to help promoting their album How Could a Village Turn Into a Town, which will be out on 42 Records in September.
+ Me & The Washing Machine

Frekvens poll...

Go to Frekvens.dk and vote for your favorite track among these five:

Spion - Tynd Is
Northern Portrait - Crazy
Days - Simple Thing
Kind of girl - Poetry Boy
Demons Are Real - Planet of Dreams

The winning track will be played at the Klub Stöj vs. Frekvens event Saturday night!

Spies on Holiday...

Just a few thoughts on the Spion/The Holiday Show double concert Friday evening.

Apparently 8 PM is too early to start a concert? Not that many people showed up, which was quite a shame. Though I don't really think I should complain about this, because it meant that there was plenty of room for everyone.

The Holiday Show delivered a fine performance. Unlike last year on Vesterbro the boys had time enough to do a sound check, so the band sounded a lot better than back then. The guys are actually taking a break right now (saying they are on Holiday, would sound like a stupid attempt at trying to be funny), but decided to take "a break from the break" to be able to play the concert. They seemed to have a great time performing, so I don't think they regret that decision at all. Afterwards I spoke briefly to Mads and Casper of the band and it seems like lots of positive things are happening. But we'll get back to that, whenever they are ready to share the news.

Second act Spion also gave a fine and energetic performance and certainly seemed to have a great time on stage, despite a few equipment problems. Luckily I got my hands on their newest demo and after listening to it during my drive home ("pump up the volume"), it is absolutely unbelievable that they haven't been signed to a record label.

In between the two acts I had the pleasure of speaking to Thomas of Volvoe. He admitted to be a regular visitor to the blog, so if you read this Thomas - It was really nice talking to you!!
+ The Holiday Show - City Girlfriend
+ Spion - Tynd Is
+ Volvoe - Travelling

Friday blurbs...

Recently I’ve been thinking more and more about switching language and start writing my posts in Danish instead. Let’s be honest for second. My English isn’t really any good and these posts are taking me forever to write. Writing in Danish would save me a lot of time and I’m pretty certain that the posts will be funnier and a tiny bit more interesting to read if written in my native language. But the obvious reason why I’m rooting against this switch is that I, pretty much like every other naïve blogger, hope that someday the entire world will be knocking on my bloggerdoor. Then it would be plain stupid that the world couldn't understand what I was writing - wouldn't it. And furthermore I'd probably risk loosing the two non-Danish speaking readers I have, if I made such a change? So for now the blog will continue being written in English and the dictionary will remain my loyal and trusted companion.

I wrote it earlier this week and I’m happy to repeat it. The more I listen to Our Love To Admire the more I like it.

Handily Supertroels has posted a compilation of all his freebies.

Some might ask what's there to be excited about, but I'm really, really looking forward to see Spion and The Holiday Show in concert tonight. Family obligations make it pretty difficult to fill my calendar with concert dates, so for obvious reasons I have to treasure the ones where I get the opportunity to go.
+ Spion - Dine Øjne
+ The Holiday Show - Put Me On A TV-show

This has already received plenty of blogger love, but I think that the great initiative deserves my recognition as well. The independent label Autumn Tone (run by Justin of An Aquarium Drunkard) has reissued the debut album Shadows Rise by post-folk duo Travel By Sea, as an “appetizer” for the band’s second release – due later this summer/fall. And a beautiful album it is. So quiet and mellow that you almost get the impression that it was created especially for the rainy days spent on the couch with a smoking cup of coffee in your hand. Despite truly deserving it, the album probably won’t appeal to the masses (these kinds of bands just never seem to do), so I very much doubt that it will propel the band (or the label for that matter) to stardom. But I assume at lot less will do just fine? However should I be wrong; then it's possible to buy the album here. Finally - am I really the only one who easily could imagine Lindsey Buckingham performing Brightside?
+ Brightside
+ Complete Shakeup

Chris posted it yesterday and I'll post it today. The new (AND free) track by Iron and Wine is excellent. His new album will be released September 25.
+ Boy With a Coin

Spies on thin ice...

Danish rock quartet Spion (the Danish word for spy) wasn't picked as Gaffa's demo of July, but the review of the band's 2007 demo Tynd Is (Danish for thin ice) was still pretty good (4 out of 6 stars), so I decided to give it a listen. A rather good idea it seems, as especially the pulsing title track has blown me away completely. The drums sound like something that Mew could have recorded during the And The Glass Handed Kites recordings, and the chorus is one of those that will be stuck in your head for the next many, many days. Please don't let the fact that the band is singing in Danish scare you away, as this is excellent stuff! The band has recorded two more demos/EP's and both of them are available for free from the band's webpage.
+ Tynd Is
+ Lydløs
+ Når Du Kommer Hjem

This Friday the band will play a double concert at Lades in Copenhagen where my old favorites The Holiday Show will be performing as well. I'll be there....
+ Snookerstar (New mix)
+ Island Of Lonely People
+ Traveling minds

Probably should add that the demo by The Holiday Show was reviewed as well and received 5 out of 6 stars (pretty good and the band was compared to my old heroes Gangway). Demo EP of the month was by alternative rockers Up In Arms.